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74 dessert recipes

• Janine Ratcliffe

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Make entertaining easy with these dessert ideas, from make-ahead fridge cakes to 15-minute puds for last-minute guests and tarts using store cupboard staples

Looking for easy dessert recipes to entertain guests? Need a quick cake recipe ready in less than an hour? Try one of our easy ideas below. For more easy dinner-party desserts, choose from our collection of make-ahead fridge cakes and bakes to whip out last-minute.

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For more dessert inspiration, check out our best vegan desserts, French desserts and Italian desserts. Now learn about Polish sweet baking.

Quick and easy dessert recipes

Classic tiramisu

Whip up our smart, authentic version of this classic Italian dessert, made with mascarpone, marsala and savoiardi biscuits soaked in coffee and Tia Maria. It only takes 30 minutes, plus chilling time.

Matcha cheesecake with ube swirl

Impress dinner guests with this colourful matcha cheesecake with ube swirl. Ube is a purple yam that features in Filipino desserts and sweets. It has a subtle vanilla-like flavour and pairs well with the earthiness of the matcha.

White chocolate panna cotta with stewed rhubarb

This classic, creamy dessert is enriched with white chocolate, which provides a perfect contrast to the sharpness of the rhubarb.

Lemon and lime tart

Make your next lemon tart an epic one with Edd's Kimber's coconut macaroon tart case, filled with a zesty lemon and lime curd.

Toffee apple croissant tart

Croissant dough makes a brilliant stand-in for pastry in this free-form tart. The caramel sauce combines with the juicy apple to make a luscious filling.

Mauritian coconut flan

A staple at every Mauritian gathering, coconut flan evokes a sense of home and family. Shelina Permallo’s version uses simple storecupboard ingredients for its golden caramel top, bringing a taste of the island to any table.

Lemon posset

The perfect way to get ahead for dinner parties or entertaining. Get the shots of limoncello ready to really take this pudding to the next level.

Lime cheesecake

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this zingy lime cheesecake.

Chocolate molten cake

Is there anything more comforting than a melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding? Timings are key here, to ensure the molten chocolate centre.

Oreo mug cake

This recipe combines all the best elements of a classic British roast wrapped up in a crisp, fluffy, giant Yorkshire pudding. Don’t forget the rich gravy on the side for dipping.

S'mores

Made with just five ingredients in less than 10 minutes, this take on the classic barbecue treat features the all-American pairing of peanut butter and jam.

Hazelnut meringues with chantilly cream

Toasted hazelnuts bring a sweet and nutty depth to these meringues, topped with creamy vanilla chantilly cream and a sprinkling of golden nut brittle.

Cherry clafoutis

Make this dessert with whichever berries or fruits are in season – cherries, blueberries and even pears work well.

Effortless madeleine 'baba'

Make this pretty madeleine ‘baba’ for two – it’s a cheat on a rum baba that’s deceptively simple to make.

Espresso martini tiramisu

Need a showstopping dessert? Make our creamy tiramisu with espresso, Kahlúa and vodka. Easy and indulgent, if this doesn't wow your guests, nothing will!

Espresso martini cheesecake

Great when entertaining a crowd, this cheesecake can be made days ahead – simply pour over the boozy coffee syrup to serve.

Clementine posset

Perfect for a dinner party or special meal, these silky clementine possets only need 15 minutes of hands-on time.

Salted caramel and pecan cheesecake pots

These mini cheesecakes are simple to make and perfect for a quick and easy dessert to end your dinner party.

Brioche bread and butter pudding

Rich brioche makes the perfect base for this classic pudding. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest if you prefer.

Creamy Basque cheesecake with dark caramel sauce

This indulgent dessert features a sweet and creamy baked cheesecake which is perfectly balanced by the deep, bitter flavour of the caramel sauce topping.

Healthy apple crumble

A healthier take on classic apple crumble, this easy dessert recipe tops soft cinnamon apples with a butter-free granola (which also makes a brilliant breakfast).

Chocolate orange pots

These olive oil chocolate pots are seriously creamy and indulgent but easy to put together. A decadent dessert requiring only seven ingredients.

Croissant bostock with boozy cherries

Usually a piece of brioche topped with frangipane and baked, this twist uses a croissant base, while kirsch-spiked cherries add a boozy note.

Turkish delight pan brownies

Spoon these melting, turkish-delight-spiked brownies straight from the pan and serve with generous dollops of ice cream for the perfect indulgent dessert for friends.

