Fabulous Dessert Ideas

[Anonymous]

Buche is out, since I've done it twice now. Croquembouche, I have been eyeballing, but it should be served right away (caramel and humidity don't mix, and it cannot be refrigerated) and does not travel well. Kind of waffling on that one; maybe I'll get heat proof gloves anyway, and make regular cream puffs, one with chocolate coating, and the other with caramel, to be served as one of the desserts.

PP with the Costco pumpkin pie made me laugh. Honestly, it's the only pumpkin pie I have ever liked. I absolutely despise pumpkin pie spice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Costco's pumpkin cheesecake
Cannolis from a bakery in Brooklyn or Manhattan
High quality carrot cake

Are you answering the correct thread? OP is asking for recipes because she likes to make extravagant desserts. Costco pick up is the opposite.

OP asked for the best and most fabulous desserts that have made you go WOW. These four have done that for me. If they don't like my answers they can disregard them. Or, maybe they're open-minded enough to read it and think their crowd will really enjoy carrot cake and go find an awesome recipe and make it themselves.

[Anonymous]

What about cranberry tart? I think it looks gorgeous and festive, and I don't see other fruit desserts on your list. You could further fancy it up with some sparkling candied cranberries.

https://www.blossomtostem.net/cranberry-curd-tart/

[Anonymous]

Apple Rose tarts are beautiful and seem transportable.

[Anonymous]

I suggest Cranberry Upside-Down Cake. It's an Alice Waters recipe you can find in NYT. It is seasonable, pretty and delicious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buche de Noel is the obvious answer here, it's the most Christmassy and you can make other flavors besides the traditional chestnut.
Other options for wow factor:
Opera cake (my favorite)
Paris Brest
Gateau St. Honore
Charlotte cake
A dacquoise cake

If you want ideas for really elaborate desserts I recommend looking for Dominique Ansel's book. It has the recipes for some of the iconic over the top items that he sells at his bakery in NYC.

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas. Since I'm in a cream puff kind of mood, the Gateau St. Honore might be what I need to make.

[Anonymous]

Layer cake with eggnog cream filling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about cranberry tart? I think it looks gorgeous and festive, and I don't see other fruit desserts on your list. You could further fancy it up with some sparkling candied cranberries.

https://www.blossomtostem.net/cranberry-curd-tart/

Planning a fruit tart, actually. Probably this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrla4pYcavk Will likely change out the fruits, depending on what looks good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s rustic, so not a show-stopper looks wise, but the NYT plum torte is pretty much the most delicious thing ever. They say it is their most requested recipe of all time. It is very easy, which would free you up to decorate a cake, etc.

Not plum season. I would like to make it, though. Probably for a summer event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you make the ladyfingers in the tiramisu from scratch? Wow, that sounds delicious.

I love this for a Christmas dessert: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/coconut-cake/

I haven't done it before, but I plan to make the ladyfingers from scratch. I'm sure getting to be relatively the same size is going to be the challenge. Store bought ones are the fall back, in case it doesn't work out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Costco's pumpkin cheesecake
Cannolis from a bakery in Brooklyn or Manhattan
High quality carrot cake

Are you answering the correct thread? OP is asking for recipes because she likes to make extravagant desserts. Costco pick up is the opposite.

OP asked for the best and most fabulous desserts that have made you go WOW. These four have done that for me. If they don't like my answers they can disregard them. Or, maybe they're open-minded enough to read it and think their crowd will really enjoy carrot cake and go find an awesome recipe and make it themselves.

PP, I appreciate the response, although it's not exactly what I'm looking for. One of the reasons I like to do this, is to learn something new. A new bake, new techniques, something that makes me fail so I can figure out what went wrong, and become a better baker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you make the ladyfingers in the tiramisu from scratch? Wow, that sounds delicious.

I love this for a Christmas dessert: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/coconut-cake/

I haven't done it before, but I plan to make the ladyfingers from scratch. I'm sure getting to be relatively the same size is going to be the challenge. Store bought ones are the fall back, in case it doesn't work out.

FYI -- since the ladyfingers are used as part of the filling, you can just make the chocolate genoise in a single layer (like a cake). I would only bother with making the actual lady fingers if they were going to go on the outside of a dessert, as in a charlotte.

[Anonymous]

If you like to experience failure, try your hand at baklava. Such a simple dessert, so many ways for it to go wrong.

[Anonymous]

Chocolate pots de creme in individual serving cups, with whipped cream, raspberries, and a few mint leaves.

Or a multi-layer chocolate mouse cake, with a flourless chocolate cake base, then layers of dark, milk, and white chocolate mousse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you make the ladyfingers in the tiramisu from scratch? Wow, that sounds delicious.

I love this for a Christmas dessert: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/coconut-cake/

I haven't done it before, but I plan to make the ladyfingers from scratch. I'm sure getting to be relatively the same size is going to be the challenge. Store bought ones are the fall back, in case it doesn't work out.

FYI -- since the ladyfingers are used as part of the filling, you can just make the chocolate genoise in a single layer (like a cake). I would only bother with making the actual lady fingers if they were going to go on the outside of a dessert, as in a charlotte.

That's a good plan. Piping stuff makes my teen happy, so maybe we can have a go at both. I have to take another look at the recipe to see what exactly it calls for.