Dessert

. Frozen puff pastry rolled out to dinner plate size.
. Sliced fruit plums, apples pears peaches etc choose your favourite.
. Sprinkle with 4 tblspns caster sugar.
. Bake in hot oven. Around 20 mins
. Dot with appropriate jam/jelly and put back on oven to glaze and brown.

Grandmabatty

Ice cream with hot espresso coffee poured over. It's called affogato. Top with cream and a chocolate coffee bean

This is gorgeous! I’m not a ‘pudding person’, but this is a favourite of mine.

M&S!
If I can’t be bothered, or I’m extra busy, that’s my go-to.

Asda’s Extra-Special Sticky Toffee Pudding was an absolute favourite of a niece from abroad who used to visit from boarding school - I made a point of buying it every time she was with us.

I once bought a variety of exotic fruit and prepared each one at the table and passed them round. People could try new things- or not- and it generated interest and lots of chat

Thank you everyone ?

We have people coming on Sunday, I'm doing individual summer puddings, it'll get rid of some of the soft fruit in the freezer!

lemon meringue ice cream. Served with some kind of fruit compote or coulis and a bought shortbread if necessary.

Tesco profiteroles?
Everybody seems to love profiteroles. If you can get salted caramel chocolate topped ones and mix with ordinary choc topped ones they look very attractive.
Serve with fresh, unwhipped double cream.

This is the trifle, serves 6.

Cheat's Banoffee pie uses bought caramel in a tin or jar of dulce de leche, and you could even use a ready - made pastry case instead of the biscuit base.
www.mykidstime.com/food-and-recipes/banoffee-pie/

I you want a bought dessert, I can recommend M&S ultimate trifle.

Syllabub is easy and delicious and no cooking!

Last time we went to a friend 'who doesn't do puddings' she gave us a choice of Magnums!!

Apple crumble and lots pf good quality ice cream. Seasonal, easy and delicious.

Some good ideas here.

My own favourite, family love it.
Chocolate chip cookies soaked in white wine (or apple juice) layered with whipped cream and topped with cream layer and grated chocolate. 3-4 cookies for each dish. Chilled in fridge.

One of my old favourites, Banoffee pie ...

In a loose bottomed tin. Crumbed biscuit/melted butter base. Tin of condensed milk, simmered & stirred until it begins to thicken/caramelise, then pour over the base. Refrigerate until set. Cover with sliced bananas, then whipped double cream. Top with shaved chocolate.
Prepare the base with biscuit/condensed milk the day before, and it's quick to finish it off on the day.

Very easy Coffee Mousse
* vary quantity according to your taste

1 can (approx 375ml) of evaporated milk
2 tablespoons of castor sugar *
1 tbs instant coffee.*
2 tsp gelatine dissolved in hot water

Beat evap milk until soft peaks form and it is about doubled in volume, add in sugar and coffee, beat until dissolved and then slowly pour in the dissolved gelatine.

Pour into individual glasses or bowls and refrigerate until set.
OR
Pour into one dish, cover in whipped cream and sprinkle grated chocolate over top.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, serves a large piece of good cheese, on a board or large platter, place on vine leaves, or sometimes hydrangea leaves. She then adds piles of dried apricots, crackers, some grapes and a bowl of chutney. Very simple but very effective and pretty to look at.

What about lemon posset? It's easy. You heat up cream, sugar and lemon rind to boiling point, turn down and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Beat in the juice of the lemons and then pour through a sieve, into a jug and then pour into small glasses, or ramekins. The chill. You can make it a few hours before your meal or even the day before.

You need to check a recipe for the quantities.

Serve with some nice little biscuits - I serve cantuccini and maybe a few raspberries on top.

No bake berry cheesecake is very easy. Recipe on delicious.com

Ice-cream tiramisu. No baking, make well beforehand and freeze, put in fridge an hour or so before serving.

My neighbours invited me for dinner after lockdown. When I returned the favour I was really stuck for dessert ideas as it’s not something I often make. I made a strawberry trifle I’d seen on the M&S website. It was simple to make and my guests were so impressed they asked me for the recipe the following week when they had visitors. I had to come clean and tell them it was an M&S “cheat” recipe.

Strawberries and cream Swiss roll, a tub ready of made fresh custard, fresh strawberries, whipped double cream and flaked almonds. I’ve made it several times since for the family and it’s a hit with them all. The grandchildren love to make it.

Here is the M&S YouTube link
youtu.be/psL1p15_UgE

Scones ????

Oooh where can I find recipes for these Redhead56?

Thanks Redhead56! I am not hosting a dinner party, but would happily eat either! ?

Jaxjacky

Calendargirl1 I’d prefer cheese and biscuits any day over a pud!
Madwoman I don’t bake either, just buy something, I’m hoping your guests have come to visit you and enjoy your company, not to give you marks out of ten for the food.

Lemon tart, Eton Mess and a cheese board (with grapes!)