Dessert table for 100 people...help!!

[AppleCottageCores]

I am the baker of the family and I have trusted cupcake, brownie recipes etc but Im a bit nervous about creating a dessert table for my niece's party. Any tips greatly appreciated....

How about individual ramekins with
trifle
eton mess
fruit crumble
chocolate mousse
cheesecake
banoffee pie

supplemented with a couple of trays of traybakes - I would do a lemon drizzle and chocolate brownies and maybe a Bakewell tart.

I’d get two of these and then add two tray bakes, cut up.
I do a lot of mass catering and everything looks nicer dressed- so I’d present them on trays with doilies/ leaves/ raspberries/ mint leaves/ grapes.

Individual fruit tartlets, really easy can do blueberries, raspberries, mandarin etc. could also do little chocolate and lemon tarts, you get a variety but because they use the same base (pastry tartlet case) they're quite quick to put together.

Agree with this. For 100 guests I'd suggest you're looking at more like 200 portions of dessert.

I'd do a combination of traybake and mini desserts in individual pots. There are some great ideas already but this is an easy recipe that works well with chocolate brownie instead of fruit cake.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/black-forest-christmas-fool

Where are you doing it and how? Could you consider buying mini ice creams eg mini magnums (or own brand) and offering them round?

This blueberry traybake is good: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/blueberry_and_lemon_09039

Brownies
Vanilla cupcakes and at least one type of flavoured cupcake.
Ready made meringues topped with whipped cream and fruit.
A couple of tubs of ice cream
A few bowls of sweets.

It depends whether it's for children or adults but I'd say things that are relatively easy to make in bulk like cake pops, cupcakes with different decorations/colours, brownies, rocky road, cheesecake bites, mini tarts, dessert skewers (fruit, marshmallows, cake etc..) 😊

Oof, best of luck with this! I would definitely focus on traybake-type recipes that minimise faffing around with individual portions.

My prefs would be something like a mix of fruit crumble bars, cheesecake brownies, and maybe Bakewell slices or raspberry frangipane.

Then you could do the same with a simple chilled cheesecake, e.g. banoffee - literally just cream whipped with cream cheese on a biscuit base and then topped with sliced bananas and drizzled with toffee sauce shortly before serving.

Fruit kebabs dipped in chocolate might be another option.

Mini meringues topped with strawberries and cream?

You will need way more than 100 pieces.

Suggest:
Something chocolate
Cake that isn't chocolate
Fruit something
Creamy something

Maybe 75 of each if adults. Maybe 50-60 if loads of kids.

i would bet on people taking at least two desserts each. For 100 people I reckon you’re looking at ~250 portions if it’s a grazing table type set up. Obviously not if it’s sit down because people will only be expecting one dessert but if it’s a free for all then most people will be keen for more especially if there is variety on offer.

If you really need to keep it to 100 portions then I’d do only one or perhaps maximum two Choices of desserts and get some signage to make clear that people choose just one. But otherwise if you’ve a table full of brownies, meringues, cheesecakes etc then you can guarantee that most people will take a small portion of each because they want to try everything.

tiramisu works well as individual portions
cheesecake obv
a fruit and cheese option?
mini profiteroles stack
some sort of cake
panacotta
Eton mess variations

Also I think you’re mad to even consider faffing about with individual portions. For 20 people, maybe. For 100? It will take hours and hours.

Day or evening, and what age group? What is being served as a main course, and will there be something like a giant birthday/celebration cake as well?

@Dotcheck thank you. Brownie bites and cupcakes are on the menu now!

@BareBelliedSneetch gorgeous idea
@Sexnotgender thank you, yes I will do tray bakes in my massive rectangular tins.

@bloodyeffinnora I would love to do individual cheese cakes cut into neat squares but I dont have any experience so dont feel condident...

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight love Pinterest! Thank you!

@Mykittensmittens thank you so much for the ideas. Individual pavlovas sound so delicious!

@itsgettingweird thank you but Ive never baked a cheesecake. I dont eat them myself. Im weird like that.

@coxesorangepippin my niece is 24. This is for her engagement party. She is a dear girl, Im very close to her.

@lemonyellows so yum!

@geoger love your ideas

@Silkiefloof so cute! I should have said its for an engagement!

