dinner party dessert

This dessert is dark and dense, but not so rich it defeats you. It freezes brilliantly too

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

unsalted butter

bar dark chocolate,70% cocoa, chopped

eggs

golden caster sugar

plain flour

ground almonds

cocoa powder,for dusting

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin. Put the butter and chocolate into a pan and gently melt together until smooth. Meanwhile, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 mins until billowy and about the thickness of old-fashioned custard.

Pour the chocolate and butter mix into the whisked egg and sugar, then fold it in very carefully using a large metal spoon. Mix the flour, almonds and ¼ tsp salt together, then fold into the mix until even. Spoon into the tin and bake for 35-40 mins until evenly set with a slight crust all over the top. Leave the cake to cool until warm, then release from the tin. Dust with cocoa, then cut into wedges.

A dinner party version of teatime favourite, millionaire's shortbread. It's not too bitter, so the kids will love it too

Millionaire's chocolate tart

pack dessert shortcrust pastry

tsp vanillapaste or extract

flour,

70% plain chocolate,

white chocolate,

tbsp butter

tbsp golden caster sugar

icing sugarand single cream, to serve (optional)

Break the pastry into chunks and drop into a food processor. Drizzle over the vanilla paste and pulse until the vanilla is speckled through the pastry (the extract should be completely absorbed). Tip out onto a floured surface, bring together into a ball, then roll out to line a 23cm tart tin (leave any overhanging pastry as you will trim this away when the tart is baked). Chill for 30 mins.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper. Fill with baking beans, bake blind for 15-20 mins, then remove the paper and beans and bake for 5-10 mins more until pale golden. Carefully spread caramel over the base and set aside while you make the filling. Lower oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Melt the chocolates in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then stir in the melted butter. Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together with an electric whisk in a large mixing bowl for 10 mins, until pale and thick enough to leave a trail when the beaters are lifted up. Fold in the melted chocolate with a large metal spoon, then scrape into the tin.

Bake for 20-25 mins &ndash; the surface should be set and puffed but still with a slight wobble. Cool, then chill for at least 3 hrs or overnight, before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

Two mighty desserts merge in this seasonal pud made from baked rhubarb, mascarpone laced with almond liqueur and a covering of oat and almond crumble

Rhubarb crumble trifle

rhubarb

caster sugar

pared zest and juice ½ orange

Disaronno

juice 2 oranges (about 150 milliliters)

trifle sponges

mascarpone

pot vanilla custard

pot double cream

butter

demerara sugar

whole almond

jumbo oats

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Arrange the rhubarb pieces in a large roasting tin. Sprinkle over the sugar, orange zest and juice, grenadine and 150ml water. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 mins until tender but not mushy. Scoop the rhubarb out of the tin into a sieve and reserve any juices, then leave to cool completely. Tip the rest of the liquid into a saucepan, along with the collected juices, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 mins or until reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool completely.

To make the crumble topping, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, then stir through the demerara sugar, almonds and oats. Tip onto a baking tray lined with parchment and bake for 15 mins, shaking the tray every so often, until golden brown, then cool.

Mix the Disaronno and orange juice together in a shallow dish. Dip each sponge into the liquid, leaving it for about 15 secs on each side, then arrange them in the base of a large trifle dish. Tip the mascarpone into a bowl and whisk until soft and smooth, then add the custard, a little at a time, and mix until combined. Arrange half the rhubarb pieces on top of the sponges, discarding the orange zest. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the rhubarb syrup and top with half the custard mix. Follow with another layer of rhubarb, 1 tbsp of the syrup, and the remaining custard.

Whip the cream and 2 tbsp sugar to soft peaks and dollop over the custard. Drizzle over the remaining rhubarb syrup, along with a scattering of the crumble topping. Tip any extra crumble into a bowl and pass around the table.

Cheesecake with an apricot twist, the flavours of the food gods

Cantabrian cheesecake

unsalted butter, softened

(330 grams) raw caster sugar

vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

ricotta cheese

(500 milliliters) milk

(185 grams) plain flour

lemon

apricots, halved, stones removed

(125 milliliters) Pedro Ximenez (Spanish sweet sherry)

(90 grams) honey

rosemary sprigs, leaves picked

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Want guilt-free fro-yo? Give this sugar-free rockmelon and yoghurt sorbet a go.

