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Pudding help for a party please

19 replies

goingmadinthecountry · 31/01/2012 18:05

We have a few people coming for buffet lunch on Sunday (about 35 inc us). I'm fine with main courses but am rubbish at puddings basically because I don't like eating them. I normally either make piles of brownies/cookies/lemon drizzle/little cakes or do pavlova/creme brulees (to use up eggs)/bowls of raspberries and individual banoffees or similar.

I'm not rubbish, just lack imagination as it's nothing I'd eat myself. Would rather it sliced/served prettily rather than looking a mess like trifle as there are so many people and guess I need 3 or 4 ideas. Don't suggest bought as I couldn't - it's apparently not done in the country Smile I'm hoping to do most of the messy cooking the day before.

Thank you.

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TheSecondComing · 31/01/2012 18:09

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AuntingCarse · 31/01/2012 18:13

White chocolate parfait with a coulis of some sort - can me made tomorrow as goes in freezer.

Huge tiramisu - even better the day after making anyway.

Profiteroles - again can be made, frozen and then defrosted and filled in no time morning of lunch.

French apple tart

Lemon meringue pie

Lemon tart

Cheesecake - a no bake one, very easy

goingmadinthecountry · 31/01/2012 18:21

Thank you. Definitely lemon tart and white chocolate parfait sound good. Off to google some recipes - usually use BBC Good Food if in doubt. Any recommendations for books or websites?

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AuntingCarse · 31/01/2012 18:27

GOt two, never fail to work recipes for both. Will bath small annoying child and then post them for you. Probably in an hour or so.

MissWooWoo · 31/01/2012 18:37

what are you doing for the buffet? nothing to suggest on the pudding front just like the sound of your do and want to nick your ideas live vicariously

AuntingCarse · 31/01/2012 19:15

White Chocolate Terrine/Parfait/Whatever you want to call it..

I make this in a 2lb loaf tin, lightly oiled and then clingfilmed. You can get 10-12 slices, so perhaps make a couple if you're doing a large lemon tart as well.

Per Parfait:

10oz white chocolate
6 Tblsp milk
4oz unsalted butter
2oz ratafia biscuits
3tbls amaretto
3 eggs, separated
1/2 pint double cream

Melt the chocolate with the milk and butter in a bain marie.

Spread the biscuits on a plate and sprinkle with the amaretto.

Add the egg yolks to the chocolate mix and carefully fold in the double cream (no need to whisk the cream). Whisk the egg whites until quite stiff and then fold into the chocolate mixture.

Pour half into the lined loaf tin, sprinkle the biscuits down the middle and then add the rest of the chocolate mixture. Fold the overlay of clingfilm over the top and freeze overnight. You need to take it out of the freezer and put in the fridge to soften slightly about half-three quarters of an hour before serving. Slice with a hot knife.

I tend to serve this with quite a 'sharp' coulis, damson works brilliantly with this.

1¼lbs damsons, halved and stoned
2fl.oz water
1-2oz sugar.

Put the damsons, water and sugar in a pan, cover and cook gently for 20 minutes or so, until the fruit is tender. Put through a sieve. Add a touch more sugar if needed.

I always use this Mary Berry recipe for Tarte au Citron, it really is quite delicious, and again you can make it a couple of days in advance. Take it out of the fridge about an hour or so before serving, to bring it to room temp.

Have a lovely party on Sunday. Hope it goes smoothly Grin

RCOR · 31/01/2012 21:15

No cook lemon cheesecake or baileys always a winner and very easy. I think they normally print a recipe on the philidelphia pack.

Enjoy your family gathering.

goingmadinthecountry · 31/01/2012 22:37

Aunting, MANY thanks. Will def do those and let you know how it goes.

RCOR will check out philadelphia packs - always have some in the fridge as dd2 has her moments as a fussy eater but will always make some kind of pasta sauce involving philly!

The plan is simple and chilled (would love to do elegant but have 3 teenagers who will have friends there and a dh who is usually in the shower when people turn up....) pasticcio, shepherd's pie using Jamie's lamb cooked in a bottle of red wine, Delia's veggie lasagne (bit bored of ccoking it but kids always request it), chicken and chorizo, maybe Hugh FW's chicken pie and loads of salads. It's for my 40blah again birthday so want not much fuss at the last minute. My older 3 are 18, 16, 15 so can help too. TBH, as long as my friends get plenty of wine and fun conversations they are happy. They'll be thrilled with puds as well Smile

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AuntingCarse · 31/01/2012 22:48

That all sounds delicious. Have you tried Delia's Chicken Basque - if you're doing a chicken and chorizo dish, this one is really good, and a shove it in the oven and forget sort of thing. Also tastes even better if reheated the next day. Love love love Delia's veg lasagne (actually had it for supper this evening!).

