by Helene Dujardin of Tartelette

Photo by Aran
of Cannelle et Vanille

While we are bathing in the warmer days of Spring, Summer is right around the corner and promises of outdoor dinner parties and fun BBQs with friends and family will be here before we know it. The appetizers are ready to be set on the table, meats and vegetables are getting nice and toasty on the grill, and desserts are tucked away ready for the grand finale. From cupcakes, cakes, bars, and tarts to ice cream, the selection could not be more abundant for al fresco dinners. Both children and adults will find happiness in the little selection I put together for you.

When it comes to pleasing everybody I think one cannot go wrong with S’more Cupcakes from this little piggy or Oreo Muffins from Eat Drink Live which appeal to the inner child in each of us. For more grown up and sophisticated flavor, head over to Cannelle et Vanille where Aran made these cute-as-a-button, kid friendly (major points for the extra calcium boost), Strawberry, Rhubarb and Yogurt Cupcakes.

Photo by
this little piggy

If small and individual is not your thing, why not bring a whole cake? This Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake by Amanda of Slow Like Honey is a great pick. Anita at Dessert First offers a lovely variation on the theme with her Plum Cornmeal Cake. Not too sweet, sturdy cakes with polenta lend themselves naturally to yummy toppings like this Cardamom Citrus Fruit Salad from Simply Recipes or Dulce de Leche from Chez Pim. I also never leave the house for a friend’s party without bringing the Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake, always a sure win and a lovely grin.

Photo by Lisa
of La Mia Cucina

Tarts and tartelettes are great favorites at summer outdoor parties especially in July. Here in the US, traditional pies like this American Apple Pie from Kitchen Parade and Cooking In Cleveland’s Apple Crostata will more than likely be making appearances. These not-too-sour-not-too-sweet Lemon Meringue Tartelettes are a great choice for cooling off after hot wings and hot salsa! If it is a taste of the tropic that you crave, dive into a Key (not Lime) Cheesecake Pie from Lisa of La Mia Cucina. Finally, if stone fruits are ripe and in season where you are, Ivonne from Cream Puffs In Venice has the perfect recipe for Peach Almond Tarts or you could cut a slice from my grandmother’s famous Apricot Almond Tart.

Photo by Marcela
of Pip in the City

For a casual get together in the backyard or as part of a buffet table, bar cookies and brownies are also great favorites: easy to transport, cut big or small, and easy to share with friends! Why not forget about being good and indulge in Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies as seen on Deb’s blog Smitten Kitchen. Equally tempting are the Piece of Heaven Bars made by Lynn of Cookie Baker Lynn. Really what’s not to love in an old fashioned oat chocolate and caramel bar?!! If you are looking for a super kid friendly bar cookie, look no further: Mary from Alpineberry made the perfect concoction in her Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars. Surely the kids will swarm towards these but I bet that most adults will reach for a glass of milk and one piece of these also! If you are looking for lighter and more sophisticated flavors, Elise at Simply Recipes made some fantastic Gingered Lemon Bars that will end a meal beautifully without weighing you down during any afternoon activities.

Photo by Mary
of Alpineberry

One of everybody’s favorite desserts is ice cream. Yes, everywhere you go it seems like we really do scream for ice cream!! Making your own is really not difficult, even without an ice cream maker (freeze and whip your base every 2 hours or so and you will have great ice cream). If you are into natural flavors and sorbets why not try Marcela’s All Natural Banana Ice Cream at Pip In The City. I had the pleasure of making it with her and it was the quickest, creamiest and most satisfying ice cream/sorbet I had made in a while! Another wonderful choice would be Lisa’s Pear Sorbet that I also had the pleasure to make with her. The great thing about this recipe is that you can change all the fruit you use depending on the season or what is available at the store. Recipes that offer such good bases are always a plus to have in the recipe box. One favorite of mine because of its pairing of two great flavors is Anita’s Lemon Verbena Ice Cream at Dessert First. Every time I think about it, my mouth just simply screams “I want it!!”

Photo by Jennifer
of Hostess with the Mostess

One really cool and funky way to celebrate summer and gatherings with friends would be to make these great Margarita Popsicles, as seen on Hostess With The Mostess. Word of warning though: keep the children away as they do contain alcohol but it is the flavor you are after feel free to make them alcohol free by using margarita mixers as the base.

Of course, this is just a brush on all the wonderful desserts and sweets you could take to an outdoor gathering, picnic, ballgame, BBQ etc…. and remember that a recipe is sometimes a base to just let your imagination run wild and play around with flavors and plating depending on the occasion and its attendees.

For more warm weather dessert ideas you can find these recipes for picnic and tailgating party desserts along with a multitude of other summer sweets on the Foodieview Recipe Search Engine.

Helene Dujardin is a working “floating” and consulting pastry chef working for various individuals, restaurants and caterers in South Carolina where she moved 12 years ago. Being her semi own boss gives her the chance to also work as a personal trainer a couple of days a week and maintain her blog Tartelette, showcasing a mix of plated and more casual desserts and pastry reflecting on the things she creates for patrons and friends.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 19th, 2008 at 10:36 am and is filed under Recipe Roundup. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.