Mini Desserts for A Crowd
Individual desserts are a great way to personalize desserts where everyone gets their own. As well as a great way to create mini desserts for a crowd!
Mini Dessert Trios
My first experience with mini desserts was way back in culinary school. In my “Plated Desserts” class, we all had to design our own dessert for the final exam. I decided to venture out into the dessert trio arena and make three mini desserts with a fruit theme, check it out below. My first amateur dessert! 🙂 Trios are something that I LOVE to create.
When I have friends and family over for dinner, I usually make some type of a dessert trio that consist of mini desserts. Not only do my guest love seeing their decorated plate, but trying different flavors and textures, even colors too! Of course, there is ALWAYS something chocolate!
Not only are they fun to create and make, but one great advantage is enjoying them without too much guilt. Perfect for a small serving size. All things in moderation, right?
Over the last few months, I’ve had an opportunity to make dinners for large crowds and every dessert was of the mini fashion. People just love having their own individual serving. It’s almost like you feel so spoiled in a fun way, right? Mini desserts are perfect for a crowd!
Great for Crowds
Most recently, I have been cooking for a ministry this fall and serving mini desserts in small shot glasses. Disposable shot glasses make a great vehicle in getting that individual experience! There are some other tools in the kitchen that you can use to get that mini dessert appeal. Let’s explore.
Equipment for Mini Desserts:
Some fun kitchen tools that make awesome mini desserts includes:
- Mini Silicone Baking Molds
- Shot glasses
- Tart rings
Mini Desserts
Come tag along for some mini-ideas and creations from my kitchen. All perfect in serving a few guests and a crowd.
Pot De Cremes
Smooth and creamy custard dessert that makes a perfect miniature version. Check out my post on custards 101 to learn about these different versions in baking.
Two versions that I like to make:
- Chocolate
- Coffee Caramel
Mini Tarts
Mini tarts work great in mixing up different flavors, textures, and color combinations mini style. These remind me of visiting a bakery and seeing delicious tarts in the refrigerator case. Always hard to choose which one to try!
Dessert Wontons-Apple
Dessert wontons are almost like a mini version of a fried pie. But a super great shortcut is using won ton wrappers and making your own filling to go inside. Served perfectly alongside vanilla ice cream!
Mini Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate Mousse Pie-Deconstructed
Great way to use any leftover mousse and sweet tart dough in mini silicon baking molds for a fun bite size treat.
Brookly Blackout Shooters
A take on the traditional Brooklyn Blackout Cake created into a personal serving for perfect mini desserts for a crowd.
Chocolate Caramel Mousse Cups
Having leftover chocolate and caramel mousse from a cake I made, make a perfect mini dessert for a crowd. These get layered together in a mini silicone mold for a phenomenal frozen mini dessert! These are truly a crowd pleaser.
Blueberry Mousse over Macaron cookies
These desserts are perfect to celebrate spring and summer. Leftover macaroons in the freezer, which make perfect bases for these little bite size blueberry bliss bites. I served these at a fun tea party with my friends. See some other fun mini munchie bites here.
Strawberry Cheesecakes
Here, I use a no-bake cheesecake, which is fantastic. Super creamy and light along with a strawberry couli on top for a match made in heaven. You have to make sure your spoon goes in to get both layers in each bite!
Affgatos
Affgatos, one of the fastest desserts you can make, literally. Talk about a scrumptious cool dessert. I remember first having this in a Washington D.C. restaurant. Phenomenal! Using premium vanilla ice cream is the secret.
Vanilla ice cream with hot espresso poured over the top for an amazing ending to a meal. Top it off with a cookie for a creamy and crunchy delightful spoon full of yum.
Mini Pavlovas
Pavlova ranks up there as one of my favorite desserts. The creaminess of the cream topping along with that chew from the meringue… Aww its awesome. I usually make a large version, but the minis are super fun to make and eat. This mini dessert is always a crowd pleaser and makes a fun presentation too!
Do you have any favorite mini desserts? Share them in comments below 🙂