Espresso panna cotta

Check out our recipe for silky smooth espresso panna cotta. This dessert is an ideal way to end a dinner party – it's gluten-free, looks impressive and is ready in no time!

Baked figs with amaretto

Jammy figs are roasted with amaretto in this warming autumnal dessert. We suggest serving with creamy mascarpone and crumbled amaretti biscuits for extra indulgence.

Chocolate sponge cake

This moist chocolate cake is a super simple dessert for all those chocolate lovers out there. Serve with a dollop of cream for ultra indulgence. Check out more baking recipes.

Malted milk chocolate traybake

If you like chocolate-covered malted milk biscuits, you'll love this cake. A mixture of Horlicks powder and Maltesers creates the classic flavour.

Poached pears with chocolate sauce

A fancy dessert idea that makes the most of Williams pears, smooth dark chocolate sauce and pedro ximénez sherry. And it only takes 25 minutes to make!

Pear tarte tatin

Making a classic tarte tatin may be the ultimate pudding showstopper, but combine it with ripe British pears and you’re reaching perfection.

Apple and almond galette

Use shop-bought pastry to recreate this sweet and nutty galette recipe, straight from the kitchen of The Grand Duchess in London.

Classic creme brûlée

Smash through the crunchy caramel top of this classic French pud and you'll reach a velvety, vanilla-infused baked custard underneath.

Dessert board

Try this simple dessert board that’s great for feeding a crowd, it features shop-bought desserts, and you can design your board to suit your guests.

Affogato chocolate mousse

If you're hosting a dinner party and looking for an indulgent dessert that can easily be made ahead, try these creamy, gluten-free puds – ready in 15 minutes.

Baked egg custard

Our recipe for baked custard is a great way to end a meal – velvety smooth and infused with vanilla, it's finished with a grating of nutmeg.

Nougat and pistachio ice cream

Elevate your dinner party effortlessly with this no-churn ice cream. Amp up the fancy factor with chocolate-dipped ice cream cones.

Raspberry chocolate pots

You only need three ingredients to whip up this silky and decadent pudding – and none of them need any fussing with.

Classic banana split

With just five everyday ingredients, this old-school dessert couldn't be easier: serve bananas with hazelnuts, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and cocktail cherries.

Brioche ice cream sandwiches

Ice cream is stuffed into sweet brioche buns to make an effortless dessert.

Chocolate torte

Friends will be impressed by this decadent dessert, combining chocolate with a moreish base of biscuits and hazelnuts.

Christmas tart

Fill a shop-bought tart case with brandy-soaked dried fruit and two types of almond for an effortless festive dessert, best eaten with brandy butter.

Warm molten chocolate and salted caramel tarts

Serve these decadent chocolate tarts with vanilla ice cream to impress dinner party guests. The recipe is from Italian restaurant Luca.

New York cheesecake

This creamy baked dessert makes the perfect make-ahead dessert – it’ll also go down a treat with everyone at the table.

Easy treacle tart

This simple yet moreish recipe for the classic treacle tart is perfect for Sunday lunch with family and friends. It only requires five ingredients, most of which are store cupboard staples.

White chocolate mousse with blackberries

Planning a dinner party? This simple yet sophisticated dessert from The Bath Arms in Wiltshire is made with easy-to-find ingredients and is ready in less than 20 minutes and honeycomb.

Nutmeg custard tart

London restaurant Fenn’s silky, nutmeg-spiced custard tart, lifted by a sweet and slightly tart apple compote, is a tailor-made dinner party dessert that’s guaranteed to impress everyone at the table.

Butterscotch budino

A sophisticated dessert that’s sure to impress your guests, check out this sweet Italian custard dish flavoured with butterscotch, a kick of whisky and a salted caramel topping.

Matcha tiramisu

Sweet mascarpone cream and bitter matcha are a match made in heaven in this vibrant dessert. You'll only need five ingredients for this no-cook recipe.

Calvados-poached pears with cardamom custard and sesame brittle

Looking for a stylish autumnal pud? Look no further, these calvados-poached pears – served with sweet-savoury sesame brittle and lashings of silky cardamom-infused custard – will be just the ticket.

Salted maple latte tart

Inspired by the flavours of a salted maple iced latte in NYC, this next-level custard tart features a coffee custard topped with a salted maple cream and finished with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

Blood orange and amaretti trifles

Our individual trifles make a quick and easy dinner party dessert using seasonal blood oranges, and they're ready in just 15 minutes.

