Dessert Buffet: Chocolate & Cream

Dessert and candy buffets are all the rage at weddings and events this year. Photos of stylized buffets, like this one above from a Martha Weddings magazine spread, are almost unavoidable when doing party planning research. As someone who likes to bake and decorate, I've yet to come across a buffet of treats that seems difficult to replicate.

This blue, brown and wintery white tablescape is no exception. The linens are simple, the cake stands are plain, candies are in clear glass vases and the display pedastals for bite-sized goodies are clean and modest. This modern style uses enough basic pieces to allow even those with a tight budget to find a perfect match.

Below are some easy recipes for elegant-looking desserts that you can whip up in your own kitchen. For a smaller crowd, downsize your table and swap out some of the tiered cakes shown above for tiered platters with cupcakes or petit fours.

Clockwise from top left:

Whoopie pies from Gourmet magazine via Epicurious 

Chocolate marbled meringue recipe from BBC GoodFood 

Chocolate-dipped pretzels, photo by Schakolad, recipe from Robin Miller via Food Network

Chocolate ganache truffles by Culinate 

Foolproof chocolate fudge recipe on Hubpages  

Mini vanilla cupcakes by Mary Bakes 

Jordan almonds with a bronze candy coating from Patchi 

"Hot" chocolate cake spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper by Country Living 

Hazelnut chocolate linzer cookies from the LA Times 

English buttermints and brown sugar licorice from Fiona's Sweetshoppe 

Boston cream pie recipe from Country Living 

Homemade marshmallows with toasted coconut by recipe by Ina Garten