Store-Bought Dessert for a dinner party

I need to bring dessert to my friends house for dinner tomorrow night. Only problem is that I'll be heading straight from work to the dentist and then to their house. I was thinking of maybe picking something up, but I still wanted it to be delicious - not just a box of lame cookies

They are foodies and I'm sure will be doing something great for dinner.

Alternatively, I could make something tonight that would still be good tomorrow, but I won't have a ton of time tonight either...

Any ideas? I thought about picking up the components for mini banana splits or strawberry shortcake...but am not sold on those ideas. I work in Melrose Park and live in Oak Park, so anywhere in between would work.

Thanks!

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LOL (but yes, Jeff.) Or - if I'm reading you right and you're stopping at a grocery store to get something good you can assemble, you could buy a tiki torch, good chocolate, digestive biscuits and marshmallows. My go-to grocery dessert is cheap purchased angel food cake (or pound cake, but you get less of it) cubes, whipped cream (in which case I shamelessly use the dairy-based shaving-cream-style) ice cream or dulce de leche and berries: trifle.

Looks like Oak Park has several bakeries (does Red Hen do good desserts as well as bread?) where your options would be less limited than the grocery. Melrose Park has several taquerias, Tres Leches cake or flan might be an option there.

In case you go with the homemade option: when I want to prepare an impressive dessert but I have little time, I've often made ahead shortcakes - really like making biscuits. Buy some fresh fruit . . . make an herbal, sweetened whipped cream (add basil, tarragon or maybe mint). For example, shortcakes with lemon and mint flavored whipped cream and blueberries or with basil whipped cream and peaches. Make the shortcakes, cover and reserve for tomorrow. Make the sweetened whipped cream (cream, sugar and herbs and/or lemon). Cut shortcakes in half tomorrow and top with whipped cream and fruit. Good luck.

fets wrote:I need to bring dessert to my friends house for dinner tomorrow night. Only problem is that I'll be heading straight from work to the dentist and then to their house. I was thinking of maybe picking something up, but I still wanted it to be delicious - not just a box of lame cookies

They are foodies and I'm sure will be doing something great for dinner.

Alternatively, I could make something tonight that would still be good tomorrow, but I won't have a ton of time tonight either...

Any ideas? I thought about picking up the components for mini banana splits or strawberry shortcake...but am not sold on those ideas. I work in Melrose Park and live in Oak Park, so anywhere in between would work.

Thanks!

I don't know where you are coming from or where you are going but immediately I think of GNR's Old Fashioned Donuts and Hoosier Mama's Pie.

Then show stoppers & different at Floriole. Then Black Dog Gelato or Bittersweet.

I also love the fun crisp cookies from the Cookie Bar.

pairs4life wrote:...Bittersweet.

That was going to be my suggestion.

BR wrote:In case you go with the homemade option: when I want to prepare an impressive dessert but I have little time, I've often made ahead shortcakes - really like making biscuits. Buy some fresh fruit . . . make an herbal, sweetened whipped cream (add basil, tarragon or maybe mint). For example, shortcakes with lemon and mint flavored whipped cream and blueberries or with basil whipped cream and peaches. Make the shortcakes, cover and reserve for tomorrow. Make the sweetened whipped cream (cream, sugar and herbs and/or lemon). Cut shortcakes in half tomorrow and top with whipped cream and fruit. Good luck.

If you don't have time to make shortcakes, meringues are a good substitute to whip up a bowl of Eton Mess with strawberries & whipped cream.

There are a ton of recipes online, this is one variant

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/ ... -Mess.html

what about an achatz pie from wholefoods?

toria wrote:what about an achatz pie from wholefoods?

I was about to suggest that very thing. Though not every location sells them, Whole Foods is certainly rife with choices. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Fresh Farms has some very pretty cakes and small pastries and so far I haven't had a dud yet.

You can't go wrong with 1 pint of Ben & Jerry's per person.

Rolf's also has a fine Key Lime Pie.

There is a nice Mexican Bakery next to El Asadero on Lake Street. I'm sure that they can set you up with a beautiful tres leches. It's one of my favorite cakes.

If you're open to making something really simple yourself, the Bayless recipe for Chocoflan (aka Pastel Imposible) is both simple, delicious and stunning in appearance.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=57

Pie Lady wrote:

toria wrote:what about an achatz pie from wholefoods?

I was about to suggest that very thing. Though not every location sells them, Whole Foods is certainly rife with choices. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Fresh Farms has some very pretty cakes and small pastries and so far I haven't had a dud yet.

You can't go wrong with 1 pint of Ben & Jerry's per person.

Rolf's also has a fine Key Lime Pie.

Pie from Whole Foods is my crutch. Everybody likes pie. Except John Collins.