Keeping it simple.

[Tri2Cook]

A very close friend has asked me to come up with a summer dessert/sweet idea for the small burger and pizza restaurant she owns (conveniently located next to the park where most of the town kids and teens hang out, play and swim during the summer).

It has to be simple and fairly quick but I'm also going for unique (locally). Since we're in Canada and it's mainly going to be for kids I've been working around the idea of a sweet "poutine". There are many ways to simulate the fries, I just have to decide which will be the best option for her/her staff (mostly teens doing the serving and they'd probably be assembling the dessert as well). A chocolate sauce for the gravy is a no-brainer but I haven't come up with a definite plan for the cheese replacement yet. Keep in mind that this will mainly be sold to kids at the beach/park and exotic or expensive ingredients aren't an option. Those facts cancelled out some of my initial ideas (mascarpone which would be too costly for her menu and ricotta which I'm afraid would look too close to cottage cheese to the kids and is also on the expensive side locally) which, in reality, are still more "fancy" than what she's thinking anyway. Ice Cream is my primary consideration at this point but would have to be set up in advance in some form that would sorta resemble cheese curds. Big scoops wouldn't have the right look and her buying a softserve machine is very unlikely to happen.

I have to mention that I already know it's not going to be a "healthy choice" item and I'm not concerned with expanding the kids culinary minds or introducing them to new experiences in this particular instance. Also, there is no benefit in this to me other than the kids enjoying it and helping out a friend. So, any thoughts/ideas/suggestions from the always intelligent and creative people here at the eGForums? I know this is a simple thing but that doesn't mean I'm considering all of the possibilities. Sometimes keeping it simple is the biggest challenge (in my opinion anyway). I have to override the desire to try to show off. Thanks in advance.

[hummingbirdkiss]

so does it have to be fries ? or can you use fry shaped fruits with the gravy/chocolate, caramel or whatever ..sauces to pour over the fruits? for the cheese you could just put cubes of cream cheese..or marshmallowa in there I guess?

[Badiane]

How about some rice krispie fingers with chocolate sauce and white chocolate chunks?

Or, in a totally different direction....form rice krispie treat balls and impale them on sticks - like a candy apple. Dip the bottom half in chocolate or caramel, then in the treat of choice - cookie chunks, gummy bears, smarties or whatever. Easy, make ahead, no brainer.

[Tri2Cook]

so does it have to be fries ? or can you use fry shaped fruits with the  gravy/chocolate, caramel or whatever ..sauces to pour over the fruits? for the cheese you could just put cubes of cream cheese..or marshmallowa in there I guess?

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Apologies for not being more clear on that, it will not be actual fries just something to represent them. My first thought was beignet "fries" piped into a fryer but that's not going to be simple enough for her staff other than maybe the cook who is good at what he does but not all that adventurous and, without meaning to sound rude, I've had some of his pastry and dessert creations and it's just not his area of skill. So to make it as easy as possible I'm going to go with some sort of cookie or cake strips for the fries that I'll bake and supply her with (at cost... yeah, I know but she really is a good friend). Hadn't thought of marshmallows! That's a good idea and I could supply her with them if she wanted, I actually like making different flavors of them anyway.

Edited April 22, 2007 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Tri2Cook]

How about some rice krispie fingers with chocolate sauce and white chocolate chunks?

Or, in a totally different direction....form rice krispie treat balls and impale them on sticks - like a candy apple.  Dip the bottom half in chocolate or caramel, then in the treat of choice - cookie chunks, gummy bears, smarties or whatever.  Easy, make ahead, no brainer.

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I'll mention the rice krispie balls idea to her, that's not something I'd be interested in fooling with I don't think but I don't have an interest in the business anyway other than the person who owns it and she could handle that on her own. Actually, I hate to admit it but if she asked me to make them for her I probably would. I really need to toughen up a bit, I'm busy enough as it is.

[CaliPoutine]

Are you stuck on that idea? How about something containing ice cream. Maybe mini ice cream pies? or blizzard type( like at DQ) creations?

I'm in small town Ontario too and the teens in this town FLOCK to DQ.

[Tri2Cook]

Are you stuck on that idea?  How about something containing ice cream.  Maybe mini ice cream pies? or blizzard type( like at DQ) creations?

I'm in small town Ontario too and the teens in this town FLOCK to DQ.

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I'm not set on that one idea but there are several places in town to get the sort of things you mentioned so I was wanting to do something completely different without getting too carried away since I won't be there to watch over it or help with it. Thanks for the ideas though, I'll definitely mention them to her.