The ultimate dessert

Nope, not a recipe. My kid's b'day is rapidly approaching, and I asked her what she would like. Her response- "The ultimate dessert."

Mind you, she'll be 12, so I'm not looking at Soufflé glacé aux framboises. Chocolate will have to be a major player. I'm thinking some combo of chocolate mousse, crème anglaise, chocolate truffles, crème brûlée, etc.


Any suggestions? TIA

I think you're on track with chocolate, I think something with raspberry or cherry might fit the bill - I always find that these kick up the richness.

I'm thinking some very decadent form of chocolate cake/brownie, with either a cherry/raspberry filling or sauce topped with whipped cream (alternately a very high quality ice cream) and home-made chocolate sauce.

I know this sounds like the stuff you can get at TGIF, but I'm thinking a gourmet version.

Alternately you can do the base cake and have a bit of a do-it yourself with the sauces/toppings - this makes it possible for Ouchette to customize her dessert so that its her version of "ultimate".

12 years old? Plain old fashioned chocolate cake with some ice cream. That will satisfy all the preteens.

She might think a banana split is the ultimate desert, and those would be fairly easy to make at a party.

Or, you can take a risk and make a bunch of creme brulee.

texcattlerancher said:

12 years old? Plain old fashioned chocolate cake with some ice cream. That will satisfy all the preteens.

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I don't know if ouchette falls into the category of all preteens.

I do think that a gourmet version like Chris was suggesting would fit the bill nicely.

texcattlerancher said:

12 years old? Plain old fashioned chocolate cake with some ice cream. That will satisfy all the preteens.

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Not a tweener whose favorite foods include fried calamari and rambutans.

She does, however, still think that meatballs are great and spaghetti is great, but can't fathom the concept of meatballs and spaghetti in the same bowl.

You need to make my wife's crepes. Ask Nick.

I'd go with the ice cream and then blow her mind with hard chocolate sauce.

It's my plan to set up shop in the DQ parking lot and sell bootleg dipped cones.

Try a molten chocolate cake which you can pick up in a Duncan Hines type box at walmart. Raspberries in a sauce pan stewed down to a syrup with a little sugar added and topped with homemade whipped cream will take maybe an hour at most.

I suggest a chocolate "pots de creme", the offspring of Creme Brulee and, well, chocolate.

When I was a kid, (some would argue I still am, but im 26 dang it!) I loved something my aunt called 'dirt'. It was served in a cheap plastic pot and was made with chocolate mouse/pudding, whipped cream or cool whip and bits of Oreo Cookie. Then sprinkled throughout it were gummy worms/spiders, etc.

I'm sure the real recipie is online somehwere but it was amazing and for a yong boy like me who liked bugs, most excellent.

For a young girl, hmmmm...

Needs more peanut butter.

letterk said:

You need to make my wife's crepes. Ask Nick.

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I'd challenge you to a crepe throwdown, but my wife recently used my crepe pan to make French toast and I'll need several months to reseason it.

Whenever I make them, I tell my daughter that tradition dictates that the first one be discarded, since it often does not come out right (the snooty French chefs say that, not me). She says, "That one's mine!", and eats it rolled up with apricot jam. Her only other complaint is that I should double my recipe, as I only cook a dozen at a time.


(I'll take Nick's (and your) word that your wife's crepes are legendary.)

Most of the really great deserts that live on in the legends of my family are lod recipies from now-deceased grandmothers and such, so I cannot offer specific details, but my grandmother did make a fantastic pineapple upside-down cake that was superb!

Pie.

I like the idea of several desserts. Kind of like a tasting? Or are you going to let her go crazy as its her Birthday?
Chocolate and peanut butter creme brulee, chocolate mousse, maybe a cheese cake with chocolate brownies in it?

If you happen to have The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum I would suggest that one component be the Brownie Puddle. If you want the recipe PM me and I'll send it to you.

Molten chocolate cake, done right is really nice.

If you have a good recipe for Chocolate Decadence go with it.

Chocolate overload. I like it

Chocolate fondue. Molten chocolate and marshmallows, pound cake, bananas etc for dipping. Tasty and fun.

Okay, I may have to change me vote to crepes stuffed with Nutella and topped with whipped cream.

TimmyBoston said:

Pie.

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This is true.

I've long held that Pie is the greatest food ever.
You can eat a different variety of pie for breakfast, lunch, supper and dessert for at least a week and have no repeats.

You can try and argue that any other food is better than pie, but fail, because I'll just make a pie out of that food.

It's not the ultimate dessert if there's no chocolate.

ouch said:

Not a tweener whose favorite foods include fried calamari and rambutans.

She does, however, still think that meatballs are great and spaghetti is great, but can't fathom the concept of meatballs and spaghetti in the same bowl.

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OK, Since I am a die-hard creme brule fan, here is my nomination.

Whip up a normal batch of creme brule, but don't brule it.

Do some super chocolatey brownies, or perhaps a truffle mixture, place at the bottom of your ramekin/serving bowls.

Place the set brule custard on top of the chocolate, and smooth out if needed.
It will probably get ugly because of moving a set custard like that, but it should be able to be smoothed out.

Add your caster sugar, and torch it till done to your/her liking.

And here is the kicker.

Garnish, laying across the bowl, with a single, thick cut smoked bacon piece, cooked to perfectly golden brown still slightly chewy crispiness, coated with a 41-44% milk chocolate ganache.

And, for the Adults, serve with a snifter of ruby port.