Individual Desserts

[cookin4acravin]

I having a party for the birthday for a relative and theres going to be 60 people and we are ordering a cake which will feed about 24 people so I will be making a dessert. I usually make individual fruit brioche bread puddings in ramekins from http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2007/04/08/berry-brioche-puddings-puddings-de-brioche-perdue-aux-fruits-rouges/ which have been popular many times I make them. I am thinking of making something different this time. These desserts will not be plated with the exception of ramekins, verrine dishes etc. Does anyone have some ideas otherwise a sauce that might go well with the bread puddings for a more sophisticated dish. Thank you

[Lisa Shock]

If you have room in the fridge, pot de creme are made the day before in ramekins and chilled. While the most famous of these is creme brulee, you can make them with seasonal fruit/jam at the bottom or make them chocolate flavored.

[Doc]

There's a recipe for Smore's Creme Brulees on my blog if you have room in the fridge. There's a complete "from scratch" as well as a "shortcuts" version. Feel free to check it out:

What's Cooking with Doc

[tammylc]

I frequently make panna cotta topped with some sort of fruit compote or poached fruit (like peaches drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar) and it's always a big hit. I use this recipe from the Splended Table.

[cookin4acravin]

I like the idea of a panna cotta with a fruit compote, I'll think about doing that.

[Tri2Cook]

This is the absolute perfect time of year for some individual apple crisps. They're relatively quick, easy and hold/taste great at room temp so fridge space isn't an issue. Bake the day before or early the day of, cool to room temp, wrap and leave them somewhere out of the way until you need them. If you feel the need/desire to sauce them up a bit, a nice caramel sauce or cinnamon anglaise works great. Add a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream if you want or even toss a slice of good cheddar on top and run them under a broiler for a minute or two at the last minute.

[beacheschef]

You can even pre-scoop the icecream and store it in the freezer until service. Just place the bread pudding ramekin on the plate, add the ice cream scoop, and out the door...

I find bread pudding to be a well-received comfort dessert that can be dressed up with the addition of poached or plumped fruit. Customers love it - it's something they wouldn't think of cooking themselves.

[petit cochon]

The Saffron Panna Cotta recipe from the Babbo cookbook is excellent! One of my go-to desserts... I usually serve w/ grapefruit and mint.

[cookin4acravin]

I was also thinking of setting out a tray of macarons, but my oven has convection and regular, my macarons burn on the bottom when I use reg bake but when I use convection they brown too much top and bottom. I have been thinking to place my pan on the top shelf when baking regular and keeping the oven ajar when its convection. I have also been checking recipes with convection at a low temperature where I have found temperatures around 135-150 degrees Celsuis and 280-285 degrees regular. Do you think this will help? Last time I just followed the recipe directly I had no shell or foot but I think this is due to the oil from the almonds I grind on my own. I'm thinking of baking the almond powder and confectioners sugar in an oven to dry it out. Any tips or suggestions?

[gap]

My tips would be: double tray under the macarons (keep the bottom tray in the oven while it is pre-warming) and dry out your TPT (almond meal/icing sugar mixture) a few days before. I leave mine out for a day or two to dry - I haven't tried drying in an oven before.

I cook mine in a gas oven at 165 C, turn them half way and when I turn them turn the temp down to 155 C.

Edited to add: the Italian meringue method is generally more reliable for macarons

Edited October 23, 2009 by gap (log)

[PopsicleToze]

Individual Pecan Pies usually go over very well.

Rhonda