Everyone has a favorite dessert. Whether it’s something as simple as ice cream, or a more complicated dish like tiramisu, everyone has their own preference when it comes to what they love to eat after dinner. But sometimes, we get really busy and don’t have time to bake up that delicious lasagna recipe you’ve been dying to try for weeks now because your guests are on their way over. Not only do you not want them leaving disappointed, but you also want them coming back for seconds! So how can you make sure there is enough dessert?
The answer: platters of desserts! There are so many different ways that desserts can be served in this form – from trays of brownies and cookies with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. That’s what we’re here today for, to teach you how to make that platter of desserts everyone wants seconds of!
Make a list of all the desserts you want to serve
View this post on Instagram
When you’re making a tray of desserts, it’s important to try not to have too many sweets that require similar cooking techniques or cooling times, such as baking brownies and cookies together, for example. If possible, make one dessert per platter, so guests get a variety of tastes when they dig in!
One way to achieve this variety is by altering sweet and tart flavors like chocolate berry cake and tiramisu cupcakes. You can also pick different types of dishes that look inviting – whipped cream topped brownies versus ice cream with chocolate syrup drizzled over it – and serve them alongside each other. You can check here for delicious desserts to add to your platter.
Easy Dessert Platter Ideas
There are endless possibilities of sweets to include on a dessert platter. If you are focusing on a group of desserts for charcuterie, then you can choose any of the following:
- Candy Bar: You can use mints, malted milk balls, rock candy, taffy, M&Ms, gummies, and licorice to make a candy bar dessert platter.
- Chocolate Fondue Bar: For this purpose, you can use cubed cake, cookies, fruits, marshmallows, cream puffs, pretzels, Rice Krispie treats, brownies, etc.
- Hot Chocolate Bar: Before serving, heat the chocolate and keep it warm in a crockpot. Then you can pair it with peppermint sticks, churros, marshmallows, chocolate-dipped spoons. Also, you can use booze such as Fireball, Rumchata, Baileys, Kahlua, Or Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. In this dessert platter, you can use cookies for dipping.
- Fruit and Cheese: Fresh fruits, cheeses, and nuts can be used in this dessert platter. Other than these options, you can use cured meats or chocolate salami that makes a perfect dessert platter for a wine tasting party or dinner party.
- Chocolate Board: You can use dark chocolate, white chocolate, or milk chocolate to make a dessert platter that your guests want more.
View this post on Instagram
How to serve them
Place the desserts in different sections of your platter. For example, place all the brownies together on their own row, then divide up cookie-type desserts, then trays of tiramisus, etc. Make sure there is something for everyone so that no one feels left out. This way, you won’t be stuck with an empty platter of desserts when your guests arrive.
Decide on an order for your platter of desserts
How you serve your platter of desserts is entirely up to you. How can I make the most delicious-looking platter? What order should my guests be served in? The best way to decide on an order for your dessert display is to think about what kind of desserts they are and how much time it will take for them to melt or spoil, if at all. You can also check with your guests to see if they have any specific preferences about what order their desserts should be in.
Generally, you want to start with the least complicated and time-consuming dessert first (something like a slice of cake) and work up from there to give yourself enough time for all of them without rushing.
You can also consider making two separate platter displays; one that starts with cakes or simpler items on it, so people who may not eat these more complex desserts don’t feel left out; then another dish for those who are looking forward to indulging themselves! Finally, add some fresh fruit at the end as an extra course because not only is it delicious but it’s healthy too!
View this post on Instagram
Serve each dessert on its own platter
This way, there is a clean slate for each guest to enjoy without the worry of mixing flavors. Moreover, this allows you to control how much they have. It’s no secret that everyone has their own favorite after-dinner treat, but sometimes we just don’t have time or energy for all the fuss. With busy schedules and children who are always hungry, it can be hard not to feel guilty about forgetting one little detail in our preparation: dessert! That’s why these perfectly portioned dishes will help you win over any guest with their sweet tooth once again. So go ahead and invite them over as often as possible because now there is enough food for everyone!
