Ernestine Ulmer said, "Life is short. Eat dessert first." We say, why bother with the meal when you can enjoy a dessert degustation night? This is for anyone who has ever agonised over the dessert menu at the end of the night – with a degustation, you can have a little of everything.
Fruit
Start the night with a semblance of nutrition by providing a fruity dessert. This could be as simple as a fruit salad with yoghurt or fruit kebabs dipped in chocolate, or something more complicated like an apple crumble or peach cobbler.
Frozen dessert
Move on to something light and sweet with a scoop of homemade sorbet,
ice cream or mousse. Try something unusual like chilli or mix together harmonious combinations like strawberry and chocolate.
Baked dessert
Now the dishes begin to get a little heavier and a little more complicated. Start with your favourite cake, tart or pie recipe, add some
dessert garnishes and plate it with care to really wow your guests.
Chocolate
You didn't think we'd leave the chocolate out, did you? White or dark, the chocolate course will more than likely be the much anticipated course, so make it work. Try one of these
50 Best Chocolate Dessert recipes or see the
Gourmet Traveller for inspiration.
Cheese
After so much sweetness, end the night with something tart. The cheese course will be the easiest to prepare – just arrange a variety of cheeses on a plate. As a general rule, you should include a hard cheese (like cheddar), a soft cheese (like brie) and a blue cheese, but it's a matter of personal preference.
