I'm not even a big dessert person but would be happy with just about all of it above. Fresh berries with gelato. Chocolate with fresh cherries, yum. Mile-high lemon, yum. (not really a simple one).

For easy i would go with two basic gelato flavors and berries.

A parfait of vanilla ice cream in a tall parfait glass drizzled with Chambord and topped with a handful of berries.

A simple dessert I often make are brownies on a platter with whatever fresh berry (berries) might be available at the time. Just before serving, I dust the brownies lightly with confectioner's sugar. Yes, it is simple, but always is well received. Those too full (or watching calories) just have the fresh berries---but most seem to have both.

FOAS, I love creme brulee. One of these days I'll get a torch. Well, I have one, but it's a bit much for creme brulee, it's for cutting metal, brazing, that kind of thing. I'd like one of those weed torches, I wonder if that would work? (grin)

Oh yeah, creme brulee. Robin and I had Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee in Chicago, served with a few berries, that would be very nice too. They can be made ahead, then just tucked under the broiler at the last minute, so that might be a good option.

Annie

I've used a weed torch to make creme brulee! DH prefers just a little maple syrup over the top. Yum.

It's not a particularly unusual chiffon pie recipe, but it's twice the size of other recipes and they pile it into one pie shell.

Mile High” Lemon
Chiffon Pie

Ingredients

Cook in double boiler,
stirring frequently until consistency of thick custard:

§ 8 egg yolks slightly beaten

§ 1 cup sugar

§ 2 lemons (juice)

§ 2 lemon rinds grated

§ Salt to taste

§ 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

§ 1/2 cup cold water

Soak gelatin in cold
water until dissolved–add to hot custard and cool.

8 egg whites beaten…
1 cup sugar

Beat egg whites stiff
but not dry. Beat in sugar gradually and then beat again. Fold cooled custard
into beaten egg whites. Put in baked pie shell and chill three hours. Serve
with whipped cream.

Stone’s Restaurant
Since 1887
Marshalltown, Iowa

Gelato with store bought Italian cookies, and decaf dark roast coffee with amaretto or frangelico or sambuca. A nice moscato would go along with the theme too, as an alternative to coffee if a cooler beverage is desired. Alcohol free sparkling grape juice for tee totalers if you have them.

I'll vote for the key lime pie!

I am curious to know what you served.

I thought of another dessert that might be good for someone in the future. Angel food cake (I often buy at the market, but sometimes make my own.) Slice the cake horizontally into two or three layers with a serrated knife. Make cannoli filling. ( I used to buy it at an Italian Grocery but then realized I was spending a fortune for something so easy and quick to make) Spread the filling between the layers. Mascerate berries in a little sugar and lemon juice. serve the sliced cake with the berries and the syrup that mascerating makes. It really lightens up the richness of the cannoli filling.

I have been meaning to come back and let you know how it went! The event didn't take place til Thursday. I made lemon bars which were to die for (and of) and then I did the oranges scooped out and filled with orange sherbet. I made ginger cookies to go with that. I felt sorry for DH so I went to our favorite local bakery and bought a key lime pie. Well, guess what got devoured???? Yep, the key lime pie. And I must admit, it was delicious. So much for trying to offer something light after a heavy meal. We had a delightful evening with my sister and friends and no one left hungry.

Thanks for all the suggestions and many I have copied for later.

Well Key lime pie wouldn't be heavy...but as mentioned in another thread people choose the store bought goodies first..I have no idea why..silly if you ask me when home baked/ created is always soo much better. I would have chosen your lemon bars and the orange shell with sherbet..yes one of each thank you.

Agree, choose homemade over store bought. Did they think you made the pie?

Hm... I don't think they were necessarily going for store bought so much as they were going for key lime pie!! Did you see all the responses in this thread, which is about not serving key lime pie, begging for key lime pie? I mean, theme or not, thick with eggs or not, what's better than a good key lime pie? Even chocolate addicts will pause for key lime pie! How is a lemon bar or sherbet, even at their most wonderful, going to compete with key lime pie?

I married once into an Italian family and key lime pie would be not ok. That is why we are here. Who cares. And why insult the other posters who made other suggestions:?If it is a nice dinner who cares?

BTW, I was offering a suggestion for a light dessert and Sherbet is light, and not at alll competive with a pie or cake or tiramisu......I know that.

Me?? I didn't insult anyone.

I can't remember which poster suggested sherbets after an Italian-leaning dinner, when I asked for similar advice.

It was great advice!! I worked my butt off with my first and second courses, and it was lovely to not have another dish to make, and everyone loved the trio of sherbets to end the meal.

Just my $.02!

I voted for the key lime because it's my favorite pie. The meal wasn't themed anyway as she served beer bread, another love of mine so any tasty dessert would have been fine.

