Bite sized dessert for 300

[greenbean]

I have been approached to cater a dessert reception for around three hundred people. I need some advice on how many 1-2 bite items I need and what to charge per person. While I have done wedding cakes and other items before, I have not done smaller items. Thanks.

[pastrygirl]

Catering is one branch of my job and mini desserts are in the $2-$2.50 range (per piece) depending on complexity. The most popular ones are mini chocolate cupcakes, lemon tartlets, and cream puffs. I'd say most parties we do that include mini desserts offer between 1 and 3 pieces per person. It just depend how much other food there is, and how much focus the hosts want on dessert. If it is an all dessert reception, maybe as many as 4-5 pieces per person, or $8-$12 a head. Someone else sells the menus so I'm not sure how she calculates it, I just get the orders and deliver them.

edited to add: Let's see... coming up I have a wedding reception for 130 that is heavy apps and 200 pieces dessert, another reception for 70 that is family style dinner and 80 pieces dessert, another wedding for 65 with 130 cream puffs (I think all the weddings also have outside cakes being brought in), a party for 35 with heavy apps and 70 pieces dessert, and another heavy app party with 2 desserts/person. Hope that helps.

Edited July 16, 2011 by pastrygirl (log)

[greenbean]

Thank you so much Pastrygirl, your information was extremely helpful. The dessert reception is following a dinner for an organization's conference. They are eating someplace else then having the dessert. One other question: How many varieties of desserts should I offer? I was thinking of 4-6. Is this a good number? Thanks again.

[baroness]

Be aware that as more choices are offered, the average guest will eat more items (wanting to sample everything).

I would suggest 3 or 4 items.

[Genkinaonna]

I'd second the 3 or 4 items. Maybe one chocolate, one fruity, and one crunchy/nutty item. Good variety and something for everyone, except those odd folks who don't like dessert anyways!

[pastrygirl]

300 people is going to be a lot of pieces. If you want to offer more variety and make it easy on yourself, you can do things like have cupcakes all the same flavor but with different frostings - like chocolate/chocolate and chocolate/salted caramel, or tartlets filled with the same base, but different garnishes. This way you can get the appearance of having 8 items when you really only have 4, and it's a little more work than 4 but not as much as 8.

[greenbean]

I ended up not doing this event. Thank you all for your tips and suggestions.