@Lucy377 I love meringues! Thank you!

@Pinkpinkplonk I've seen some gorgeous classy krispycakes on pinterest! Thank you!

@OchonAgusOchonOh my husband has a big family so I'm used to hosting 30-60 people...I think the key thing for me to do is to be organised and prep well. Lots of items can be made and packed in advance.

@BigFatLiar thank you. Im looking at mini trifles and choc mousses. Will look at those dessert cups.

@PartnersInCrime yes you are right. I will have lots of people to help transport and set up. Some things will be shop bought like the baklavas etc....so hopefully it will be ok. The party will be in our village hall.

@BigFatLiar My niece is 24. Its her engagement party.

@Luhou I love how so many people have recommended meringues. Its only me who eats them in my house! Im glad they are popular with others. Thank you for your suggestions.

@Somewhatchallenging sorry I should have said in the opening post. Its for my 24 year old niece's engagement party.

@INTERNETEXPL0RER that is such a good point. Thank you!

@herbygarden thank you. I love bakewell tarts.

@Katrinawaves love your ideas, will order the dessert cups today. Yes, will do a mixture of dessert cups, traybakes and cupcakes.

@Lamelie thats a fab idea! Thank you.

@Lizzt2007 thank you. I do have a lakeland mini tart tin...thanks for the suggestion.

@ChicoryDip thank you for the recipe!

@Shakenbutbarelystirred They wanted a dessert table, but I do love the simplicity of your idea and who doesnt like a magnum. Apologies again- I should have said its for an engagement party.

@QueenOfThorns thank you so much. It looks gorgeous!

@Prescottdanni123 I like the idea of sweets...will definitely incorporate that.

@NashEnquirer thank you for your kind and helpful post! Love your ideas.

@FallingAutumnLeaf yes I agree. Thank you, your suggestions has something that caters for everyone's palate.

@Guibhyl thank you so much. I need to work out quantities.

@therealcookiemonster thank you so much for your ideas

@Guibhyl I was thinking 50 trifles and 50 choc mousses...they are super easy to do. And I can make them in advance.

But now so many people have posted other delicious individual pot ideas, will have to give it a think...

@LeefsPrings Evening engagement party.

No big cake, I did ask because that looks pretty on a dessert table.

A big thank you to all of you who replied. I feel so much better moving forward!

Those meringue nests - top them kn arrival with whipped cream and blueberries and a drizzle of syrup

A small cheeseboard as well.

Melt chocolate and brush it onto the sides of mini muffin cases, this can be done in advance, I suggest 2 coats of chocolate.
Peel off cases.
Then fill with blue things, blueberries, blue sweets, or fill with cheesecake/tiramisu/whipped cream etc
https://www.cupcakeproject.com/how-to-make-a-chocolate-cup-its-shockingly-simple/

these are a real quick crowd pleaser, sprinkle with edible blue glitter
https://createbakemake.com/three-ingredient-maltesers-fudge/

Could you put some food colouring in the meringues or cream and make them blue?

Shop bought mini meringues sandwiched together with blueberry cream dipped in chocolate and frozen.

Profiteroles. -few different flavours

You can buy a load of individual dessert pots on amazon/ ebay, put some biscuit crumb in the bottom cover with a mixture of cream and philadelphia and sugar (like a cheesecake) then too with a variety of different things:
Chocolate soil (v easy to make)
Coulis
Fresh strawberries

Your key to success is preparation with very little to do on the day.

Has anyone suggested a chocolate fountain yet? With lots of strawberry,marshmallow and blueberry kebabs

Does it need to be a 'dessert table'? With that many, I'd be inclined to do make your own sundaes if you have access to the bowls/cutlery (which I assume you do because there must be a meal being catered for them). I know it doesn't showcase your baking skills, but you could still do brownie bites, etc. to have with them. Then people top as they see fit, something for everyone, you could do it with a blue theme.

If doing tray bakes, etc., do for more than 100 as unlike slices of cake, people will take more than one, so you may end up needing to make 200-300 portions.

I'm still stuck on what sort of masochist invites 100 people to their child's party though? It's bad enough with 10!

Have you asked her (or her mum) what sort of things she likes?

My absolute favourites.