desserts for 1200 people

[QbanCrackr]

ok so i'm in a bit of a pinch here--helping a buddy out on his food truck doing desserts, and we're doing an event this friday for 1200 people. looking to do about 2400 desserts but i'm completely stuck on what i can make easily (not many components to it)

first one i thought was just a classic vanilla creme brulee with some fresh berries (doing this in a 2oz ramekin)

after that some sort of sweet crostini or bruschetta dolce maybe a ricotta or mascarpone spread with some fruit or chocolate

not sure on the 3rd one...planning on 800 of each

small size 2-3 oz tops on each dessert to keep them small and manage the space better.

in any case i really welcome (and hope for) your feedback with any ideas i need to start cooking stuff by tomorrow morning the latest so....yeah!

thanks again for your help and ideas

dd

[JeanneCake]

800 ramekins are a lot to keep track of and hope to get back at the end of the night! Tart shells would be more expensive but easier to manage (of course there's always the don't fry the edges of the tart shell when firing them.....

What about truffles served on a skewer? You can roll them quickly and easily, there are lots of flavor options that can complement the other things (smooth creme brulee, crispy bruschetta) on the menu.

[merstar]

Mini cupcakes or mini cheesecakes in small paper liners.

Fried wontons stuffed with chocolate or cream cheese or filling of choice, dusted with confectioner's sugar.

Edited March 1, 2011 by merstar (log)

[Tri2Cook]

am i crazy for doing this?

Yes. You are... ...but that doesn't mean it won't be fun.

Little layered things with different flavors/textures in small glasses are quick to assemble, don't take up too much space, don't require last minute work unless there's a garnish you want to add to the top, have always been well received when I've done them and are easy to transport. You can even get plastic glasses so retrieving them at the end becomes unnecessary. I do versions of them fairly often for catering but looking through my galleries, it looks like I only have one picture available as an example of what I'm talking about. This is from a few years ago if I remember correctly but you get the idea...

jackfruit gelee, honeydew in vanilla syrup, caramelized rice crispy disc, jackfruit-cardamom mousse

Edited because apparently I can't spell things right the first time.

Edited March 1, 2011 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Lisa Shock]

You can get small 4-5 oz disposable cocktail cups at a party supply store and make panna cotta. An easy, delicious flavor can be created by infusing the milk/cream mixture with orange peels and vanilla bean. You can top with berries after they set. -Easier than brulee, no baking and no flaming.

If you have flexipans in serving sized shapes you could make small flavored cheesecakes and place them on pate sucree bases just large enough to hold them and not show. I'm thinking something like lime pyramids on square bases or domes on round bases.

Verrines are always good, pastry cream and mousses are your friends here. Add some fruit compote, crushed nuts or cookies and you're good to go. Again, use the disposables from the party supply store.

[runwestierun]

I buy these candle holders for verrines. Because they can take the heat of the candle, I can use them in the oven.

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Clear-Glass-Votive-Holders/dp/B001D90HZK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1299024784&sr=8-2

I have often made creme caramel in these as the base of a verrine because you can clearly see the two layers and it's pretty. Typically I'll add a layer of stabilized whipped cream and then fresh raspberries. I also often use these candle holders for a verrine with chocolate pots de creme. Sometimes I ad a disc of cake. Sometimes I just use chocolate pots de creme, some stabilized whipped cream and a striped cigarette cookie. Both of these hold easily for 2 days (unassembled) and make for easy last minute assembly. These aren't fancy, but they are fast and cheap and they don't scare anybody.

[IndyRob]

What size team will you have on site?

[QbanCrackr]

800 ramekins are a lot to keep track of and hope to get back at the end of the night! Tart shells would be more expensive but easier to manage (of course there's always the don't fry the edges of the tart shell when firing them.....

What about truffles served on a skewer? You can roll them quickly and easily, there are lots of flavor options that can complement the other things (smooth creme brulee, crispy bruschetta) on the menu.

i'm actually going with 2 ounce aluminum ramekins, no waaaaay i'm going around collecting the dirty ones lol...not to mention any accidents! i looove the truffle skewer idea, quite clever!

Mini cupcakes or mini cheesecakes in small paper liners.

Fried wontons stuffed with chocolate or cream cheese or filling of choice, dusted with confectioner's sugar.

mini cheesecakes = <3

am i crazy for doing this?

Yes. You are... ...but that doesn't mean it won't be fun.

Little layered things with different flavors/textures in small glasses are quick to assemble, don't take up too much space, don't require last minute work unless there's a garnish you want to add to the top, have always been well received when I've done them and are easy to transport. You can even get plastic glasses so retrieving them at the end becomes unnecessary. I do versions of them fairly often for catering but looking through my galleries, it looks like I only have one picture available as an example of what I'm talking about. This is from a few years ago if I remember correctly but you get the idea...

jackfruit gelee, honeydew in vanilla syrup, caramelized rice crispy disc, jackfruit-cardamom mousse

Edited because apparently I can't spell things right the first time.

how did you do the rice krispy disc?

You can get small 4-5 oz disposable cocktail cups at a party supply store and make panna cotta. An easy, delicious flavor can be created by infusing the milk/cream mixture with orange peels and vanilla bean. You can top with berries after they set. -Easier than brulee, no baking and no flaming.

If you have flexipans in serving sized shapes you could make small flavored cheesecakes and place them on pate sucree bases just large enough to hold them and not show. I'm thinking something like lime pyramids on square bases or domes on round bases.

Verrines are always good, pastry cream and mousses are your friends here. Add some fruit compote, crushed nuts or cookies and you're good to go. Again, use the disposables from the party supply store.

i've got flexipans but only 1/4 sheet size and for larger items 3-4" pieces, nothing for mini =/

What size team will you have on site?

heres the crazier part....i'm cooking all the desserts. on site itll be me + 2 i'm hoping to take all the items pre-plated already sans the bruschetta (i.e. anything needing to set overnight, garnishing on site)

[ctown13]

French macarons? Well, I guess only a good idea if you know how to make them! You can bake them days ahead and assemble a day ahead, which is actually preferred in order to let the flavors meld. Though, they are hard to transport because they are a bit fragile. good luck! I do think you are a bit crazy!

[Tri2Cook]

how did you do the rice krispy disc?

I cook sugar until it's melted and giving up large bubbles but not beginning to color, stir in rice krispies and continue cooking and stirring until the sugar coating them melts again and begins to color evenly throughout. At this point I normally spread them on a silpat and toss them around so that they cool without sticking together. For the discs, I intentionally compact them into a thin sheet, let it cool and cut out discs with a cookie cutter. If I need to be able to assemble the dessert more than a short time ahead, I spray the discs very lightly with cocoa butter. The decoration on top is caramlized rice krispies that I spread on a silpat and then drizzled caramelized sugar randomly over. After cooling, I just broke it into small pieces.

[Genkinaonna]

Well? How did it go? What did you make and where are the pictures?!?