Dessert Parties for the Holidays or Any Day
by Mary Ann & Kimberly of
This is probably the most feminine form of entertaining. There are a dozen excuses to have a dessert party: a club meeting in the home, an afternoon of bridge, a shower for the bride or mommy-to-be, holiday get-togethers, the introduction of a newcomer in the neighborhood to your friends. It's a happy sort of affair, usually given in the afternoon, but occasionally late in the evening.
The dessert's the thing - for a dessert party is not and should not be a meal, but merely a gesture of dainty, delectable hospitality. The whole menu served at the dessert party need consist of no more than the dessert itself - eye appealing, taste-tempting and irresistibly delicious - with, of course, a beverage of distinction. Include salted nuts and mints if you wish.
Service for the dessert party should be of the simplest. You may have your card table or tables spread with dainty cloths and set with silver and napkins when your guests arrive; this permits your guests to finish eating and you to clear the tables before the business or pleasure of the meeting gets under way. Or finish the business first, and then set the tables, so guest may relax over your dessert masterpiece. The dessert itself may either be served and prettily garnished in the kitchen; or if the dessert is particularly beautiful, by all means display the the attractively garnished platter before you serve it.
Service for the dessert party should be of the simplest. You may have your card table or tables spread with dainty cloths and set with silver and napkins when your guests arrive; this permits your guests to finish eating and you to clear the tables before the business or pleasure of the meeting gets under way. Or finish the business first, and then set the tables, so guest may relax over your dessert masterpiece. The dessert itself may either be served and prettily garnished in the kitchen; or if the dessert is particularly beautiful, by all means display the the attractively garnished platter before you serve it.
Sparkling Pineapple Float6 servings
This refreshing pineapple float is doubly delicious because the beverage and the ice are really "made for each other." Serve with crisp, tender tea cookies or with your special dessert party menu.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups drained crushed pineapple - save syrup
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup cold water
2 or 3 drops mint extract
Ice Cubes
3 cups ginger ale
Mint sprigs
maraschino cherries
Directions:
Pineapple Syrup - Combine the crushed pineapple, 2 cups water and sugar in a saucepan and set over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover, increase heat and bring to boiling. Boil syrup gently 5 min. remove from heat.
Blend in the reserved pineapple syrup and lemon juice. Chill 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture for pineapple ice. Chill remainder in refrigerator.
For pineapple ice - add the 1/2 cup chilled syrup mixture to the crushed pineapple and 1/2 cup cold water and mint extract. pour into the refrigerator tray. Freeze until firm, stirring two or three times.
To serve - Pour the chilled pineapple syrup into a pitcher containing ice cubes and gently add and mix 3 cups ginger ale. Pour the beverage into tall glasses, filling each about 2/3 full. Put a spoonful of pineapple ice into each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs and Maraschino cherries.
Sparkling Rasberry Float
Follow the directions above but omit the pineapple and mint extract. Decrease sugar to 3/4 cup. Sieve about 3-1/2 cups thawed raspberries and add to the sugar syrup with lemon juice. Use 1 cup of the raspberry syrup mixture plus the cold water for the raspberry ice. Omit cherries and use fresh raspberries or frozen thawed instead.
Fruit Kabobs
6 kabobs
Pretty as a picture, these dainty fresh-fruit kabobs add a delightful flavor to ice tea or to any fruit drink. Use the kabob with its sweet and colorful fruit to stir the drink then eat the fruit.
Ingredients:
6 fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 lime, cut into 6 slices
6 maraschino cherries, well drained
12 mint leaves, rinsed
6 grapes, rinsed and stemmed
1 large orange
1 fresh pineapple or use pineapple slices from a can
Directions:
Cut 1/2 inch slices from the oranges and then cut those in half to form a half moon shape. Cut pineapple into slices then wedges. Be sure if you are using fresh pineapple that you remove all "eyes".
Thread onto each stirrer or skewer, 1 strawberry, 1 slice of lime, 1 maraschino cherry, 2 mint leaves, 1 orange wedge, 1 grape, and 1 pineapple wedge. Chill in refrigerator. To serve, put into glasses of ice tea or fruit punch.
Individual Baked Alaskas8 servings
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pts. chocolate, strawberry or vanilla ice cream
8 slices of pineapple
5 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
Directions:
Put your pineapple slices in the refrigerator to chill about 3 hours before using. Drain pineapple slices thoroughly, reserving syrup for other use. Beat until frothy the egg whites, vanilla and salt. Add gradually the sugar, beating well after each addition. Beat the meringue until rounded peaks are formed and egg whites do not slide when bowl is partially inverted.
Set out a cookie sheet. Pat the pineapple slices dry with absorbent paper. Arrange them on the cookie sheet. Quickly place 1 scoop of very firm ice cream in center of each slice. Completely cover ice cream with meringue, spreading evenly. Be careful to completely seal bottom edge to pineapple slice. Place in 450°F oven for about 4 min., or until meringue is lightly browned. Remove to serving tray, and serve immediately.
