Looking for party desserts for a big one? We are here to help! The following recipes comfortably will sufficiently satiate a party of at least 25 and the best part about them is, that they don’t need any baking. So, if you’re having a potluck-style party or almost singlehandedly taken up the mammoth task of fixing the desserts for 25 folks, these recipes are here to help.
1. Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust and Cheesecake:
- 500 gm digestive biscuits
- 200 gm butter, melted
- 2 vanilla pods
- 1.2 kg full-fat soft cheese
- 200 gm caster sugar
- 570 ml double cream
Topping:
- 800 gm fresh strawberries, halved
- 50 gm caster sugar
Instructions
- Cut two circles of parchment paper to fit the base of two 23 cm springform pans perfectly and butter its sides.
- Place the digestive biscuits into a large, strong plastic bag and crush them using a rolling pin into fine, even crumbs.
- Transfer the biscuit crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over them and mix to coat all the crumbs in butter and get a wet sand consistency.
- Transfer this to the prepared pans and press down firmly to make even crusts. Place in the refrigerator to chill for one to two hours to firm up.
- Split the vanilla pods lengthwise with the tip intact, and scrape out all the seeds to add.
- Take a large mixing bowl and add the heavy cream, then use an electric mixer on medium speed, to whip until soft peaks form.
- Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar, which might first become thin, then thicken again. Continue beating until completely smooth with no lumps remaining.
- Add the carefully harvested vanilla seeds to the cream cheese mixture. Beat for another minute to distribute the seeds evenly throughout the mixture.
- Using a spatula, fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Add the remaining whipped cream in two more additions, folding just until no streaks remain.
- Carefully spoon this vanilla-scented cream over the chilled biscuit bases. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the tops and tap the pans to remove any air bubbles.
- Cover the pans with cling film, making sure it doesn't touch the surface of the cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 12 hours, for the cheesecake to set.
- Thirty minutes before serving, take out the cheesecake from the refrigerator.
- For the topping, select the best strawberries from the lot and puree them in a blender with the caster sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any seeds to get a silky puree.
- Arrange the remaining strawberry halves in a decorative pattern on top of your cheesecakes. Then drizzle the strawberry sauce artfully over the fresh berries.
2. Chocolate Tart
- 600 gm pack butter biscuits
- 300 gm butter
- 3 tbsp honey
- 300 gm Cadbury Bournville 70% dark chocolate
- 300 gm bar Cadbury Dairy milk chocolate
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 75 gm caster sugar, extra for dusting
- 600 ml whipping cream
- 140 gm sour cream, to decorate
- 600 gm berries, to serve
Instructions
- Grease the base and sides of three 23 cm springform cake pans with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper, grease that too, and set aside.
- Using the same process as before, smack down the biscuits until they are fine crumbs.
- Empty the biscuit crumbs into a big mixing bowl, then drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs. Mix to coat well and it’s like a wet sandy mixture.
- Transfer this to the springform pans and using your fingers, press the mixture evenly across the base, then work your way up the sides.
- Chill the prepared bases for at least 1 hour, in the refrigerator, until completely firm.
- Meanwhile, break both dark and milk chocolate into small pieces, and add to a large heatproof bowl with vanilla extract and honey.
- Pour the whipping cream with sugar into a saucepan. Heat over medium flame while stirring until the sugar dissolves and the cream is about to bubble.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in the bowl and let it sit undisturbed for two minutes. Then use a spatula to stir until melted and smooth.
- Take out the pans from the refrigerator. Carefully pour the chocolate mixture over the base. Gently tap the pans against the kitchen counter to get rid of air pockets. Then smooth both surfaces until level.
- Return the tart to the refrigerator and let it set for at least four hours.
- Keep the tart out 30 minutes before serving and unlock the spingorm pans. Then carefully run a thin knife around the edge of each pan and remove the springform ring.
- To decorate, transfer the sour cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe evenly spaced dollops around the edge of the tart or just use a small spoon.
- Arrange fresh blueberries and/or raspberries in concentric circles on top of the tarts, starting from the outer edge and working inward. Just before serving, use a sieve to dust the tops lightly with caster sugar.