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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Make Ahead Desserts

With three days left until the big day, it is time to start preparing as many make ahead items as possible. Most items should not be made more than a day ahead in order to make sure they taste the freshest. However, most dessert items are exempt from this rule.
Today I made my dessert trio for the gathering. When planning a dessert menu, I like to have a traditional item (pumpkin pie), an easy prep item (cherry yum yum), and a not-so-sweet item (lemon tart). I also plan for items that can bake at the same temperature. Both my pumpkin pie and lemon tart baked at 350 degrees so I was able to prepare them at the same time instead of dragging out the process with different baking temperatures. After baking, allow the pies to cool completely, at least 2 hours, and then cover them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
My easy prep item tends to be a no-bake recipe that can be assembled and then refrigerated  Besides the cherry yum yum, I have also made trifles and puddings for this portion of the menu. This could also be a great place for a fruit tray, but that should be assembled the day of the meal.
Whatever you do, just make sure to plan a menu you enjoy. If you are relaxed and happy, your guests will be as well.

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