So, let's say you have friends round for dinner tomorrow evening. What are you doing for pudding?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Need inspiration.

Would you be happy with cheesecake? Is that a bit dull?

I would do Sophie Grigson's passion fruit pavlova.

With all the lovely British strawberries in the shops it would have to be Eton mess.

Sorry, I should have mentioned it also needs to survive an hour long journey in the car. In this weather. I have a cool bag and freezer packs, but even so....

A good vanilla cheesecake with British strawbs Or raspberries, maybe a bit of a sauce of coulis. I'd be very happy with that.

Banoffee pie probably - quick, easy and gorgeous!

summer fruit champagne jelly

Summer pudding but you need to make it tonight really

YY to eton mess- cheesecake's a bit cloying in the summer. The Sophie Grigson sounds yummy too.

Summer pudding but you need to make it tonight really

Get some individual meringues, double cream and strawberries. You can whip the cream when you're there. Can't go wrong...

Bruffin I wont' be nipping to the kitchen to knock up a pudding right now!

Sorry again, I should have also said it has to be suitable for children too - that pavlova looks fantastic but boozy.

Gawd, it's like AIBU by stealth! Pudding by stealth.

Do all please keep going with suggestions

Walls vienetta every time.

the easiest (and possibly most delicious) lemon ice-cream:

recipe:
two jars of good quality lemon curd
large pot of creme fraiche

mix together, put in freezer. if you do it first thing will be ready for evening.

serve with strawberries/raspberries/blueberries etc.

I LOVED Vienetta when I was a kid

Take a large trifle dish and two-thirds fill with fruit (I use strawberries, sliced kiwi, grapes and drained tinned peaches), crumble a layer of amaretti or ratafis biscuits over then spread over a thick layer of greek yoghurt. The biscuits soften, the fruit goes all juicy and it is so yum!

If you want to be decadent you can sprinkle a layer of dark brown sugar over the top an hour before serving, that melts and makes a runny caramel over the whole thing.

It's not a "posh" pudding so travels easily.

Pavlova will travel best. Easy to whip using delias recipe in the morning. Whip up cream, berries in another pot, and put it together when you get there.
Or berries with cream and shortbread. Again box up separately to travel....

another vote for eton mess
prep strawberries before you go,keep pre-whipped cream cool and then add in crushed up meringues when it's time to serve pud

And the advantage of Eton mess is that you can get away with bought meringues and no one will know.
I change my preference!

I am doing 2 puds for tomorrow.

Lemon and lime cream pie (gorgeous, easy) and strawberry pavlova.

The lime jobby sounds lovely - is it a bit like key lime pie?

if your dinner party is in scotland please do not say you are serving a lime jobby!

hhahahah @ jobby
a wee jobby or a big jobby?

I am having friends for dinner tomorrow night, and I have made meringues- cooling ion the oven, dead easy, really delicious-squishy in the middle, ahrd o the outside. I'll serve em with berries- really easy! Stick them in a tupperware box to transport! It's like pavlova, but easier!

forgot to mention- but yeah- i'd be happy with cheesecake

God, my typing is dire!!