Dive in desserts – aka Dids!

In this utopian dream we have of gathering with friends and family from our existing dystopian state you'll definitely need a dive in style of dessert!

You could spend a while creating a fancy dancin' posh pud but if you choose this route you might want to check your pantry for ingredients and whether or not you'll be able to get any that you do need since availability has been random nay bizarre during these testing times!

What follows is a series of ideas – a pick and mix!

You could consider a “Lazy Susan” principle - those of us who are of a certain age will remember them from the 60s (in my case) and I think Tupperware produced something similar which they called a “Party Susan”. In other words a large central circular platter with different compartments for different treats, sweet or savoury. There were also larger and very popular versions of a turntable - practical too – usually found in Chinese restaurants which made sharing banquets easy and fun.

Steal the idea - create a central turntable with small, colourful and pretty bowls and/or jugs of sweet treats – your own pick and mix - where everyone can dive in and create their own bowlful - you could use funky, disposable (and safe) pots for serving. Believe it or not the “Susans” are still available! The downside is if you invest in one they'll probably only have five or six “serving” spaces. Anyway, you don't have to spend dosh – I just wanted to paint a picture to give you ideas.

Here are my suggestions for your “Susan” :

Choices of texture and crunch, colour and above all flavour that you know your friends and family enjoy are the most important and similarly the size of your “bowls” is relative to the number of guests. You'll always be able to refill them as it all vanishes before your very eyes!

Lets begin with probably the most popular – that most of us love – chocolate.

Bowl 1 or may be 2!

Two recipes that immediately spring to mind are Hokey Pokey

and the recent Flourless Chocolate Cake – both of which

are perfect to cut into small cubes for bowls

with each of these you have tempting morsels that will

not disintegrate and an instant chocolate hit - if you know

that your guests are chocoholics you could make both

Chocolate Hokey-Pokey

75g unsalted butter

100g pecan halves, roughly chopped

sea salt flakes

300g dark chocolate

2 tbsp golden syrup

3 x 40g Crunchie bars

Heat a small knob of butter in a pan and when foaming, tip in the pecans with a pinch of sea salt flakes. Stir over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or till toasted – you will smell them when they are ready. Tip the nuts into a bowl and leave to cool.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt, in a medium pan, with the rest of the butter and the syrup, stirring. Once the chocolate mixture is smooth, take the pan off the heat. Bash the Crunchie bars (in the wrappers – less messy!). Add the Crunchie pieces, along with the toasted pecans, to the chocolate mixture. Gently mix together before transferring to a square foil tray - 23x23cms (or cake tin if you prefer to wash-up).

Leave to set in the fridge – a minimum of four hours. Once set, remove from the tray and cut in half, repeat and keep going until you have small pieces to suit the size of your serving bowl.

The Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe and photos too were posted on the 2^nd May 2020.

Bowl 3 :

A drizzle (aka a compote or a coulis) to go with – serve in small jugs

if you have them or a large one if not – as for flavour – the choice

is yours and I've included some recipes

Bowl 4 :

For texture or crunch you could use Amaretti biscuits, crushed to

a crumb or left whole – nuts of your choice, chopped or left whole

Bowl 5 :

A sprinkle is essential! By sprinkle I mean a real one like blitzed

praline – a sprinkle of gold – tiny bits of twinkling toffee

Bowl 6 :

Sticky Toffee Sauce gets a big tick!

Bowl 7 :

Fresh fruit in season – at the moment strawberries and

raspberries are good, add some fresh pineapple, segmented oranges

whatever floats your banana boat!

Bowl 8 :

Meringue kisses – make your own or cheat – I won't tell

Bowl 9 :

Lets not forget the ice cream!

If you want to make certain elements ahead and freeze or store (as with meringue kisses) you can save yourself time, take short cuts or cheat – it matters not.

Coming up … selected recipes from my store for the “Susan” and more ideas too!