Menu Planning: How Do You Decide on Dessert?

Easy Key Lime Pie

Dessert — the final piece of a meal. The last note that seals a good dinner with a taste of something sweet. That's how I think of it, at least. It's a last grace note for guests to linger over, perhaps followed by a cup of coffee or a digestivo. So I look for desserts that complement the meal that went before them, not too heavy and not too sweet. What about you? How do you decide what to have for dessert? Do you choose a recipe you've been just dying to try? What are the primary considerations for you, when making a dessert?

Like I said above, I always look for something that ties a dessert back in with the rest of the meal. So, for a recent menu of Indian-inspired meatballs, rice, and spinach, I looked for a dessert that was at least inspired by tropical and Indian flavors. I created a quick coconut milk pudding from a little gelatin, honey, and coconut milk, and dropped in slices of banana. It was very light and not too sweet, and a good final note on what was a heavy and spicy meal.

That's just one instance of the way I personally like to plan menus and to fit dessert into the meal.

What about you? How do you plan dessert into your meals?

(Image: Leela Cyd Ross)

Comments (12)

I plan my desserts seasonally. Fall and winter brings heavy chocolate type deserts, figs, and nuts. Spring and Summer brings light and brightly flavored desserts. Desserts are planned around what fruit is in season at the moment. Lemon curd is kept on hand for emergencies.

I usually base it on what was for dinner. If dinner was super heavy and rich, dessert will be on the lighter side. If dinner was light, then dessert might be a little more indulgent.

I base it on the event. If it's a regular night's dinner - desert (if there is any) is light and quick to make: pudding (instant or baked), a mousse, quick bread/muffins, or baked fruit.

If people are coming, however, it depends on the amount of time I have -- and what I know of them. Recently, I've been making pies. This weekend I hope to try my hand at frozen key lime yogurt.

I usually go by what's in season, too, but mostly because I like to keep dessert as simple as maybe putting out a bowl of fresh fruit and a plate of cookies.

(I'd almost always rather have seconds at dinner than eat dessert; maybe that should be fair warning before coming over to my place for food!)

I'm in between GretaGrace and Bobette. In the summer I stick with whatever fruit is available as the basis for dessert, but it also depends on what dinner was. However, I also have a couple friends who frequently come over for just dessert and a movie, so I use those opportunities to try new recipes.

I usually keep it simple (fruit, cookies), but every now and then there's something special I just have to try. In which case I plan the dinner to lead up to the dessert, not vice versa. If the whole point is to leave room for dessert, after all, that's what I make sure we do!

I look at what's in season, what I made for dinner, what I feel like making or think my guests might especially like. If I'm making a difficult dinner, I'll choose an easier dessert, and vice versa.

Oh boy, I take way too much into account which can make the process a little limiting sometimes ... but I think about seasonality/what's available at the farmers' market, pairing with the theme/ethnicity of the rest of the menu, timing of the stove/oven use, and how heavy the entire menu is. Whew. Worst case scenario, I just make some chocolate cookies or brownies.

I too do the seasonal thing and also take into account what is for dinner. If I'm making something like a cream-based pasta, I'm not going to serve rice pudding for dessert, I'd serve something lighter like roasted fruit. I almost always prefer desserts that are either cake or have fruit in them to chocolatey things, however.

Ummmm, I plan dinner around dessert? Is that bad? ;)

I love seasonal deserts and try to choose something that complements the meal that we just had previously. If it was on the heavy side, I'll choose somethign lighter and vice versa.

I'm with hannaht. I think about what I want to serve for dessert and what serving dishes I'd like to use, then plan backwards. Dessert is the whole reason to eat dinner!