Lemon self-saucing pudding (Lemon surprise pudding)

This zesty pudding is easy to whip up and can be ready in an hour. Make one simple mixture and as it cooks it separates into a light sponge on top and zesty lemon curd beneath.

Cheat's ginger, salted caramel and rum cake

Transform simple ginger loaf into this boozy cake in just 25 minutes by soaking in rum and caramel then layering with boozy caramel cream.

Black treacle financiers

These delicate black treacle financiers are served at the close of the set menu at The Water House Project, an ethically focused fine-dining restaurant in east London.

Salted peanut and honeycomb rocky road

These salted peanut and honeycomb rocky road squares are a great twist on a classic and will please everyone. Plus, they're really easy and only take 15 minutes of work.

Chocolate tahini and baharat pots

The woody spices in baharat (a Middle Eastern spice blend) work beautifully with dark chocolate and nutty tahini in this rich and super-simple dessert.

Vegan brownies

Bake a batch of our decadent vegan chocolate brownies for an indulgent teatime. Our unique recipe is super chocolatey, so vegan and non-vegan friends and family will enjoy. Check out more vegan desserts here.

Vegan chocolate mousse

Silken tofu is the secret ingredient for this smooth and creamy (and totally vegan) chocolate mousse recipe. It makes a quick and easy yet impressive dessert.

Healthy chocolate cake

We've given classic chocolate cake a healthy twist by using sweet potatoes, sticky dates and almond milk. Using dark chocolate and cacao powder gives it a wonderful richness.

Chocolate soufflé

This easy-to-follow recipe will guarantee light, fluffy and chocolaty soufflés for your loved ones.

Salted caramel popcorn soufflés

Popcorn and salted caramel combine in these showstopping soufflés. This recipe comes from Miro in Mayfair.

Vegan lemon drizzle cake

A delicate, zingy vegan lemon cake made without eggs, milk or butter! The key to that lemony tang is a decent lemon extract (we use Nielsen-Massey).

Rum-roasted pineapple and spice pie

The vegan pastry in this comforting pie is deliciously crisp and crumbly, with extra texture from the chia seeds. Plus, it's packed with rum-soaked roasted pineapple and plenty of spice.

Chocolate éclairs

Take your éclairs to the next level with this step-by-step recipe. Fluffy choux buns are given a crispy craquelin topping, then filled with whipped cream and covered in a chocolate glaze. Try more French desserts here.

Vegan apple crumble

All you need to do is swap butter for melted coconut oil to make a totally vegan apple crumble. Check out classic apple crumble here.

Vegan sticky toffee pudding

Let warming spices and a rich toffee sauce (made with homemade cashew cream) do the talking with this vegan sticky toffee pudding recipe.

Bakewell tart

Create a classic British bakewell tart with step-by-step help. Try this recipe with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries or cherries, if you like.

Eton mess

A classic English dessert that makes the most out of succulent, sweet British strawberries by combining them with meringue and cream. This heavenly pud is ready in just 10 minutes.

Boozy knickerbocker glory

Nothing says summer quite like our boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm's jelly. This will be a hit with adults! Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like.

Cranachan

This super simple raspberry dessert is the perfect light end to a meal. Made with just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up glasses of cranachan for a crowd in just fifteen minutes.

Blueberry and mascarpone slice

Use ready-made puff pastry and make the blueberry compote ahead for a speedy assembly job here. This dessert is ready in just 35 minutes and is ideal for your next summer dinner party.

Kashmiri saffron baba

Matching white chocolate with saffron, cardamom, coffee and dark rum, this decadent pudding is sure to impress guests.

Rose and pomegranate meringues

Ruby-red pomegranate seeds and fragrant rose water are the stars in this festive meringue dessert, served with fresh mint and edible rose petals.

Chocolate truffle cake

This flourless cake is rich, indulgent and perfect for a wow dessert. We’ve given it a subtle festive makeover, piling it high with chestnut cream, borrowed from the classic Alpine dessert.

Sticky toffee monkey bread

These small balls of bread dough baked together as a pull-apart loaf and coated in a sticky caramel glaze are simply perfect for sharing with friends over the Christmas holidays.

No-churn Irish coffee ice cream with hazelnut and chocolate biscuits

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No-churn ice creams can sometimes taste too sweet so we've made this one pretty punchy. The alcohol dilutes the sweetness of the condensed milk and the coffee gives it an intense depth and flavour to make a gorgeous grown up dessert.

Authors

Janine RatcliffeFood director

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