Seems we can't get enough dessert this holiday season.
Home furnishings forecaster Michelle Lamb of the Trend Curve in Eden Prairie has noticed a lot of confections popping up as a holiday design motif, a trend she calls "Frosting and Sprinkles."
"It's about treats being the best part of the holiday season," she said. Think ornaments, tableware and linens featuring hard candies, candy canes and gingerbread boys. And, of course, the dessert du jour: cupcakes. "This cupcake thing is not slowing down."
As for actual desserts you can eat, why choose just one? Increasingly, you don't have to.
Dessert tables and candy buffets, a trend that started a few years ago at wedding receptions, are now increasingly popular for home holiday soirees. They're an extension of the trend toward buffets in general, said Shauna Younge of Shauna Younge Dessert Tables in Shakopee. "It seems people are becoming more aware of different dietary requirements," such as peanut allergies and vegan and kosher diets. When creating a dessert table, Younge usually includes 12 to 15 dessert options -- "so nobody feels left out."
Quantity and variety aren't the only considerations when planning a holiday dessert table, Younge said. "It's not just about abundance but the presentation." Younge often designs paper elements to complement the desserts, such as custom candy wrappers or custom boxes for gourmet flavored popcorn. "It makes the look unique to that party."
If you want to create a dessert table for your holiday party, don't forget to personalize the look, and don't fall into a predictable holiday rut, Younge said. "No color palette is off limits, as long as you have winter elements." She likes to take a traditional holiday motif, but use nontraditional colors, such as a white wreath with fuchsia trimmings, to "freshen it up." "It becomes a focal point and a conversation starter. They [guests] are seeing the familiar but in an unexpected way."
And for your dessert menu, don't just stock the table with your own favorite sweets, Younge said. "Really think about your different guests and their dietary issues, and try to have something for everybody."
