A simple dessert that will WOW them?

[jais]

BF's parents are coming for dinner next Saturday.  This is the first time they will be visiting.  BF is taking care of dinner (he's got a fabulous pork roast recipe), but asked me to make dessert.  Here's the problem:  I'm a pretty decent cook, but in this apartment, the kitchen has all of 2 sq feet of counter space.  It's a chore to make cookies here, and I have pretty much sworn off baking/elaborate cooking since moving in. 

Help me Ehellions!

ETA:  My "WOW" means tastes GREAT.  So far the first 2 both sound good! 
I think I may have to sample all recipes this week! 

[Harriet Jones]

Do you like cheesecake?
This is a really easy-to-make version and everyone has loved it. 

Sopapilla Cheescake
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls 
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese   
1 Cup sugar
1 T vanilla
1/2 Cup butter, melted
1/2 Cup sugar
1 T cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350
Flatten one tube of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13
pan.  In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla
until cream and spread over crescent rolls.  Unroll the second tube of
crescent rolls and place over rop of the cream cheese layer.  Pour melted
butter over the top.   
Sprinkle the top with mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. 
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top is slightly toasted.

Some Notes:

• You can use lower cal version of the cream cheese and crescent rolls
• You can serve it warm or chilled.
  
• Also, it halves really nicely, just make it in a square pan and cook it a smidge less.  I've found that unless you're serving a lot of people, the 9x13 pan is just too much!

[smarterthanu213]

Sliced fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream on top of brownies. The boxed kinds (NOT offbrand) can turn out really yummy.

Not really a wow dessert tho. Sorry.

[TarHeel]

Ok, this is a definite "wow" recipe: individual molten chocolate cakes.  They are easy to make, and you can even make the batter a day ahead and put them in the fridge until just before you're ready to bake them.  They're absolutely delicious, and you look like the most amazing chef when you serve them.

This is the recipe I use: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/104604

If you make the chocolate peppermint sauce, I would use only 1/4 tsp peppermint extract, because I think the 3/4 tsp is really too much. 

[edenparadox]

Okay this is the most amazing chocolate cake recipe ever. Ever. And it's easy.

Easy Chocolate-Orange Cake
Yield: 12 servings
 
Ingredients
1+¼ cup (170 g) flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2-3 teaspons orange extract
½ cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
½ cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
2 eggs

Method

   1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
   2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin. Cut out parchment to cover the bottom and grease that.
   3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, orange and vanilla extracts in a bowl.
   4. Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
   5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed.
   6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
   7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

For easy, easy frosting, take a can of chocolate frosting and add orange extract to taste. No one will ever guess you didn't make it from scratch.

[GlindaBunny]

If you don't want to actually turn on the oven, this might be appropriate:

buy some packaged tart shells, individual sized graham cracker crusts, or whatever.  stir some mascarpone (italian cream cheese) with some powdered sugar and vanilla; scoop sweetened mascarpone onto tart shells.  top with fresh fruit/berries.


mascarpone makes dessert wonderfully naughty.  be sure to keep the amounts small (it can be heavy).

[AprilRenee]

I need to get my grandma's recipe for "beet cake"

yes it's made otu of beets. However it tastes like THE moisest chocolate cake you have EVER had.

And the fun part is that after everyone has eaten, you get to tell them that it's beets!

[Bethalize]

BF's parents are coming for dinner next Saturday.  This is the first time they will be visiting.  BF is taking care of dinner (he's got a fabulous pork roast recipe), but asked me to make dessert.  Here's the problem:  I'm a pretty decent cook, but in this apartment, the kitchen has all of 2 sq feet of counter space.  It's a chore to make cookies here, and I have pretty much sworn off baking/elaborate cooking since moving in. 

Tiramisu. I won't post a recipe because there are so many subtle variations but it's basically boudoir biscuits, coffee liqueur and mascarpone cheese. Layer them up and leave to soak in.

[cicero]

I would go with the molten choc cake OR invest in really nice chocolate and make truffles - you can make them with different coatings (a dusting of plain cocoa, chopped nuts, zested orange peel, etc). they are very rich and delicious, just serve a good strong coffee alongside, and maybe a little sliced fruit.

(or as my dad would say: why choose either? when you can make both )

[reddevil]

For summertime, sometimes a really simple trifle is both beautiful and pretty easy to make...and I've never had one that didn't taste great.  Just layer whatever fruit is seasonal, maybe a little vanilla custard, and some sort of cake, angel, sponge, pound, whatever...when I use raspberries I melt a little raspberry jam in a pan with a touch of water and drizzle it on top.  (I've used marmalade, too, and it really makes strawberries interesting.)

(oh, and layering them into wine glasses makes everything look pretty fancy and interesting where the layers overlap down the sides.)

[Arianoor]

Chocolate mouse is easy and with some whipped cream and raspberry sauce in a sundae cup, it can look very fancy!

[lady_disdain]

Okay this is the most amazing chocolate cake recipe ever. Ever. And it's easy.

It has just come out of the oven and smells great! I am debating whether it is cool enough for me to sneak a slice... I don't deal well with temptation!

[edenparadox]

Okay this is the most amazing chocolate cake recipe ever. Ever. And it's easy.

It has just come out of the oven and smells great! I am debating whether it is cool enough for me to sneak a slice... I don't deal well with temptation!

I'd have to sit on my hands. But wait till it's cool and frost it before eating it all in one sitting like I would. 

[Suze]

Who needs frosting?

Chocolate cake with "real" butter (not of that fake stuff) on it is sooooo goooood

And before you go WHAT? BUTTER?

what is frosting anyway just butter and sugar. We just skip the middle man.

Momma said her Dad called it the lazy persons frosting.

[Venus193]

Grasshopper Pie is a good one:

http://www.kraftfoods.com/jello/recipe.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=grasshopper%20pie&u3=**5*5&wf=9&recipe_id=51098

Unfortunately they don't have the Rainbow Cake recipe on the site anymore, but that is a more ambitious recipe and also needs to be done the day before.