Peppermint Stick Delight8 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 lb vanilla wafers (or enough to yield 1 cup crumbs)
2 tbs sugar
3 tbs butter or margarine, melted
5 small (about 1-1/2 oz) sticks peppermint candy, coarsely crushed
1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) walnuts, coarsely chopped
16 (4oz.) marshmallows
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
Directions:
Set out an 8x8x2 pan. Put a bowl and rotary beater into the refrigerator to chill.
Prepare crumbs by crushing the vanilla wafers. Put crumbs into a large bowl and stir in sugar. Gradually add butter, stirring in with a fork. Using back of spoon, press crumb mixture firmly into an even layer on the bottom of your pan. Set aside.
Using the chilled bowl and beater, beat (about one half of the whipping cream) until cream is of medium consistency (piles softly. Fold the nuts, candy and marshmallows into the whipped cream. Place on top of your crumbs evenly ad chill in refrigerator about 12 hours.
This refreshing pineapple float is doubly delicious because the beverage and the ice are really "made for each other." Serve with crisp, tender tea cookies or with your special dessert party menu.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups drained crushed pineapple - save syrup
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup cold water
2 or 3 drops mint extract
Ice Cubes
3 cups ginger ale
Mint sprigs
maraschino cherries
Directions:
Pineapple Syrup - Combine the crushed pineapple, 2 cups water and sugar in a saucepan and set over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover, increase heat and bring to boiling. Boil syrup gently 5 min. remove from heat.
Blend in the reserved pineapple syrup and lemon juice. Chill 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture for pineapple ice. Chill remainder in refrigerator.
For pineapple ice - add the 1/2 cup chilled syrup mixture to the crushed pineapple and 1/2 cup cold water and mint extract. pour into the refrigerator tray. Freeze until firm, stirring two or three times.
To serve - Pour the chilled pineapple syrup into a pitcher containing ice cubes and gently add and mix 3 cups ginger ale. Pour the beverage into tall glasses, filling each about 2/3 full. Put a spoonful of pineapple ice into each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs and Maraschino cherries.
Sparkling Rasberry Float
Follow the directions above but omit the pineapple and mint extract. Decrease sugar to 3/4 cup. Sieve about 3-1/2 cups thawed raspberries and add to the sugar syrup with lemon juice. Use 1 cup of the raspberry syrup mixture plus the cold water for the raspberry ice. Omit cherries and use fresh raspberries or frozen thawed instead.
Fruit Kabobs
6 kabobs
Pretty as a picture, these dainty fresh-fruit kabobs add a delightful flavor to ice tea or to any fruit drink. Use the kabob with its sweet and colorful fruit to stir the drink then eat the fruit.
Ingredients:
6 fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 lime, cut into 6 slices
6 maraschino cherries, well drained
12 mint leaves, rinsed
6 grapes, rinsed and stemmed
1 large orange
1 fresh pineapple or use pineapple slices from a can
Directions:
Cut 1/2 inch slices from the oranges and then cut those in half to form a half moon shape. Cut pineapple into slices then wedges. Be sure if you are using fresh pineapple that you remove all "eyes".
Thread onto each stirrer or skewer, 1 strawberry, 1 slice of lime, 1 maraschino cherry, 2 mint leaves, 1 orange wedge, 1 grape, and 1 pineapple wedge. Chill in refrigerator. To serve, put into glasses of ice tea or fruit punch.
Individual Baked Alaskas8 servings
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pts. chocolate, strawberry or vanilla ice cream
8 slices of pineapple
5 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
Directions:
Put your pineapple slices in the refrigerator to chill about 3 hours before using. Drain pineapple slices thoroughly, reserving syrup for other use. Beat until frothy the egg whites, vanilla and salt. Add gradually the sugar, beating well after each addition. Beat the meringue until rounded peaks are formed and egg whites do not slide when bowl is partially inverted.
Set out a cookie sheet. Pat the pineapple slices dry with absorbent paper. Arrange them on the cookie sheet. Quickly place 1 scoop of very firm ice cream in center of each slice. Completely cover ice cream with meringue, spreading evenly. Be careful to completely seal bottom edge to pineapple slice. Place in 450°F oven for about 4 min., or until meringue is lightly browned. Remove to serving tray, and serve immediately.
Peppermint Stick Delight8 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 lb vanilla wafers (or enough to yield 1 cup crumbs)
2 tbs sugar
3 tbs butter or margarine, melted
5 small (about 1-1/2 oz) sticks peppermint candy, coarsely crushed
1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) walnuts, coarsely chopped
16 (4oz.) marshmallows
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
Directions:
Set out an 8x8x2 pan. Put a bowl and rotary beater into the refrigerator to chill.
Prepare crumbs by crushing the vanilla wafers. Put crumbs into a large bowl and stir in sugar. Gradually add butter, stirring in with a fork. Using back of spoon, press crumb mixture firmly into an even layer on the bottom of your pan. Set aside.
Using the chilled bowl and beater, beat (about one half of the whipping cream) until cream is of medium consistency (piles softly. Fold the nuts, candy and marshmallows into the whipped cream. Place on top of your crumbs evenly ad chill in refrigerator about 12 hours.
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