Serve them in a circle
By serving your platter of desserts in a circle will help your guests to easily see what is available and decide which they want to try first. Plus, if they’re in a circle, it’ll be easier for them to talk and catch up with one another. Apart from the accessibility, it will also make the platter look more attractive.
What should you serve on the platter
You want to make sure there is enough variety so that everyone will find something they like! The great thing is that all these desserts are pretty simple – or at least much simpler than making an entire meal. That means you don’t even have to go through your favorite bakery for this dessert; instead, just buy pre-made ingredients from your local grocery store.
For a dessert platter, you want to make sure there is enough variety so that everyone will find something they like! The great thing is that all these desserts are pretty simple – or at least much simpler than making an entire meal. That means you don’t even have to go through your favorite bakery for this dessert; instead, just buy pre-made ingredients from your local grocery store.
| Fresh Fruit | Kiwi
Blackberries Raspberries Grapes Strawberries Blueberries |
| Cookies | Homemade Cookie
Nut Butter Shortbread Circus Animal Cookies Oreos |
| Crackers | Tea Biscuits
Teddy Grahams Sweet Goldfish Crackers Graham Crackers Animal Crackers Smores Flavored Cupcakes |
| Dipping Sauce | Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
Frosting Marshmallow Crème Peanut Butter Dip Chocolate Syrup Hot Fudge Caramel Sauce |
| Dried fruits | Apples
Freeze Dried Strawberries Mangoes Banas Figs Apricots |
| Nuts | Almonds
Pistachios Walnuts Cashews Pecans Hazelnuts Peanuts Chocolate covered nuts Toasted coconut Salted nuts |
| Brownies or Bars | Sugar Cookie Bars
Scotcheroos Banana Bars |
| Candy | Mini Candy Bars
Marshmallows M&Ms Jelly Beans Gummies |
| Trail Mixes | Sweet and Salty Mix
Store Bough Mixes Muddy Buddies |
| Bakery | Mini Cupcakes
Loaf Cakes Mini Muffins Bundt Cake Mini Fruit Tarts |
| Chocolates | Cake Balls
Candy Bars Turtles White or Dark Chocolate Bar Buckeyes Truffles |
Serve complimentary beverages
Make sure to add beverages like coffee, tea, sparkling water, etc., to your table to go with your platter of desserts. But pay attention that they aren’t too filling. You can also go for more alcoholic beverages if you want to go all out or prepare mocktails to keep it kid-friendly.
There are plenty of complimentary beverages that can be paired with a dessert platter. In each platter, there are different kinds of fruits, cakes, chocolates, etc. that can be paired with them. The pairing of drinks with a dessert platter is to make the guests want more.
| Wine | Champagne and Berry Tarts
Champagne and Fruit Dessert Platter Wine and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and Sherry Carrot Cake and Fino Sherry Apple Pie and Gewurztraminer |
| Cocktails | Brownie with a Peppermint Martini
Chocolate Cake and Black Russian Chocolate Chip Cookies and White Russian Chocolate Cake and Espresso Cocktails Molten Chocolate Cake with Irish Coffee |
| Beer | Lime Desserts with Mexican Lagers
Apple Pie and Belgian Beer Brownies and Beer Chocolate Cake and Black Chocolate Stout Carrot Cake and IPA |
Finally, don’t forget the garnishes
No platter of desserts is complete without a little something extra. How about sprinkling some crushed nuts on top or topping with berries? Or how about adding whipped cream to make your favorite cake a bit more decadent for those who may not have had enough dessert yet! And even if you are serving a platter of desserts that doesn’t require any additional toppings, you’ll still want to add something like fresh strawberries or bananas.
Conclusion
Making your guests happy is easy with a platter of desserts. With this guide, we hope you feel confident in your abilities to make a delicious platter of desserts and wow them with this simple dessert recipe for years! After getting much information about desserts, you may also want to read some of the ways on how to be creative in eating carb-rich foods. And with this, you should read the post about the Porridges from around the World to gain some insights.