Sugar-free rockmelon and yoghurt sorbet

rockmelons, chopped, frozen

bananas,

(420 grams) thick Greek-style yoghurt

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Reminisce with a childhood favourite with this classic vanilla slice recipe.

Vanilla slice

puff pastry sheets

milliliters (1 cup) milk

vanilla bean, split

cornflour

custard powder

(1 cup) caster sugar

milliliters (3 cups) thickened cream

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An apple and raspberry crumble in 15 minutes? That's right – with our smart shortcuts this comforting pud will be on the table before you can say 'what's for dessert?'

Quick fruit crumble

dessert apples

raspberries (or any berries you have)

orange juice (optional)

oat biscuits

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel and finely slice the apples. Tip into a pan with the berries and slowly bring to a simmer, squashing the berries with the back of a spoon to release some of the juices. You shouldn’t need to add any liquid but you can add a splash of orange juice or water if it seems too dry. Remove from the heat.

Smash 3-4 oat biscuits in a food bag using a rolling pin. Tip the fruit into a baking dish, sprinkle over the crushed biscuits and put into the oven for a few minutes to warm through (if you're making this after cooking dinner, you can just use the residual heat of the oven). Serve with hot or cold ready-made custard.

These puffy, deep-fried pastry treats (which are not dissimilar to doughnuts) come from Plaquemine Lock's Cajun and Creole-inspired menu, perfect for an after-dinner bite

Beignets

plain flour, plus extra for dusting

fast-action dried yeast

lemon, zested

whole milk, tepid

unsalted butter, melted

Add the flour, sugar, yeast, lemon zest and a pinch of salt to the bowl of a stand mixer, whisking together. Combine the milk, yolks and butter in a large jug. Fit the mixer with a dough hook and gradually add the liquid to the bowl, mixing on a medium speed for 3-4 mins or until you have a smooth dough. Scrape the dough into a large, oiled bowl, loosely cover and leave in a warm place, waiting for the dough to double in size, about 1hr-1hr 15 mins.

Lightly flour a worksurface and scrape the dough onto it. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 20cm x 25cm rectangle, about 1½ cm thick. Cut into 18 ½cm squares, transfer to a lined baking tray and loosely cover with a tea towel. Leave for 1 hr in a warm place or until almost doubled in size.

Line a baking tray or plate with kitchen paper and leave close to where you will be frying. Heat the oil in a large, wide pan (the oil should be no more than halfway up the pan). Once it reaches 150C or a cube of bread lightly browns, add the squares of dough in batches of 4. Cook for 3-4 mins, turning frequently, until puffed up and golden all over. Transfer to the tray and allow to cool before serving the beignets dusted generously with the icing sugar.

Combine the heady flavours of rhubarb and ginger to make a crème brûlée with a real flavour punch. It's a stunning dessert at the end of a special dinner

Rhubarb & ginger crème brûlée

forced rhubarb, chopped into 3cm pieces

balls stem ginger in syrup, chopped

tsp cornflour

double cream

vanilla pod, split lengthways

tbsp demerara sugar

Put the rhubarb in a pan with the sugar and chopped ginger. Cook over a low heat for 10 mins or until the rhubarb has softened and begun to break down. Mix a little of the rhubarb juice with the cornflour in a small bowl, then pour into the pan and stir until thickened. Pour into the base of a round roughly 20cm dish. Leave to cool completely.

For the custard, pour the double cream, sugar and vanilla pod (as well as the scraped-out seeds) into a pan and bring to a simmer. Scoop out the pod and discard. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and gradually pour over the simmering cream, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook over a low heat, continuously stirring, for around 10 mins until it reaches 86C on a cooking thermometer, or is thickened. Pour over the cooled rhubarb, smooth to an even layer and chill overnight.

Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top and caramelise using a blowtorch until deep golden brown. Serve.

