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    Home » Blog posts by Rosanna ETC » Desserts

    10 Easy Elegant Desserts For Dinner Parties

    Published: May 24, 2022 by Rosanna Stevens · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    Easy elegant desserts you can make ahead of time that will impress guests and save you from last minute stress!

    I love creating a DIY fine dining experience when I host dinner parties, so curating a menu of elegant easy recipes that lend a classy air to proceedings without sending you into a stress hole is a big priority. These easy elegant desserts are recipes I've hand-picked to serve at summer dinner parties, they're fresh, often fruity and offer a refreshing end to the meal.

    And just before we kick off, here are my quick tips for making any dessert look more elegant:

    • Garnish with edible flowers
    • Serve in glassware rather than on a plate
    • Dust with sieved icing sugar just before serving

    Serving a sauce? Here are some plating techniques that might help it look extra cheffy.

    And now we begin...

    Elegant summer desserts

    Grown up jelly is big on my agenda, and this raspberry and elderflower prosecco jelly is the perfect elegant easy dessert for dinner parties and just looks so classy served in saucer glasses like these champagne coupes. You can make this dessert the morning of, or the day before.

    Pink prosecco jelly served in champagne coupe glasses.
    Prosecco jelly
    A raspberrry, edlerflower and prosecco jelly that is the perfect easy dinner party dessert
    Get the recipe
    Champagne and Prosecco jelly

    No summer is complete without an Eton Mess, and it's an easy dessert to serve at dinner parties because all the components can be made ahead of time, and then guests at your dinner party can assemble their own bowl when the time comes. So this is definitely one of my top easy elegant desserts for dinner parties that makes for a fun interactive experience too.

    A bowl of Eton mess with fresh strawberries, cream and meringue.
    Eton mess
    A quintessentially British dessert, Eton Mess is made from crunchy meringue, fresh berries and whipped cream.
    Get the recipe
    A bowl of Eton mess.

    Now, you might look at the next entry on my round-up of easy elegant dessert recipes and think it sounds hard, but you will not believe the unbelievable hack there is in this recipe for making easy dulce de leche, I can't wait to try it myself! This Dulce de Leche Verrine with Banana and Cream is a picture-perfect elegant summer dessert to serve at dinner parties that is easier than it seems and can definitely be made ahead of time.

    Glasses of dulce de lyche topped with shards of puff pastry
    Dulce de Leche Verrine with Banana and Cream
    Layers of dulce de leche caramel layered in a verrine with whipped cream, chocolate, caramelised banana and topped with puff pastry shards.
    Get the recipe

    Tangy, tart and smooth, a fruity blackcurrant mousse cake is a classic dessert for dinner parties. As it needs to set in the fridge it is best to make the day before a dinner party. It's elegant, colourful and not too heavy, making it ideal for summer parties.

    A blackcurrant Mousse Cake with a stack of dessert plates
    Blackcurrant Mousse Cake
    A smooth and creamy blackcurrant mousse cake with biscuit base that works so well as a dinner party dessert.
    Get the recipe
    A blackcurrant Mousse Cake with a stack of dessert plates

    Light and crunchy meringue is always a winner when you're looking for summer dessert recipes, and this raspberry torte has it all, whipped cream, fresh berries, nutty richness and a drizzle of chocolate over the top. Elegant, classy and impressive, it's definitely on my list.

    A layered raspberry torte on a cake stand
    Raspberry torte with hazelnut meringue
    This Raspberry Torte is a decadent but achievable dessert that will impress your guests with delicious flavour and added crunch.
    Get the recipe
    A layered raspberry torte on a cake stand

    Panna Cotta is the perfect elegant easy dessert to make the day before a dinner party, it will have set but will still be light and delicate. Top with some fresh fruit and chopped nuts at the last minute and serve.

    3 drinking glasses filled with panna cotta that is topped with fresh berries and pistachio nuts
    Italian Panna Cotta
    A smooth and creamy dessert that you can make the day before a dinner party, this Italian panna cotta is easier than you think!
    Get the recipe
    3 drinking glasses filled with panna cotta that is topped with fresh berries and pistachio nuts

    Cheesecake is a real favourite of mine, but it can be tricky to make when you're short of time (and uses a lot of pots, pans and oven space). Enter this no-bake blueberry cheesecake encased in a graham cracker crust. For non-US readers, use digestive biscuits, gingernut biscuits, shortbread or a mixture of all three!