Your menu sounds like exactly what I would do for all my mob too funnily enough, and have done variations on it with the two puds, and they are both great to finish the meal off. Tried and tested and all that...

Had to Grin on reading your last post, same age (we're very early 40s don't you know), my 3 older kids are 18, 17 and 15 and demand pretty much the same food. Though, TBF, my 3 year old demands far more. Funny that.

Happy Birthday, sounds like a lovely day you have planned.

goingmadinthecountry · 31/01/2012 23:07

You must be my double!

I've got an 8 yo like that - problem is, she hasn't quite worked out that she's not a teenager too...

Thank you - am looking forward to the weekend. Even if we get snowed in (highly unlikely but who knows?) I know I have 5 sets of fantastic neighbours anyway - that's pretty well everyone in our mini hamlet - so we'll have fun whatever.

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MissWooWoo · 01/02/2012 09:13

fab menu goingmad ... will you be making this all yourself, and what if anything do you do in advance?

OneLastSoul · 01/02/2012 19:38

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OneLastSoul · 01/02/2012 19:48

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NoMoreCakeOclock · 01/02/2012 19:58

This is ridiculously easy and delicious.

4 ingredients
Choc chip cookies
brandy
cream
a flake

soak choc chip cookies briefly in brandy then a layer of cookies, layer of whipped cream, carry on until you fill a bowl. Cream as top layer, sprinkle flake over the top. Refrigerate.

It all goes pretty solid so no messy ilk a trifle, and you can't tell it's cookies.

Now I want to make one, but I would eat it all!

Somersaults · 01/02/2012 20:07

What about a simple version of an ice cream bombe? Cut a Swiss roll into slices and line a bowl. Sprinkle alcoholic beverage of your choice over them - I bet cointreau would be nice on chocolate Swiss roll or cherry brandy on the regular one - pack ice cream down inside, put more Swiss roll slices to cover the ice cream which will make the base of it when you turn it out and freeze for a long time! About an hour before serving remove from freezer and put in fridge then just tip it upside down onto a plate to serve. Simple but it looks fab.

redrubyshoes · 01/02/2012 20:09

You can't guarantee the weather but if you are having a bright sunny winter day you could try The Secret of The Empire.

Light a barbecue.

Buy melons. Watermelons, cantalopue, honey dew and bananas, kiwis, strawberries etc or even tins of 'tropical fruit' and and roughly chop them into bite sized pieces.

Get some wooden skewers (£1.50 for twenty and soak them in water first) and a fill a shallow tray with cheap brandy and another tray of brown sugar you can also have dessicated coconut.

Get your guests to 'customise' the fruit to their taste by piercing them one by one (this looks like jewels and is very pleasing) on the skewers and then roll in the brandy and the sugar and hold them like lollipops over the flames.

This caramalises the sugar and means no cooking whatsoever for you as each guest 'cooks' their own pudding to their taste.

(I use a pomegrante syrup or similar for small children rather than the brandy and the adults 'toast' them for the kids and wait for them to cool and I chop sharp points off the skewers.)

goingmadinthecountry · 01/02/2012 22:08

Yum, rrs! My kind of pudding, but given the temperature, may leave it for another occasion. We have a fire pit so it would work wonderfully. In fact, we have a summer bash planned with our neighbours for the Jubilee weekend so may need to try it out a few times first...

I do have loads of small glasses too. Goodness, light lunch for friends is going to be turning into a real event. I love parties Wine .

Will save all these ideas in favourites so even if I don't use them now, rest assured they will all have their turn!

Miss WooWoo am planning on making myself a schedule for Saturday afternoon (am sad enough to have a special book for party plans) and will work out exactly how much I can do ahead of time. I always try to delegate some jobs, but find it quicker and easier to do myself. Will clean tomorrow (I'm only working a couple of hours in the afternoon) and create more fridge space. Have fantastic neighbours who will store stuff for me too.

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countrybump · 01/02/2012 22:27

Bailey's cheesecake?
Pavlova?
Lemon tart
Choc fudge cake
Apple strudle

I'm off to raid the fridge now, all this talk of pudding is making me hungry!

goingmadinthecountry · 07/02/2012 23:20

Hello all.

Went really well - all the food disappeared. Thanks for the recipe tips - also made a raspberry cooked cheesecake from bbc good food. My lemon tart pastry cracked a bit (think it was too thin as my tart tin was too big) but at least there was no doubt it was home made. Thank you - will definitely be more confident next time!

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