These squidgy banoffee puddings are topped with caramelised banana and a delicately spiced chai toffee sauce. Impressive but simple to make – they are ideal for a dinner party

Sticky banoffee pudding with chai caramel

unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the moulds

soft light brown sugar

self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp ground ginger

cinnamon

whole milk

vanilla ice cream, to serve

milliliters double cream

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground ginger

nutmeg

To make the sauce, melt 30g of the butter in a small, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat until foaming and fry the banana pieces for 2-3 mins on each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Tip the remaining butter and other ingredients into the pan, stirring to combine, and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to low and gently simmer for 2-3 mins or until thickened slightly.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and lightly grease four pudding or dariole moulds. Put 1 tbsp of the sauce in the bottom of each, then place one piece of caramelised banana on top.

For the sponge, tip the butter into a large bowl and use electric beaters to whip until very soft, then tip in the sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Crack in the egg and whisk well. Tip in the mashed bananas, bicarb, ground spices, milk and ¼ tsp of fine sea salt, and mix well. Divide between the moulds and bake for 20-22 mins or until risen and golden, and a skewer poked into the centres comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins.

Carefully turn out the puddings onto small plates, top with a few pieces of caramelised banana and pour over the sauce. Scoop a ball of ice cream onto each plate, to serve.

The tartness of gooseberries is the perfect foil for whipped cream and syrupy elderflower cordial in this dessert that can be put together quickly

Gooseberry fool

gooseberries

mint sprigs

tbsp elderflower cordial

milliliters thick yogurt

tbsp icing sugar

shortbread

Put the gooseberries in a pan with the mint, sugar and elderflower. Stir over a low heat for 5-8 mins until the gooseberries start to soften and turn syrupy. Leave to cool. Fish out the mint sprigs and discard. Taste and add more sugar, if you like.

Whip together the cream, yogurt and icing sugar to soft peaks. Fold through most of the gooseberries, then divide between glasses. Spoon over the remaining gooseberries, scatter over some mint and serve with shortbread.

Impress dinner guests with this lemon and raspberry mousse. Served with pistachio and ginger shortbread, it's a great dessert for a dinner party

Lemon & raspberry mousse with pistachio & ginger shortbread

lemon curd

milliliters thick Greek-style yogurt

frozen raspberries, defrosted

½ tbsp icing sugar

softened butter,

caster sugar, plus ½ tbsp

ginger

crystalised ginger, finely chopped

pistachios, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan/gas 4. For the shortbread, butter a 20cm shallow cake or tart tin. Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and well-combined, then fold in both gingers, the pistachios and a pinch of salt. Sift in the flour and knead to a soft dough in the bowl. Tip into the tin and press the mixture into the base in an even layer.

Bake for 25-30 mins until pale golden and dry-looking. Cut the shortbread into slices or wedges while hot, then leave to cool in the tin – it will firm up as it cools. Sprinkle with the ½ tbsp caster sugar.

To make the mousse, whip the double cream, lemon zest, lemon curd and yogurt in a bowl with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Spoon into small serving glasses or ramekins and chill.

Mash half the raspberries with the icing sugar using a fork, or purée in a small blender along with any defrosting juices to make a coulis. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon the coulis over the mousses, garnish with the remaining raspberries and serve with the shortbread wedges alongside.

Top 12 dinner party dessert recipes from across the web

The most viewed dinner party dessert recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

Millionaire's chocolate tart

Rhubarb crumble trifle

Cantabrian cheesecake

Sugar-free rockmelon and yoghurt so...

Vanilla slice

Quick fruit crumble

Beignets

Rhubarb & ginger crème brûlée

Sticky banoffee pudding with chai c...

Gooseberry fool

Lemon & raspberry mousse with pista...

Top 12 dinner party dessert recipes from across the web

The most viewed dinner party dessert recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Dark & squidgy chocolate torte

Millionaire's chocolate tart

Rhubarb crumble trifle

Cantabrian cheesecake

Sugar-free rockmelon and yoghurt so...

Vanilla slice

Quick fruit crumble

Beignets

Rhubarb & ginger crème brûlée

Sticky banoffee pudding with chai c...

Gooseberry fool

Lemon & raspberry mousse with pista...

The most viewed dinner party dessert recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine