Bring out your desserts!

[spinbaby]

I've volunteered to make desserts for a spaghetti dinner that benefits a local fire company. Usually several people make desserts and they're put out on a nearby table as individual servings on little paper plates. Homemade desserts are a big deal at these events with many people going to the dessert table before they even get their spaghetti to select the best-looking dessert.

It's a big deal for me, too, because I love to bake but rarely get an opportunity because we can't eat the stuff.

Ideas for desserts I've had so far are carrot-cake cupcakes, chocolate cheesecake, and apple pie, but I'm still shopping for inspiration for yummy desserts that give me a chance to flex my baking muscles.

[cbayer]

1. I think cupcakes are a great idea.

You could also have little tubes of icing for kids to put a design on them or their name.

They don't need utensils. They don't even need plates.

Brownies are another idea and can be easily made in large quantities.

Have a great time!

[2theleft]

2. eclairs or cream puffs??

I've never made them, but my grandmother used to. Pure heaven.

Mini-pumpkin pie tarts? something like this: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/28477/mini-libbys-famous-pumpkin-pies/detail.aspx

Hmmm... along the brownie lines mentioned above - I just saw a recipe last night for chocolate chip cheesecake bars that looked heavenly... http://www.mrfood.com/Cheesecakes/Chocolate-Chip-Cheesecake-3194

And, agree with the above, cupcake are always wonderful.

[spinbaby]

4. Tarts are a good idea

If I get some of those little foil pie pans, I could do pumpkin and apple. Fussier than just baking a pie, but I'll bet people love them.

Brownies are almost too easy, although people do go for them, but cheesecake bars are an idea.

Thanks!

[grasswire]

7. eclairs/cream puffs are not hard.

It's just a matter of cooking butter and flour and then beating in some eggs to make the choux paste.

I like to make puffs and fill them with Jell-O's coconut cream pudding that is jazzed up with a little rum or brandy and orange zest, then top with drizzled orange chocolate (Newman's orange-chocolate candy bar works great for this.) It's an easy dessert that people think is fancy.

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. Mandarin Orange Chiffon Pie -- this is not the incredible recipe that I originally got...

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... from "The One That Got Away", but it looks awfully good. She baked a coconut pie shell,
but I would use a pre-cooked Oreo Cookie crumb pie shell. Neither one of us garnished with
Cool Whip, but with whole mandarin orange segments -- one each at the fat end of the 8
slices and one in the very center.
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Delicious, refreshing and a break from the usual lemon chiffon/meringue pies.
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http://www.food.com/recipe/mandarin-orange-chiffon-pie-387754
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[woodsprite]

5. I just did these mini pumpkin cheesecake tarts for coffee hour

Everybody seemed to like them. The recipe is made using Pillsbury crescent roll dough, but you could use your own crust recipe. The pumpkin cheese filling was very nice.

http://www.shugarysweets.com/2013/09/pumpkin-cheesecake-crescent-rolls

I had extra dough, and had made some german chocolate coconut-pecan cake topping (found the recipe on All Recipes) for another item. I put a little chunk of chocolate in the bottom of the crust, and topped it with teaspoon of the topping the rest of the tarts.

Not quite from scratch, but tasty.

[grasswire]

6. an applesauce cake is great for fall, with lots of spices and vanilla

and how about a pear tarte tatin? You could do it on a pizza sheet pan, to make it bigger than usual.

Or something caramel-y? A caramel and apple pizza thing-y?