I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

DH and I are having dinner with friends Saturday night - I need something fantastic and easy that will travel well.

Any suggestions????

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

Do you have a KitchenAid mixer?

If so, there is a great recipe on Williams Sonoma's website for a delicious fruit tart. I made it once and it was SO good and very easy.

Here's a picture of the one from their website:


Here is their recipe; however, after making it, I feel that it would be even better if you doubled the pastry cream (and I used probably only half the amount of berries).

The pastry dough is somewhat crumbly but will hold together with a little kneading. When baking the crust, watch carefully so it does not get too brown. If it starts to darken, place a piece of aluminum foil around the rim.
Ingredients:

For the pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into
1/2-inch pieces

1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 Tbs. heavy cream

For the vanilla pastry cream:

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. cornstarch

2 egg yolks

2/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


4 cups mixed berries, such as blueberries,
raspberries, strawberries and blackberries

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 425ºF.

To make the pastry, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk mixture and pulse until the dough holds together when squeezed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until it comes together in a ball. Shape into a 5-inch disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch and egg yolks on medium speed until thick and pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and vanilla and bring to a simmer. While stirring, pour half the milk into the sugar mixture until combined. Then pour this mixture back into the pan with the remaining milk and place over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides and corners of the pan while whisking to prevent scorching. Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and cover the surface with parchment paper. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch tart dish and trim the edges to make them flush with the rim. (If the dough starts to break, just piece it together in the dish.) Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, rice or beans and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and, using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the crust. Bake until the crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 1 hour.

To serve, spoon the pastry cream into the crust, arrange the berries on top and dust with confectioners sugar. Serves 8.

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

And I don't know if it's a "wow" dessert, but it's super delicious and looks pretty too.

Chocolate trifle:


INGREDIENTS

* 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
* 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy
DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.
3. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

I made this blueberry tart and brought it to a friend's house, so I know it travels well. And I did get some wows.

Everyday Food Blueberry Tart

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

Seven Layer Magic Bars

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not evaporated Milk)
1 cup (6 oz) Hershey’s Butterscotch Flavored Chips
1 cup (6 oz) Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/3 cups Mounds Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 (325 for glass dish). In 13x9 in baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour Eagle Brand evenly on top of crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients in order listed; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired (TASTE BETTER CHILLED). Cut into bars.

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

I want to have a party just so I can make this again....

Link to thread I posted last week

Re:

Message edited 3/29/2010 10:02:31 PM.

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

I always make a pie or a flan, simple but different then the norm(unless you are puerto rican, we make it once a week)

1.5 cups sugar
8 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven 400
in saucepan, over medium, heat sugar until carmelized.

in a bowl, blend eggs, milk, vanilla

take sugar, pour into pan, let cool.

once hardened, pour mixture in.

Fill roasting pan and place dishtowel at bottom to create a water bath.

pan in bath, put in oven

set timer for about 40 minutes and check it... if its starting to brown and form, its done.

take a plate, flip it, refrigerate.

tons of different ways to make it and you can add anything to it. Sometimes I add liquor, guava, cocoa powder, orange zest, pumpkin.

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

Re: I need an easy "WOW" dessert!

what about red velvet cake,