Anne, if that was directed at me, there was absolutely no insult intended, just an observation that people love key lime pie, as demonstrated by the ones who voted for it. The OP loved your idea and made it! There was no hint that the guests didn't like it, just that they devoured the pie, rather than the home made desserts.

Bumblebeez, I mentioned theme because Whistle said, "I'd love to stay with the theme..." making an Italian dessert. I mentioned the votes for key lime pie when she was looking for an alternative to that, her husband's suggestion, because it supported the notion that people love key lime pie.

I still can't figure out how what I said upset people. Sometimes you can't win for losing. My apologies to all.

Well, the only person that seemed upset was Anne, who presumably was having a bad day. I wouldn't beat yourself up about it, Plllog.

I agree, I didn't see anything offensive from anyone. And as has been mentioned, I definitely go for homemade goodies over bakery/store bought, nearly every time.

Now personally, I'd go for the lemon bars, I love the things. If I knew they were dessert, I'd probably have skipped some of the actual dinner just to be sure I had lots of room. Key lime pie is good too, of course, but there's nothing for me like a good lemon bar, it's sweet/sour/crunchy/creamy heaven, yum.

Annie

I've never eaten key lime pie. I'm 61..unbelieveable but true. I'm not much for desserts, oh I love a sweet jut not right after dinner. I do think I would love the orange with sherbet and some berries. I'm making lasagna next week I'll do the sherbet and let you know how it goes over. Lol.

Pillog, I want to apologize. I was feeling stabby about something else and going on little sleep. I took your post in a way that you didn't intend it.If I didn't know me I would think I was a real Biotch! Coleenoz, thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt. I apologize to everyone on this thread for being not at all nice when I really am a nice person. No one deserves another taking out a bad day on them especially when they are in no way, even remotely connected to it! Hope my apologize is accepted.

Aww, happens to the best of us. I know, because it happens to me and I'm the best.

LOL, foodonastump (how did you come up with that name anyway?) Thank you, you do seem pretty much the best from the posts I have read from you!

I was B***chy the other day, no excuse. Sometimes though I think my posts come across as not really nice when I mean no such thing.....You can't read intent but the other day was definitely not kind.

I have sent texts to my DH about random stuff about do I need to stop for groceries for dinner and the response is why are you all angry about having to stop for something on the way home....I am just busy at work and not angry at all....Hence the silliness of emoji's that a woman of my age should not be using....LOL

Key lime pie....not for the "dairy intolerant". Went to a luncheon last week, the hostess served key lime pie....and I couldn't just have a bite and leave the rest...I ate it all!....and regretted for the next 2 days!

I have only had key lime pie a few times but I did have parents of a college roommate who key limes growing on their property and I feel like we invented Tab, Diet coke and Lime and tea with key limes way before the rest of the world knew about it. I do remember a very good key lime cheesecake somewhere on Sanibel...it was very good but I don't know if it was just touristy.

I didn't know regular Key Lime Pie had dairy....how little I know. I have dairy intolerance when my body decides to be and that is not fun. Once in a while I risk it and either decide it was worth it or not!

Whistle, if it makes you feel any better, I would have gone for your home made desserts in a nano second. Actually, I would have had small pieces of all of it. Don't judge. :) Smiley emoticon.

DH and I adore key lime pie, but his dairy tolerance is dwindling before our eyes. Very sad!

Me, judge, never :). Actually, I'm not the least bit upset about how everyone ate! The key lime pie was made at a local bakery. Everything they make is fabulous. Definitely better than I could have made the pie. And they use as many local products as they can. As I mentioned above, those lemon bars were the best I've ever made. Just the right amount of lemon and the crust was a perfect shortbread. I wrapped them tightly and put them in the freezer. Each day I have gotten one out and eaten it all by myself!! The filling has gotten gooey and the crust even "crustier". And I usually have a glass of my French press cold brew. Life is good.

Love all the comments. Thanks, everyone.

I don't get the dissent for non- homemade desserts. First, it saves you time, mess and stress, and in some cases, even money. Second, many bakeries, patisseries and even farmers markets have baked goods made by pros in pro kitchens. That alone can elevate the results.

I like Ina Garten's rule of thumb, which is to never make every single thing yourself. Use some help for apps or dessert.

It's a good thing.

Oops, that's Martha.

How easy is that?

That's better.

Anne, apology accepted, and no worries. We all have bad days. I'm just glad you aren't still feeling insulted, because that would be bad, especially when so totally not intended.

My first taste of key lime pie was in the keys. And it was amazing. And I had others at different places and learned what I do and don't like about it. (I like it firm rather than slidey, and prefer the meringue browned, at least a bit, and not tall or all over the whole top like lemon meringue.) These were all at restaurants, however, since we were travelling, rather than visiting--i.e., boughten pies. Nothing wrong with a boughten pie from a good baker! But I have sympathy for the overlooked homemade items, done with love for the guests, when the showy key lime pie gets all the attention. The daily lemon bar sliding into gooeyness sounds like a good reward for all your hard work, Whistle!

