How to Design a Dessert Bar
A beautiful dessert bar serves many purposes at a big party or event. It's a place for guests to congregate and talk, it offers visual interest, it can share information about the host, it can communicate a season or theme, and it's a place to pick up great desserts! Since a dessert ball fills all of these roles, it's a wise investment of time and money to design and create a dessert bar that guests will remember and appreciate.
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Things You'll Need
- Long, rectangular table
- Plain white or solid-colored tablecloth
- Coordinating set of platters and serveware
- Centerpiece decorations
- Specialty desserts
Instructions
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Choose a theme and color combination that will work well for the event or celebration. You can start by sketching out your ideas on paper or making a list of colors and themes that appeal to you. Keep the season, event and guests in mind. For an autumn celebration, you may want to choose seasonal colors such as burgundy and gold, for example. A birthday party may call for a bolder color scheme or system of decorations than a wedding reception.
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Pick out your treats carefully: Desserts will serve as the centerpieces for your bar, and they should be both visually appealing and delicious. Depending on how big your dessert bar will be, you may want a large, commanding dessert to use as a center point. This might be a graphic cake, a tall "tree" of cupcakes or a chocolate fountain, for instance. The main dessert should be eye-catching and appealing to many different people. Keep guests' tastes in mind as you choose other desserts. It's great to have options for people who enjoy chocolate, but you should also include vanilla items, gluten-free choices, cookies as well as cakes and desserts of different textures and sizes.
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Arrange the dessert bar a couple of hours before the party starts. If desserts need to be refrigerated, you can bring them out right before serving, but mark off places for them on the table and set them down first to see how they will look. Coordinate your serving vessels and equipment for a matching, cohesive theme. And rather than crowding all the plates on the table, leave room between them so the effect isn't overwhelming. Leave space for napkins, plates and silverware. If the table looks too empty when you're finished, set out decorations such as pinecones or fresh flowers.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the table you use to display desserts is sturdy.
If you can't make the desserts yourself, share a sketch of your dessert bar with a baker and order custom confections.
If you're planning a dessert bar for a party that isn't yours, talk with the host or hostess to see what elements should be included in the design.
Don't get caught rushing at the last minute. Allow yourself plenty of time (days, weeks or even months) to design and arrange your dessert bar, especially if it's for a very large event.
