Simple but tasty Dinner Party dessert?

[BassAce]

I’ve been tasked this month with providing the dessert course for a dinner party with friends (no dietary restrictions other than I don’t like nuts). I’m not really a sweet cook, so I’m a bit out of my depth… what’s a failsafe simple but impressive dinner party dessert for 8 people that’s not chocolate mousse, cheesecake or poached pears?!

Appreciate any great ideas from more dessert-savvy people out there… I’m currently contemplating either a pear and frangipane tart, or a giant vanilla slice. But I’d love some extra inspiration, particularly from anyone who can guarantee it can be made by a Luddite…. 😂😂

Nigella Lawsons lemon meringue ice cream with berries on the side. Easy as easy to make.

This one bowl chocolate cake is amazing and amazingly easy. It does have nuts but you don't taste them. It turns into a sort of fudgy chocolate tart which I have been known to serve with raspberries and cream at dinner parties.

I always go for tiramisu.

Tiramisu as PP said or for an upgrade on your pear tart, meera Sodha’s vegan pear, chocolate and almond galette (google for recipe) – as I’m not vegan and neither is anybody I have made it for, I have just used butter instead of margarine

Go to Waitrose and buy something.

Lemon Posset from BBC, so easy and always gets lots of praise!

Lemon trifle. So easy yet really lovely.

Sliced up lemon drizzle cake base. Homemade or bought. No one will notice. Soak in limoncello if you have any. Layer of decent bought lemon curd.

Then make a simple lemon posset and pour over quickly before it sets

Leave to chill down. Add lightly whipped slightly sweetened cream. Decorate with lemon zest and silver balls for that lovely retro look.

Creme Brulee is easy to make ahead and is always a crowd pleaser!

2 pavlovas. great for mnay reason
you can make the mirangue now and it will last.job done.
you can transport all the bits seperate.travel issue done.
is devine.done
and the 2 will be one with cream and red fruits.
and the second will be a cream again but with decorations of chocolate.fudge,maltesers,a caramel sauce etc.

Quick and easy: melt bitter chocolate into a bowl of sweetened chestnut puree. (I know you don't like nuts, OP, but chestnuts are a bit different.)

Scoop into a bowl (you can pipe it if you want to make it look nice). Top with whipped cream.

Have I missed what you meant to post?

@tothelefttotheleft I love your user name. The word ‘this’ in my post should be a clicky link

The link is in the word "this" and opens to Yotam Ottolenghi’s rhubarb recipes.

Ninja'd by Rainallnight!😀

Do you know what the main and starter are going to be? I'm always a bit horrified (overstatement but only barely 😅) on Come Dine With Me or whatever when they have something heavy like baked camembert to start, roast or a pie for a main and then follow it up with a massive slab of brownie or chocolate tart to finish - way too much stodge for me!

Key lime pie I think works regardless of the other courses - not too heavy and not too light. I like it with a ginger biscuit base (rather than digestives) and fresh raspberries on the side. Always a winner!

Banoffee pie is amazing also but probably only if the other courses are quite light. Or agree with lemon posset for something a bit lighter to finish.

Chocolate meringue discs stacked up with chocolate ganache and raspberries. Add some sweetened whipped cream to "lighten it" if needed (my MIL is a dessert genius).

Another one chiming in for lemon posset! It’s fast becoming my favourite dessert taking over from a very creamy and indulgent proper tiramisu. Oh my god I love cream based things 😂 (although funnily enough I don’t like cream on my puddings!)

My favourite go-to is Nigella’s chocolate and raspberry pavlova. Easy to make the base in advance and assemble when you’re there. The meringue base goes all fudgy and brownie-like. It’s yummy without being too heavy.

www.nigella.com/recipes/chocolate-raspberry-pavlova

Pavlova always goes really quickly when I've made it (it always surprises me, because although I like it, I wouldn't say it was that exciting!). This lemon curd and blueberry tart is lovely warm or cold, served with whipped cream.

Something like Eton mess. Crush meringues and mix in chopped raspberries and strawberries. Top with whipped cream. Easy and tastes fab.

Key lime pie. Super easy to make and additional bonus, everyone thinks you're well-travelled as it's not a classic Uk pud.

You need a biscuit base (digestives crushed with melted butter, firmed up a bit in the oven.

It's then basically blending a can of condensed milk, some lime and some eggs, chucking them in the pie, back in the oven for 15 mins and hey presto, delicious exotic sounding pud.

Banoffee pie. Piece of piss. Biscuit base natch.

Malva pudding.

Trust me. Easy and fabulous.

This. It's lovely and always very well received. it looks very impressive too.

Banoffee pie always goes down a storm (even with the people who don't particularly like sweet desserts), as does lemon posset with raspberries, or pear and ginger crumble (or tart) with an amaretto cream...and all of them are easy to make, even for non dessert chefs like us 😉