Dessert Platter
Platters are an interesting beast. They can be simple, designed to be purely functional. As in, here is some food, please eat it. Or they can be all out with a whole host of goodies on them, full of textures, colours and flavours, that are so deliciously enticing, you don’t know what to eat first. These are my kind of platters.
I must have been a heathen in a previous life (some may even say in this life too) as I am someone who likes to eat with my hands. I also like to graze. So a platter full of yummies is totally my gig. Most days I have some sort of ‘platter’ for lunch or dinner. Basically it’s an excuse to eat a little of all the things I love and pass it off as a meal, as opposed to me being a greedy little Madam 😉
To me, a good platter is a work of art. Different shapes, sizes, colours, textures and flavours. If you are making a big platter like this dessert platter, it can be all a bit daunting when you start putting it together. My main bit of advice is don’t get too caught up in the end picture. Simply start by placing a few different shapes and colours at random spots on the platter and then fill in the gaps. If something doesn’t look right, move it. My other bit of advice is that you want this type of platter to look and feel abundant – so make sure you do fill in all the gaps.
OK, let’s do this!
How I built this platter
I started with the 2 bowls of whipped cream which I have sweetened with maple syrup. I then piled on the blackberries at one end and added the 2 rows of chocolate dipped strawberries – 1 at each end. Next was the 2 rows of Xmas mince bites, shortbread and the raspberry chocolate slice. I then placed the wee homemade chocolate discs along one side and the dried figs in between the shortbread and the cream – I did have to the wiggle the shortbread over to fit the figs in. The last tidy placement was the liquorice, which I did originally stack in a different (that is code for arty) way but it kept falling over, so I went back to basics (that is code for non-arty).
The reason I built the platter this way, is most of these goodies need to be placed (not plonked or poured) on the platter due to their shape and size. Some of them are also hero products, so you want them to stand out. You also need to build a base for the rest of the product to sit in.
From here, I literally filled in the gaps. When your product is round (blueberries, scorched almonds, snifters) you need a ‘fence’ around them so they stay where you put them. Hence building the fence first.
What I have on this platter
Whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup, dried figs, Xmas fruit mince bites, homemade mini meringues, blackberries, maple sugared almonds, shortbread, scorched almonds, homemade chocolate discs, chocolate dipped strawberries, mint chocolate balls, raw raspberry slice, chocolate dipped ginger, blueberries, red twist liquorice, Lindt chocolates.
When making something like a dessert platter, I always take into account the different way people eat. I am one of ‘those’ people, hence want to ensure there is something for most people to snack on. Some people love a big sugar fix, others don’t touch the stuff. Some people are gluten free, others dairy free. Weirdly enough not everyone likes chocolate either, so I do think of those weirdos as well.
Helpful stuff
There is an abundance of fresh fruit around over the summer season. Don’t feel you need to stick to berries. Grab some stone fruit and cut into wedges. Or get some melon and cut into triangles.
I used maple sugared almonds because I am addicted to them. And they are a little indulgent. If you want to remove some of the sugar, add raw nuts instead.
Same goes for the dried figs. I love them and they always remind me of my childhood Xmas. You could easily use dried apricots, or peaches, or pineapple strips. Anything that has a bit of colour, shape and texture.
You will notice I have used dark chocolate in everything. For no other reason than I love it. You can use whatever chocolate you prefer. Mix it up with a combination of dark, milk and white if you want to go super swanky on it.
Add some sliced-up Xmas cake if you have it, or change out the Xmas bites for Xmas mince pies. There are no rules here.
Don’t feel you need to make anything to go on the platter. You can put together something pretty sepcutacular by perusing the bulk bins, fruit section and Xmas displays at the supermarket. If you have a particular slice you love that you enjoy from your fav café, grab a few pieces of that and cut it into bite size pieces. That’s exactly what I did here.
My last piece of advice….do NOT make this purely to take photos of and to write a recipe from. There is A LOT of yumminess on here (and probably just as much left over) and that is a very dangerous kitchen to be in for someone with a very sweet tooth!!!!
Most of all. Have some fun. It’s only food – not world peace. It’s meant to be enjoyed and stress free. It’s about showing up to those you love, with something that will nourish them. Yes, that may be a selection of the summers finest, but it can also be a selection of the cocoa beans finest in the form of 10 different chocolate offerings scattered among the fruit. Some days nourishing your soul is as important as nourishing your body.
Enjoy!