Desserts for a Fancy Beach Decor Dinner Party

Decorate dessert tables with shells and starfish.

When there’s hula music in the air and sandy centerpieces on the tables, a heavy chocolate torte will seem out of place. Even if you’re holding your beach party during the winter, desserts should be light to match the theme. Opt for fruity flavors and airy textures so that guests will leave the party feeling like they’re still at the beach.

Fruit

Fresh fruit is light, sweet and summery, so it’s the perfect finish for a beach-themed party. Toss berries with sugar, spread them over warm biscuits, angel food cake or pound cake and top the dish with whipped cream for a simple shortcake dish. Dipping fresh fruit in melted chocolate also makes for an elegant dessert that takes little culinary talent. Dip strawberries, pineapple slices or kiwi slices into melted dark chocolate and chill them in the refrigerator for a sweet treat at the end of the meal.

Cake

A light, fruity cake is appropriate for a beach party, and it can be easy to decorate. Make a yellow or sponge cake and spread citrus or berry filling in between the layers, then frost the cake with white buttercream. Crumble shortbread or sugar cookies and pat the crumbs into the top and sides of the cake. For a water-themed cake, top the cake with light blue frosting. Use a spatula or knife to make swirls in the frosting, giving the cake the appearance of waves. These designs are also easy to use for decorating individual cupcakes.

Cookies

Cookies are not only easy to make ahead of time and simple to serve, but beach-themed cookie cutters can give your desserts an elegant appeal. Buy cutters in the shapes of seashells or starfish and use them to make sugar cookies. Mix lemon or orange peel into the dough to give it an extra kick. Decorate the cookies using glossy white frosting and edible silver balls or fine, sparkling sugar for cookies that not only taste sweet but look sweet as well.

Candy

Just because it’s a fancy party doesn’t mean the desserts can’t be fun. A candy buffet is an easy option for a party with a lot of guests or a buffet-style party. A candy buffet also adds decoration to your event. Fill bowls with wrapped salt water taffy, hard candies flavored with tropical fruits like pineapple or mango and chocolates in the shapes of seashells or lobsters. Sprinkle sand over the table for effect and set out individual bags or miniature beach buckets so each guest can fill up.

References

• Eating Well: Quick and Easy Fresh Fruit Desserts
• Martha Stewart: Sand Bucket Angel Food Cake