I like my meringue browned as well. I was told by a friend who went to pastry school and is a professional baker (and a fabulous one at that) that my method of making lots of thin, pokey peaks so they get really brown is wrong. Apparently the "right" way is to swirl the meringue. I don't listen.....

I think meringue is completely optional on key lime, I prefer whipped creme.

I like meringue on this lemon cheesecake pie I make. basically lemon meringue with a cheesecake bottom. It is a once a year crazy dessert

BB, I prefer whipped cream (real homemade/whipped) over meringue any time on just about anything. Lemon meringue pie? I just like the filling anyway, so no matter to leave off the meringue for me. Whipped cream not needed either, but I wouldn't turn it down!

Meringue is what you do with the eggwhites because the yolk is in the pie. Traditional key lime pie also has meringue because it dates back to when there was almost no dairy available in the keys and whipped cream just wasn't a thing. I'm thinking maybe dairy was scarce in South Florida in general? Writersblock can tell us. That's why the sweetened condensed milk. After the invention of this canned milk (Borden), which could be shipped in, they came up with the pie.

I also put whipped cream on my lime pies. I do not call them Key lime pies because I use Bearss limes (which I prefer), and I do not like the traditional Key lime pie recipe as well as my own.

I had lasagna (again) for dinner, and I have no craving for dessert after lasagna, but as a test, I tried some liqueurs to see how they would taste after lasagna. I tried cassis and cocoa liqueurs, and both seemed like good choices. I then tried them mixed together, and that was not a good idea, as the cassis overwhelmed the cocoa. Kevin said he would have been okay with gelato for dessert but really did not want any, and we have some in the freezer.

The reason you don't make peakey points of meringue is because the egg whites need to be cooked....and if you make peaky points they burn before the meringue is cooked.

I'm thinking maybe dairy was scarce in South Florida in general?

There was no South Florida in those days, pretty much only the lighthouse keeper at Cape Florida. Key West developed as an intermediate port for shipping beef cattle and cane between the west coast of FL and the Caribbean, long before there was much of a settlement in the Miami area. Things pretty much stopped at St Augustine on the east coast back then. Miami didn't really get going until around the turn of the 20th century.

But yes, initially there weren't many dairy cows in S FL, not really much grazing land available till they destroyed the native plants, like coontie, by over-harvesting them. I believe there was a milch cow somewhere in the upper keys in the late 1800s, but I'd have to look it up. Elliott Key, maybe, or Lignum Vitae. I read an account by an adventurous northern society yachtsman who made the mistake of sailing down the entire east coast of FL and how thrilled they were to find that farm after spending so much time clawing off lee shores and losing provisions and gear overboard in storms.

ETA I have no idea how they kept the cow fresh. They didn't mention anything so indelicate, but it would seem to indicate at least one other animal in the general area. Perhaps there were other criollo cattle running wild, but there aren't many references to them that far down.

Should have mentioned that even into my childhood in the late 50s and 60s, key lime pie was only available in the Keys, pretty much, although people were beginning to try to get key limes to grow in mainland S Fl. But since they were rightly considered useless for anything but pie, and a nasty thorny bush, besides, there wasn't that much interest.

A real key lime is about as palatable as battery acid, and whoever figured out that pie (unbelievable levels of sour/acid balanced by all that sweet, with the meringue as a buffer) was a genius.

We occasionally get key limes here. The original key lime bundt cake is also fabulous! But your mention of battery acid explains a lot. I was hand juicing the limes. I have a little lime reamer that was perfect for the purpose, but I burnt my hands on the juice, and the drips on the outside took the markings right off the measuring beaker I was using!

Panna cotta..with fresh berries at service. . light and make ahead

Gosh, since this dinner was nearly a year ago, I suspect she figured it out.

Something dug up from the way back machine again. I think they're probably finished with dinner by now :-p

prolly don't even remember what they had for dessert ...

Don't be offended. Long standing forums have a personality. A header posting from 2017 is often spammy. Not always. Usually under 30 over 70 yrs are lost at recognizing dates on posts. Young ones are zippy not even reading the headers and dates...elders often do not read or comprehend beyond the original postings or do not read any of the post threads and go way off topic.

This original post was from 2017. Not many are having dinner parties 2020-2021.

Spam, so often here, is a new poster, posting a link that is fraught with either aggressive needed link coins, or kill your computer with spam/junk/destruction.

Just being cautious when someone post out-of-the-blue....on a 2017 original post header.

Best to add, "I realize this is an old posting...but I have something to add..."

Sleevendog, nice assessment. You can also check a new user's profile for other comments, and you'll often see a history of spam. I try to always give newcomers the benefit. We've had a lot of these necrospammers in the past year or so, and you may notice that many with a "Pro" designation list their businesses as air duct cleaning. Go figure....

PS, after this thread, I have a craving for spumoni.

I’d love the recipe for that budino!