The FastDay Forum

We are having one of those retro dinner parties and I'm on for dessert. Its the 1970s and I have a few ideas but would love to hear some suggestions.

[Debs]

For my money it has to be a baked Alaska!!! Yum!

I did chocolate fondue at the table - having chopped up fruit - strawberries, pear, pineapple, to dip into the melted chocolate.

I also remember doing crepe Suzette!!

How very grand. Enjoy

Cheers maggie

Oh how I loved baked Alaska. Not sure why it was served at Chinese Restaurants. I might have a practice run and see how it goes.
My daughter has some fondue sets Maggie and crepe Suzette ohlala.
I will get rather large trying all these out.

[Debs]

Mmmmm, chocolate fondu, fine thought!!!

Definitely Debs. If not that, then Black Forest gateau.

Don't know if you had/have it in Oz but what about buying Arctic Roll? Basically 'log' of ice cream with a thin layer of jam over it and then sponge round it (bit like Swiss roll but only 1 roll, not a spiral - hope that makes sense).

And definitely followed by 'After 8' mints - none of that Ferrero -" you are spoiling us "- Rocher lark (again not sure if you get these TV ads so that reference may pass you by).

Chocolate anything...... (I can only eat custard with cocoa powder mixed into it - well that's my story and I am sticking to it as the family seem to accept it ) Creme Anglaise doesn't count as custard btw.

[Debs]

Arctic Roll was a huge treat in our house! Do they still sell it?

I used to make something that involved dipping ginger nut biscuits into coffee(probably with added alcohol) then sandwiching into a 'roll' with whipped cream and covering the whole thing with cream
Also seem to remeber something that involved digestive biscuits soaked in port ( theme here??) and topped with chocolate Angel Delight and whipped cream

Pavlova! Yummy.

They certainly do @Debs they even do chocolate ones and Raspberry ones.
I'm feeling deprived as only ever had the Vanilla one (except I wouldn't want one now)

Arctic Roll was a huge treat in our house! Do they still sell it?

Yes-but it doesn't seem to taste as good.

Crepe Suzette came to my mind too @wineoclock - as did trifle.

I think cheesecake was pretty big in the 70's - but it never went out of style in my mind!

Funny - crepe Suzette - bombe Alaska - fondue : 70's desserts seemed to all require matches!

Enjoy the making and the tasting

This one is so simple I almost blush: tinned pear halves put in an oven dish. Place one after eight on top of each of the pears halves and put in a preheated oven until the chocolate melt and the minty is gooing. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

One other that maybe is more 80th than 70th, but who cares - Gino;500gr fresh strawberries, 2 sliced bananas, 4 peeled and squared kiwis in an oven dish. Press some fresh lime juice over and grate 100gr white chocolate. Put in 200C oven for 10 minutes, serve with vanilla ice cream.

I have just made a chocolate tart from Jamie Olivers February mag, sure hope it will do well for dessert - 12 people for Johns birthday dinner.

Yeah I remember Black Forest Gateau being a big thing...

Trifle, Black Forest Gateaux, Banana Split, Waffles with maple syrup and ice cream or cream. Pineapple upside down cake, cream filled brandy snaps, souffle, summer pudding, baked stuffed apples, blancmange, all sorts of fruit flans, lemon meringue pie, profiteroles (for the really posh).

There was a recipe that had a bed of rice pudding (tinned) with half a tinned pear on top with a drizzle of strawberry or raspberry sauce, I just can't remember what it was called (hah! just found it, pear conde).

I too did the thing with the ginger nuts, but it went so... Sandwich two ginger nuts together with strawberry jam, dip the ginger nuts quickly into sherry and then stand them on end on a serving plate (you are making a train or log). Then repeat with the rest of the packet. When they are all standing on end smother them with thick whipped cream and decorate with chopped stem ginger.