(Secretly Easy) Desserts Guaranteed to Impress 100%

We’ve all been there: suddenly faced with planning a menu for that dinner party, birthday cookout or baby shower we offered to bake for months ago but put off planning until the last minute, which is right now. Now you’re scrambling, trying to think of something to prepare that will woo and awe your guests, without destroying your kitchen, your wallet, or your sanity.

Photo Credit: Ziofeng

Fear not. There’s no need to rush to the bakery to buy a fancy cake and pass it off as your own. It’s totally easy to whip up a delicious dessert that will wow your guests without a ton of effort. Even if it’s last minute, these dessert recipes will come together in a snap, and best of all, they’ll be utterly delectable.

Nobody will ever know that you put it all off until the last minute; we won’t tell. Check out a few guaranteed-to-impress desserts below.

Profiteroles

Anybody who has watched (read: binged) The Great British Baking Show has seen profiteroles recipes, and watched a dozen anxious cooks try to figure out how to make choux pastry without breaking a sweat. Don’t worry: it really is so much easier than it looks. Profiteroles are basically just little puffs of light dough, sweet but not too sweet with a tender crunch. Filled with pastry cream, custard or ice cream and sometimes topped with ganache or powdered sugar, they look as elegant as they taste. They’re the perfect after-dinner bite. And you’re going to make them! Your guests will be so impressed, they’ll never guess that you threw them together in an afternoon.

Cannoli

This classic Italian dessert brings something out in people. Anywhere there’s fresh cannoli, there’s excited folks trying to snatch one. Delicate little flutes filled with a mixture of sweetened and spiced ricotta, spiked with a bit of your citrus zest and often topped with sprinkles, pistachios or mini chocolate chips, these are such a crowd pleaser. And they are shockingly easy to make. They look amazing and taste even better - you should probably make a double batch.

Divinity

This favorite of little old southern ladies everywhere is actually a rather elegant and classy dessert. Delicate little squares of sweet, marshmallow-like divinity are made with egg whites, vanilla, and sometimes pecan or walnuts. Bite-sized and light, they are the perfect dessert to go with coffee after a large meal. People often find candy-making daunting, but these are really quite simple to make. You can play around with flavor variations, adding different extracts and nuts to suit your tastes, but honestly? Classic is the best.

Roasted Strawberries

This is one seriously classy dessert. Juicy, ripe strawberries are quartered, tossed with balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, black pepper and a pinch of brown sugar, roasted in the oven until they release their juices, then served (while still hot) over fresh vanilla ice cream. It sounds like a strange combination for the novice, but once you’ve tried it, you’ll never want to eat anything else.
And there you have it! These simple recipes are so easy you’ll have them whipped up in no time, and your guests will never know how easy they were. They’ll be too busy enjoying those seriously delicious treats.