Great dessert for cookout/end of summer party?

Question

My cross country team is having an "end of summer" type party next week, before practice starts... we have been doing Summer Running together for the past couple months so its just sort of an informal gathering, to celebrate our progress so far and get everyone excited for the season yet to come...

I signed up to make a dessert, and was thinking something either big, gooey, impressive similar to Death by Chocolate (my pasta-party staple dessert!) or smaller and cuter, like some kind of cool cookie or nicely decorated cupcakes.

Any other ideas?

Answer 1

http://kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/easy-ce...

http://kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/layered...

http://kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/caramel...

Answer 2

if i was going to do dessert for a summer get together i would do something lighter than cake or pie and try for refreshing.

I love granita like a high class snow cone.  :)

Espresso Granita



2 cups brewed espresso

1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon almond or walnut liqueur (Frangelico or Nocello)

Dark chocolate curls, garnish

In a bowl, combine the espresso and 1/3 cup of sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a shallow baking dish and freeze until ice granules start to form around the edges, about 1 hour. With a fork, stir and break up the granules. Freeze and stir every 20 minutes until the mixture becomes an icy slush, about 2 hours. Cover and keep frozen until ready to serve.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks start to form. Add the remaining tablespoon of sugar and the liqueur and beat until just stiff.

To serve, scoop the granita into shallow wide-mouthed glasses or ice cream coups and top each serving with the sweetened cream and chocolate curls.

Answer 3

Try this its from foodnetworks

INGREDIENTS:

Summer Berry Pudding

2 cups red or black currants

3 cups fresh raspberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

3 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

40 slices white sandwich bread (2 loaves)



DIRECTIONS:

Summer Berry Pudding

Combine berries, water, sugar and lemon juice in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Strain berry mixture, reserving juices.

Line twelve 5-ounce ramekins with plastic wrap, so it hangs over the sides. Using a 2 ½- inch round cookie cutter, cut out 24 rounds from bread slices. Trim crusts from 16 remaining bread slices and cut each slice into 4 equal squares.

To build a pudding, dip 1 round slice into fruit juices and place in bottom of ramekin. Dip 5 bread squares, one at a time, into juices and place around sides of ramekin. Spoon about ½ cup berries into ramekin. Dip 1 more bread round into juices, place on top of the berries and wrap with the plastic wrap hanging over the sides of the ramekin. Repeat assembling the puddings with remaining bread rounds and squares, juices and berries, assembling.

Place the puddings on a baking sheet. Top with another baking sheet. Place a heavy object on baking sheet (this extracts more juices and pectins to set the puddings). Chill overnight.

Combine any remaining berries and juices in bowl; cover and chill and serve with pudding if desired.

To serve, unwrap puddings. Turn out onto plates and remove plastic wrap.

Answer 4

There are several different ways you could go. If you want chocolate I would suggest-

http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/food-and-w...

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Puppy-Chow/...

Here's some cute fruity desserts that are super easy to make-

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/almond...

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mixed_...

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chocol...

Hope that helps some! Have fun!

Answer 5

Mississippi Mud Cake!!!!

My personal recipe from my book!

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2/3 c cocoa

3 t vanilla

1/2 bag mini marshmallows

1 cup oil

1 1/2 c up plain flour

1/4 t salt

1 cup chopped pecans

1 T coffee granules diluted n 1T hot water

Cream the sugar & oil. Add eggs one at a time, beat till creamy, Add the diluted coffee mixture. In seperate bowl sift flour, cocoa & salt. Add to creamed mixture lil at a time. Beat till smooth, Stir in vanilla & nuts.

Pour in 9x13 greased pan. Bake 300* for 40 minutes, turning ever 10 min. Top with marshmallows, return to oven for 5 min. or till melted.

Icing

1 box powdered sugar

1 1/2 stick margarine soft

1/2 cup pet milk (canned "NOT condensed!)

2/3 cup cocoa

1 cup pecans chopped

Sift sugar & cocoa,beat with margarine till creamy, add milk. Beat till smooth, stir in vanilla and nuts.

Spread on cool cake OMG!!!!!

They will be asking for this again!