    A serving platter with slices of blueberry cheesecake.
    No bake blueberry cheesecake
    A crunchy crust with smooth and creamy blueberry cheesecake filling, this easy elegant dessert needs time to set in the fridge so is an ideal dessert to make the day before a dinner party
    Get the recipe
    A serving platter with slices of blueberry cheesecake.

    The taste of citrus in summertime is so refreshing and this lemon syllabub is a light and elegant way to finish your dinner party menu. Zesty and fresh, it also uses just a handful of ingredients and can be made several days ahead of time.

    A glass full of lemon syllabub and a dessert spoon.
    Lemon Syllabub
    This elegant and light-as-air Lemon Syllabub has just 4 ingredients! If you like a homemade dessert which can be made in 10 minutes or less or made in advance, read on.
    Get the recipe
    A glass full of lemon syllabub and a dessert spoon.

    Anything served in a cocktail glasses tastes better right? The tart raspberry ribbons that run thought this white chocolate mousse counterbalance ther sweetness and stop it becoming too rich. This is the ideal easy elegant dessert for dinner parties as it can be made several days in advance, freeing up time for other tasks.

    Martini glasses filled with white chocolate cheesecake, shot through with raspberry compote ribbons.
    White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse with Raspberry Compote
    This no-bake, creamy, decadent white chocolate cheesecake mousse recipe is ribboned with raspberry-rosemary compote.
    Get the recipe
    Martini glasses filled with white chocolate cheesecake, shot through with raspberry compote ribbons.

    Similar in style to a panna cotta, this Mahalabia with Mango is an excellent easy elegant dessert to serve in high summer when the weather is especially hot! Originally from the Middle East, the mango gives this dessert recipe a tropical edge.

    Four glasses of Mango Mahalabia with scattered dried rose petals.
    Mahalabia With Mango
    A delectable Middle Eastern milk pudding; Mahalabia is made from milk and sugar, thickened with cornstarch and topped with mango puree.
    Get the recipe
    Four glasses of Mango Mahalabia with scattered dried rose petals.

    I hope you've found some summer dessert inspiration here, I certainly enjoyed putting this round up of easy elegant dessert recipes together and can't wait to hear if you try any of them! Tag me in any photos on Instagram, I'd love to see.

    More Desserts

    • Classic Profiteroles With Chocolate Truffle Filling
    • Pistachio, White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Cookies
    • Snowman Macarons With Cinnamon Buttercream Filling
    • Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Cookies With Cinnamon & Orange

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    Comments

    1. Bella says

      May 24, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      Delicious! Definitely making some of these this summer

      Reply
    2. Bianca says

      May 25, 2022 at 11:37 am

      So many delicious ideas! Can not wait to try them all

      Reply
    3. Anaiah says

      May 25, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      All of these desserts are so stunning! I don't even know which one to start with. Thanks for putting this together!

      Reply
    4. Jeannie says

      May 25, 2022 at 1:00 pm

      so many to choose from and I want to make them. They all look good too.

      Reply
    5. Natalie says

      May 25, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      I did try your Blackcurrant mousse cake, and I love it... So, I will have to try others too. They look amazing!

      Reply
    6. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

      May 26, 2022 at 12:07 am

      Omg there are so many delicious dessert recipes here. All so very beautiful.

      Reply
    7. Katie says

      May 26, 2022 at 12:20 pm

      These are all so beautiful!

      Reply
    8. nancy says

      May 26, 2022 at 7:06 pm

      this was a wonderful round up! perfect for hosting

      Reply

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    Rosanna Stevens opening a bottle of champagne.

    Rosanna Stevens opening a bottle of champagne.

    I'm Rosanna, a trained chef, published writer and food and style fanatic. I believe in using food and drink to make every day an event with fresh and seasonal produce, wine pairings and a perfectly styled plate.

    I write for publications in the UK, USA and Central America on food, travel and the destinations I love and have also created several recipe ebooks and Stop The Scroll, a beginner's guide to food styling and photography. Thanks for being here!

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