Office potluck, and I'm feeling competitive

[foodfiend]

Maybe I'm getting testy in my old age, but I want to make the winner dish this year. I want a dessert that brings oohs and aaahs on taste and looks. Last year I made the Chocolate Eclair Dessert which people enjoyed, but I want something memorable this year. I'm thinking maybe a tray of mini-desserts or dessert shots. Or a stacked pyramid of mini-cupcakes.
I prefer to make desserts for this. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Tx.

ETA: It can't have alcohol or coffee.

[golden1225]

How about Croquembouche? I've always wanted to make one. Talk about impressive!

[foodfiend]

How about Croquembouche? I've always wanted to make one. Talk about impressive!

Um, did I mention it has to be doable too?

[Vinca]

If the occasion for the potluck is Christmas what about a Bûche de Noël? I have seen it prepared many times and it really doesn’t look that difficult. And if you have a creative eye the finishing touches can make the ending result spectacular!

[golden1225]

You can do a "cheater" croquembouche using cream puffs from the freezer section of the grocery store!

[Missi]

Naaaaaaaa, it isn't old age cause I'm not very old (at least I don't think so) and I've been looking for a wow thing too.

One of the desserts I was considering was this cake recipe from Rachel Ray. I thought those vertical layers might be VERY impressive as everyone tries to figure out how it was done. I was not going to follow the recipe, just the technique, and instead do something with chocolate.




http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes...ry-Spiral-Cake

[Chocolate Rose]

Naaaaaaaa, it isn't old age cause I'm not very old (at least I don't think so) and I've been looking for a wow thing too.

One of the desserts I was considering was this cake recipe from Rachel Ray. I thought those vertical layers might be VERY impressive as everyone tries to figure out how it was done. I was not going to follow the recipe, just the technique, and instead do something with chocolate.




http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes...ry-Spiral-Cake

This looks fun and different! The reviews of the cake and frosting recipes don't sound good at all, though.
I need to make a birthday cake to take for Thanksgiving and I'm not going to have very much time (I have to work late Wednesday and I wouldn't want to make it before then). I wonder if this technique would work with a cake mix?

[ChristieinMB]

This is my favorite dessert recipe. It is not as impressive as those already shown, but it does look really nice and tastes amazing.
Another secret, it isn't hard.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesgu...te-Tart-243610

[HealthyinMN]

This treat is impressive, not hard to make at all and feeds a bunch, besides being pretty tasty. It isn't holiday-ish though, if that is what you are after.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (Adapted from Martha Stewart)



For the cookie dough

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

For the frosting

40 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

To make the cookies

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar - mix until combined. This will most likely look dry and not creamy as you would expect. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the cream. Stir in the chocolate chips.

You need to make 5 cookie layers for this cake. Drop about 1 cup worth of batter on a piece of parchment paper - use an off-set spatula to spread the mixture into an evenly round 8" circle. Bake one at a time and keep the rest of the cookie dough in the refrigerator until you make the next round.

Bake until the edges are a rich golden brown and the center looks lightly golden on top, about 18 to 24 minutes, turning around halfway through. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough until you have 5 rounds.

To make the frosting

In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Spread mixture onto 4 of the giant cookies. Stack the cookies on top of each other and place the final unfrosted piece on top. Cover and place in the refrigerator to set the cream cheese, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

[foodfiend]

Joe, I could kiss you! This is perfect

Christie, yours looks great too. If ever I invite a man to my lair, I'll keep this in mind,
(BTW Yep, folks the one I made dinner for didn't work out. I'm well over it)

[Kristilyn1]

This is my favorite dessert recipe. It is not as impressive as those already shown, but it does look really nice and tastes amazing.
Another secret, it isn't hard.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesgu...te-Tart-243610

This gets lots of comments when I bring it places because it looks professional....and is very tasty. Almost embarrassingly easy though.

Kristi

[gabbyh]

OMG, I am cracking up at this thread...we are having a Manager's Potluck at work tomorrow, and last week I had the same idea: I gotta impress these people!

So what did I do??? Stick a London Broil in the crock pot to make the bean & beef burrito filling to have on hard rolls! Yup...took the easy way out this year

~Gail

[foodfiend]

Joe -- how easy is it to cut the layers of the cake? They seem more like cookies rather than cake slices. Does the cream cheese filling soften them up?

[HealthyinMN]

Joe -- how easy is it to cut the layers of the cake? They seem more like cookies rather than cake slices. Does the cream cheese filling soften them up?

Jeff did the cutting at the office - his reply to this "It was so easy - the knife just glided right through as the cream cheese softened the cookies just enough to cut without crumbling at all".

[ChristieinMB]

This gets lots of comments when I bring it places because it looks professional....and is very tasty. Almost embarrassingly easy though.

Kristi

Yes, I think it is very easy, takes time between the layers, but not work. If you like rich chocolate this is the one.