Easy Take-Along Dessert Wanted

11 years ago

We're invited to a gathering where there will be kids (5 to 8 yrs. age range) their parents and people our age 50+. Thankfully, there are no food issues/allergies with this group.

It's a lunch to be held outdoors at someone's home so I'm looking for offerings I can precut and that don't require extra dishes or utensils.

I am going to do one batch of Lemon Brownies, but am stuck on what else for a second tray. I don't want to do chocolate brownies or chocolate chip cookies again. Any ideas?

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Comments (15)

plllog
11 years ago
Chocolate cookies. Molasses cookies. Spice cookies.
Baklava. Halvah.
Peanut brittle. Any kind of bark.
Maple bars.
Any kind of sheet cake (people love cake): Key lime. Raspberry. Chocolate.
Strawberry tartlets. Pecan tartlets.

A really easy and impressive one is Annie's "cuppa" peanut butter cookie recipe made in a mini cheesecake pan. The recipe is in this thread: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2421388/favorite-gluten-free-cookies

Just drop the balls of dough into a lightly greased mini-cheesecake pan instead of a cookie sheet, and they kind of do a popover thing, all crunchy on top and hollow inside. You can fill them or leave them plain.
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
Cupcakes, or any cake in a bundt pan can be finger food and sliced ahead of time....I used to make a sour cream walnut cake that was delish...

One thing that always went over well at our picnics were the M&M & hershey's kisses on top of pretzels, and they are pretty easy to make.
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lizbeth-gardener
11 years ago
If Texas sheet cake isn't too much like brownies, you could take it in the jelly roll pan and pre-cut. You could do banana nut bread (or other quick breads), raw apple cake in a 9x13 pan or jewish apple cake in a bundt. Cupcakes or cookies?
party_music50
11 years ago
I'd make chocolate cupcakes w/ a variety of frostings & toppings. Otherwise, something like oatmeal cookies... some plain, some sandwiched w/ a peanut-butter filling, and some with a topping of melted chocolate chips. :)
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
11 years ago
Latest quick & easy cake I made was vanilla sheet cake topped w/ sweetened whipped cream & sliced strawberries - served w/ scoops of chocolate ice cream. The 3 flavors together reminded us of Neapolitan ice cream.
Olychick
11 years ago
I'm reading this as something you want to bake in one pan and not have to fuss with individual cookies, etc.? How about apple pie bars? I have made these before, this is not the recipe I use, but I don't have time to type it out, and it looks very similar. They are always a big hit.

apple pie bars
User
Original Author
11 years ago
.

The pic of apple pie bars Olychick linked reminded me of raspberry bars I made that were a hit & since I had all the ingredients I went with those.

The "easy" aspect I was looking for was ease of transport & serving. I didn't want something that required refrigeration or that would be messy to cut and serve or require utensils to eat.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I'm saving them for future reference.
bbstx
11 years ago
Is this too much like your Lemon Brownies? They need to be cut in very small pieces because they are so rich!

White Chocolate Brownies

Brownies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons half & half (more may be needed to achieve the correct consistency)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Brownies

For the brownies, melt butter & white chocolate in microwave using 30 second intervals or in the top of double boiler. Remove from heat & pour into large bowl. Mix in eggs and slowly add sugar. Add flour and vanilla. Pour mixture into greased & floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Start watching after 20 minutes so that the brownies don't brown too much. May be necessary to turn down the temp, too. Allow to cool and spread with white chocolate icing.

Icing

For the icing, melt butter & white chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Remove from heat. Beat in the powdered sugar, half & half, and vanilla. Spread over cooled brownies.

Tip: if you chill them in refrigerator, they are very easy to cut.
bbstx
11 years ago
I've never tried Raspberry Hungarian Pastry, so I can't recommend them, but someday I want to try to make it. Below is a link to the recipe, in case someone else is interested, tool

Raspberry Hungarian Pastry
bcskye
11 years ago
Our groups always loved the Rolo candy baked on top of mini pretzels until they kind melt in. I also like to take a boxed Carrot cake or Spice cake mix, mix in one 14 oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) and nothing else, then bake in a 9 x 13 cake pan in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes. Test for doneness like any other cake. Another good thing about this cake is you can bake it the day before and keep in the frige overnight for even better flavor. You can add other ingredients to it, for example, nuts, raisins, etc. as you like, but it delicious without anything extra added. If you want to put some type of frosting or glace on top, optional. I think I would make it for a crowd, cut into individual portions but leave in pan then do a little swirl of icing on each piece using a pastry bag. Heck, you could even drop something special in the middle of each swirl of icing if you wanted to go really fancy.
l pinkmountain
11 years ago
I made something similar to the raspberry Hungarian pastry with blackberries once. It was good, kinda special, I made it for a party. I wouldn't call it super easy though, but just because of the number of steps, not the difficulty of the steps, they are easy. It gives the impression of something way fancier and more difficult than it is. I'm a huge fan of bar cookies. Oatmeal scotchies done as bar cookies might be fun and easy. My mom made those all the time, I loved them as a kid. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oatmeal-scotchies-in-a-pan/
User
Original Author
11 years ago
The Raspberry Hungarian Pastry recipe intrigues me. Might have to try that one. I like things with a little layer of texture and think it's a plus that the egg whites aren't sweetened.

Lately I'm preferring desserts that aren't cloyingly sweet.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
11 years ago
I would make some rice krispy bars as a third item too only because kids love them. Otherwise, I would make little glazed fruit tarts for a second option. I will never turn down baklava or apple things but they seem fallish/wintery to me.
arlocat
11 years ago
As easy as it gets.

I've been around kids a long time and I've rarely seen one turn down an ice cream cone. It is generally their preferred dessert. Around here they sell cones edged with chocolate and bowl-shaped cones that only require a plastic spoon. If you have a couple of good flavors and some fancy cones, I bet you'll tempt some adults too, especially if it is a warm day.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I'm terrible about desserts but i see anything mini, tiny, individual mini....always a hit with kids, and parents love a small bite as well. Easy to eat if in small baking cups.

I make just a couple crowd pleasers once a year during the holidays. Matzo caramel crack, and pocky...

google image search pocky. Really fun to make and infinite variations.

Easy Take-Along Dessert Wanted

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plllog

Annie Deighnaugh

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