[Koukouvagia]

Hello,

Although I contribute to the forums I avoid posting here since I know nearly nothing about baking. But I am in need of some help since I need to make dessert for a dinner party I am attending on Sunday. It's a birthday dinner, there will probably already be cake there so I need something that won't be too heavy. The dinner will be Greek food with probably a roast lamb, potatoes, greek salad, maybe a spinach pie or pasticcio.

I have never baked a cake or a pie from scratch. I usually make assembled desserts such as trifles, and I'm pretty good at making custardy things.

What would you suggest? Spice cake might be nice with a cream cheese frosting. Or maybe an apple pie? Any recipes or other suggestions? Remember, I need things spelled out for me if there is a crust or cake involved.

[boar_d_laze]

Since someone's already doing a cake, a flan, a trifle or a fruit tart.

BDL

[Mezzaluna]

How about yogurt cake (a dense cake soaked in honey syrup)? Melomacarona (honey cookies) or kourambiethes (butter cookies dusted with powdered sugar)? Serve the cookies with some good vanilla ice cream.

I have good recipes from Greek home cooks, some of whom I knew in my home town. The recipes are from their church cookbook:
Baklava (and variations like trigona, etc.)
Rice pudding (rizogalo)

In Greece we were once served a simple, delicious dessert: peeled, sliced oranges and walnuts drizzled with honey, dusted with cinnamon. YUM.

You can buy phyllo cups (tiny little tart shells, really) that you can fill with just about anything. They make great one-bite desserts. I've filled the with any of the following:

• lemon curd with whipped cream garnish
• Philadelphia Cream Cheese pre-made cheesecake filling in the dairy case
• A dab of vanilla creme, then a few berries
• Chocolate ganache, then a raspberry or cherry sliver
• Pecan pie mixture, then baked about 10 minutes

I know you're trying to keep away from cake, but I have a dynamite recipe for a banana-walnut cake from Nathalie DuPree. It has a cream cheese-banana icing. I've never eaten a better version of this cake, and it's a nice change from carrot cake. And, the whole thing is easy to make! The cake freezes beautifully; I did that and frosted it before serving.

I hope this helps!
Mezz

[Koukouvagia]

A fruit tart might be fun, one with a custard and topped with fruit? Any recipes?

Melomacarona and kourambiedes are made mostly during the holidays. Sure they're served everywhere but home cooks only delve into these during Xmas.

[tessa]

what about eatons mess ..... super easy and light

all you need is whipped cream, meringue (store bought is totally fine for this) strawberries and a little powdered sugar, and some crumbled or broken dark chocolate bits
just whip the cream with a very small amount of sugar, crush the meringues saving some for a topping, hull and chop the strawbs in to chunks , same with the chocolate
then add all together in to the whipped cream and garnish with some more strawbs, chocolate and the rest of the meringue
it can be made just before or earlier in the day and it tastes great and looks like you have spent loads of time when really it takes probably less than10 minutes to make

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by Mapiva

Ladyfingers? I've seen both the soft and the crispy kind. I use the soft ones when I make cheesecake sometimes, but would the crispy kind be better for tiramisu? What's the difference?

Use the "crisp" lady fingers, because you have to soak them. They'll further soften as the tiramisu sets up. Soft lady fingers would fall apart.

Use a crystal bowl and arrange the lady fingers vertically like fluting (or columns) against the wall.

BDL

[tessa]

Originally Posted by Mapiva

Thanks everyone for your help, the idea of baking under pressure is making me shake in my boots. So rather than that I've decided to make a simple Pumpking Tiramisu. The recipe I have does not call for eggs which is great because the birthdayboy is allergic I've been told. It does however call for lady fingers.

Ladyfingers? I've seen both the soft and the crispy kind. I use the soft ones when I make cheesecake sometimes, but would the crispy kind be better for tiramisu? What's the difference?

ummmmm the lady fingers will have eggs in them is that going to cause a problem for your freind if they do what about using an egg free cookie base

[Koukouvagia]

Crisp lady fingers it is then.