After working over the main dinner, dessert may seem like an afterthought. Here are some "cheats" that you may employ to deliver outstanding desserts, even after hours in a sweltering kitchen.
The Best Desserts to Cheat With
There are some store-bought sweets that have the power to provide the "wow" factor with only a bit of dressing up. For example:
So how can we pump up these wonderful but bland sweets into something spectacular?
How to Cheat a Homemade Dessert
Brownies
Sticking a brownie on a plate you've bought from the store isn't going to cause a sensation. However, if you have a pretty tray to display them on, then all you have to do is warm the brownies up in the oven and then arrange them on the tray. Guests will assume it's a handmade product hot from the oven.
But the shenanigans don't end there. A sprinkle of powdered sugar or cocoa powder always works wonderfully. Or try coating your brownies with a luscious drizzle of salted caramel sauce. And a little of freshness always adds that immediate “wow factor.” Place a handful of raspberries on the dish or garnish your brownies with a sprig of fresh mint.
Sponge or Sheet Cake
A basic, uninteresting cake is a terrific place to start to make a store-bought delicacy appear like your own invention. Slice the top off using a serrated blade to give the cake a flat top. Then top the cake with ready-made icing or whipped cream. To decorate, fill a freezer bag with melted chocolate or frosting, then snip a small corner of the freezer bag to form a DIY piping bag. In a zig-zag motion, pipe on lines of melted chocolate or icing across the cake. Before the chocolate or frosting hardens, draw a toothpick or knife at right angles to your zig-zag lines across the top of the cake for a beautiful pattern.
And again, freshness is crucial. Fanned out strawberry slices, pieces of star fruit or some peach slices will cap the design. Don't forget the coating of powdered sugar or cocoa if you want!
Read Also: 10 Minute Easy Dessert Recipes No Bake
Plain Cupcakes
Candied fruit, fresh fruit, ready-made sugar flowers or icing are frequently all you need to convert cupcakes from ordinary Jane's into delicious superstars—but why stop there? Present a variety of differently designed cakes on a DIY tiered cake stand. Find three plates of varying sizes, then put a cup or thick glass between each, stacking them on top of each other (biggest at the bottom). Use some fun tape to keep the cups in place.
Meringue Nests
Store-bought meringue nests can't be bettered, so add a layer of whipped cream to the base with a little brandy or rum stirred in for flair. Pile some luscious berries on top. Try rolling the berries in fine sugar to make them frosted.
These are some techniques on how to mimic a handmade dessert for a party. Mix and combine these recommendations according to your tastes. Using fruit, melted chocolate, a coating of powdered sugar or a squiggle of sauce is all you need to give your monotonous desserts a spectacular makeover. Unless your visitors see the box, no one will ever have to know that you didn't cook these sweets from start to finish.
Kari Pettersen
After working over the main dinner, dessert may seem like an afterthought. Here are some "cheats" that you may employ to deliver outstanding desserts, even after hours in a sweltering kitchen.
The Best Desserts to Cheat With
There are some store-bought sweets that have the power to provide the "wow" factor with only a bit of dressing up. For example:
Store-bought brownies
Sponge cake or sheet cake
Plain cupcakes
Meringue nests
So how can we pump up these wonderful but bland sweets into something spectacular?
How to Cheat a Homemade Dessert
Brownies
Sticking a brownie on a plate you've bought from the store isn't going to cause a sensation. However, if you have a pretty tray to display them on, then all you have to do is warm the brownies up in the oven and then arrange them on the tray. Guests will assume it's a handmade product hot from the oven.
But the shenanigans don't end there. A sprinkle of powdered sugar or cocoa powder always works wonderfully. Or try coating your brownies with a luscious drizzle of salted caramel sauce. And a little of freshness always adds that immediate “wow factor.” Place a handful of raspberries on the dish or garnish your brownies with a sprig of fresh mint.
Sponge or Sheet Cake
A basic, uninteresting cake is a terrific place to start to make a store-bought delicacy appear like your own invention. Slice the top off using a serrated blade to give the cake a flat top. Then top the cake with ready-made icing or whipped cream. To decorate, fill a freezer bag with melted chocolate or frosting, then snip a small corner of the freezer bag to form a DIY piping bag. In a zig-zag motion, pipe on lines of melted chocolate or icing across the cake. Before the chocolate or frosting hardens, draw a toothpick or knife at right angles to your zig-zag lines across the top of the cake for a beautiful pattern.
And again, freshness is crucial. Fanned out strawberry slices, pieces of star fruit or some peach slices will cap the design. Don't forget the coating of powdered sugar or cocoa if you want!
Read Also: 10 Minute Easy Dessert Recipes No Bake
Plain Cupcakes
Candied fruit, fresh fruit, ready-made sugar flowers or icing are frequently all you need to convert cupcakes from ordinary Jane's into delicious superstars—but why stop there? Present a variety of differently designed cakes on a DIY tiered cake stand. Find three plates of varying sizes, then put a cup or thick glass between each, stacking them on top of each other (biggest at the bottom). Use some fun tape to keep the cups in place.
Meringue Nests
Store-bought meringue nests can't be bettered, so add a layer of whipped cream to the base with a little brandy or rum stirred in for flair. Pile some luscious berries on top. Try rolling the berries in fine sugar to make them frosted.
These are some techniques on how to mimic a handmade dessert for a party. Mix and combine these recommendations according to your tastes. Using fruit, melted chocolate, a coating of powdered sugar or a squiggle of sauce is all you need to give your monotonous desserts a spectacular makeover. Unless your visitors see the box, no one will ever have to know that you didn't cook these sweets from start to finish.