More often than not, desserts are the most anticipated part of many meals. However, creating sweet and delicious desserts can be quite a stressful ordeal. Therefore, a range of easy, yet impressive desserts can be very useful to have in your back pocket. This article will provide an array of easy dessert ideas that will certainly impress without the stress.
No-Bake and No-Cook Treats
When in need of a dessert that won’t take up too much of your time and energy, you can never go wrong with no-bake and no-cook options. The following are some of the best no-bake and no-cook dessert ideas:
• Cheesecake: With just a few simple ingredients, such as cream cheese, whipping cream, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs, you can easily create unbelievably creamy and delicious no-bake cheesecakes.
• Tiramisu: A classic Italian-style dessert that’s easier to make than one might think. All you need is some mascarpone cheese, cream, ladyfingers, eggs, cocoa, and espresso.
• Ice cream sandwiches: Make homemade ice cream sandwiches with just two store-bought ingredients, such as pre-made ice cream and pre-made chocolate chip cookies. Stack the scoop of ice cream between two cookies and freeze them until they are firm.
• Frozen Yogurt Bark: Simply drizzle Greek yogurt onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and top it with chopped fresh fruits and nuts. Freeze it and break it into shards once ready to serve.
• Fruit Parfaits: Layer yogurt, custard, whipped cream, fruit and nuts in glasses. For a twist, you can also top it with a dark chocolate drizzle and/or crumble.
• Pudding: Make your own delicious homemade pudding with just sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, milk and some flavoring extracts.
• Truffles: You don’t need an oven for these delicious truffles. All you need is cream cheese, melted chocolate, and sweetened coconut flakes.
Baked Treats
Store-bought desserts are good in a pinch. However, if you have time, you can opt to make your own simple, yet impressive, baked treats. Here are a few baking ideas to consider:
• Ice Cream Cake: Make your own version of an ice cream cake with just 2 store-bought ingredients. Buy a pound cake and soften your favorite ice cream. Spread a layer of ice cream on the cake, freeze the cake and spread another layer of ice cream. Finally, top the cake with your favorite toppings.
• Cobbler: This classic dessert can be made with almost any fruit of your choice. With a few basic ingredients, you can make a scrumptious cobbler.
• Foolproof Flaky Pie Crust: With just some all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt, as well as either vegetable shortening, lard, or a combination of both, you can easily make your own flaky pie crust.
• Crispy Brownies: Mix melted butter, cocoa powder, and sugar, and add baking powder, baking soda and flour. Bake it until it looks crispy and has a delicious dark chocolate flavor.
• Cookie Bars: These sweet and savory bars can be made with just five ingredients. Mix butter and sugar, then add an egg and your favorite flavorings, such as chocolate chips and nuts.
• Fruit Tart: To make a fruit tart, all you need is a package of store-bought puff pastry and some fresh fruit. Layer the puff pastry with a creamy custard and top it with fresh fruit. Place it in the oven and bake.
• Meringue Cookies: Both Meringue Cookies and Pavlova require just egg whites and sugar, as well as flavoring extracts, such as vanilla or lemon. They are both light and fluffy, and take only minutes to whip together.
Impressive Instant Desserts
Instant desserts are for times when you need a dessert on the spot, yet still want something that looks impressive. Here are some ideas:
• Fruit Tarts: If you have some puff pastry on hand, you can easily make delicious fruit tarts. Fill the puff pastry with a cream cheese pasty cream, top it with various fruits, sprinkle it with icing sugar and there you have it.
• Chocolate Bark: To make a perfect and impressively easy chocolate bark, all you need is some melted chocolate and a range of toppings, such as nuts, pretzels, dried fruit and other crunchy treats. Simply place the melted chocolate on a parchment-lined baking sheet, top with the desired toppings, and let it cool and harden in the fridge.
• Fruit Pizza: All you need to make this irresistible dessert is a pre-made sugar cookie dough and cream cheese frosting. Press the cookie dough into a baking sheet, top it with the cream cheese frosting and a range of fruit, and bake.
• Ice Cream Sundaes: Make your own homemade gourmet sundaes by simply combining scoops of your favorite ice cream in a bowl and topping them with a range of toppings and sauces. The possibilities are endless, and you can get creative with the available ingredients.
• No-Bake Cheesecake Shots: You can easily whip up a bowl of cheesecake filling in no time. Layer the filling in miniature mason jars topped with fresh fruits of your choice and you get fancy-looking and delicious desserts.
• S’mores: Who doesn’t love s’more? Line the bottom of a baking pan with graham crackers, top it with layers of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, bake until the marshmallows are toasted and the chocolate melted. Cut into squares and devour!
Making delicious, yet impressive, desserts doesn’t have to be difficult. There are a range of easy desserts that can be made with minimal ingredients and time. Whether you’re looking for no-bake and no-cook treats, baked desserts, or instant desserts, you’ll surely find something that will suit your taste, time and energy. So forget about the stress, and try out some of these easy dessert ideas that are sure to impress.
