© africa studio / stock.adobe.com

Sweet spreads

Save room for these tempting dessert boards and tables

by LAURA BODE

Meat and cheese boards and grazing tables are perfect for a variety of appetites when hosting a get-together or party, but don’t forget dessert. Themed dessert boards and tables lined with a variety of sweets will have guests as excited as children on their birthdays.

Dessert boards and tables

A dessert board is designed with the same concept as a charcuterie board but is focused on sweets. The desserts can be homemade or store-bought, individually wrapped servings or a cake that’s ready to slice. You can find a rainbow of options. “A dessert board is the perfect dessert for those who don’t want to bake or make anything from scratch,” says Eden Passante, a Costco member and blogger at Sugarandcharm.com.

A dessert table, or dessert buffet, also known as a Viennese table, is perfect for a large crowd. If you wish, place a table runner of fabric or kraft or wrapping paper down the table’s center. Select a centerpiece, such as a colorful flower arrangement or a layered cake, and build out your table from there, either lining up your treats in rows or alternating dessert dishes with loose or packaged desserts, advises designer and stylist Kim Stoegbauer. Mirroring serving vessels on each side of the display will create symmetry.

Decorations, such as balloons, fresh or fondant flowers, and paper tags to note flavors and dessert names, will help add visual interest.

Themes

If you’re stumped for a theme, look online for inspiration (see “Ideas for themes”). The platters and serving ware decisions should come easily once you’ve decided on your theme. For example, if you select a woodland theme, you might want to stick with wooden bowls, boards and cutlery.

Look around your house—you might already have the perfect vessel. Consider the event’s feel: Using a wooden tray gives the event a rustic feel, while a marble board adds elegance, Passante says.

What to serve

Passante suggests planning 5 ounces of dessert for each guest. With that in mind, chocolate-dipped crackers, cake pops, cupcakes, macarons, mints, caramel or chocolate-drizzled popcorn, fresh or dehydrated fruit, chocolate-covered nuts, mini cakes or doughnuts are all welcome choices.

Add wrapped chocolates and candies that fit your color and theme, and jars of melted caramel, chocolate or hazelnut spread for dipping, and you have a good group of ingredients to make a tasty board or dessert table. Edible-image cookies can personalize the event and be a sweet takeaway, particularly for special events like weddings and baby showers.

If you love sweets but don’t want leftovers, provide themed to-go bags that guests can fill up before they wave goodbye. Because dessert boards and tables can be so much fun, you might even consider serving dessert first.

---