Assorted Dessert Tray Recipe

Make dough

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1.75 cups flour, baking soda, and 0.5 tsp salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until incorporated. Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Portion and bake

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion dough into walnut-sized balls (about 1 tbsp each) and place them 1½ inches apart. Bake 9–11 minutes until edges are set and centers are lightly golden. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Yield: ~36 mini cookies (depending on size).

Prepare crust

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment leaving an overhang. In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour and 0.25 cup powdered sugar. Cut in 0.5 cup cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake crust 15–18 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.

Make filling & bake

While crust bakes, whisk together 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and 0.25 cup flour until smooth. Pour filling over hot crust and return to oven. Bake 18–22 minutes until filling is just set (center may still have slight wobble). Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 1–2 hours to firm.

Cut & finish

Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Dust with 0.25 cup powdered sugar and cut into small 1½-inch squares. Keep refrigerated until assembling the tray.

Melt chocolate

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put 8 oz semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between intervals, until smooth. If too thick, stir in up to 1 tsp neutral oil to loosen. For white chocolate, melt separately in the same manner for drizzling.

Dip strawberries

Hold each fully dried strawberry by the stem and dip about two-thirds into the melted semisweet chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on parchment. If using white chocolate, transfer it to a small piping bag or zip-top bag with a tiny corner cut and drizzle over cooled dipped strawberries. Chill 15–20 minutes to set.

Bloom gelatin

In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp powdered gelatin over 2 tbs cold water. Let sit 5 minutes to bloom.

Heat cream mixture

In a small saucepan, combine 0.5 cup whole milk, 0.5 cup heavy cream, and 0.25 cup granulated sugar. Split and scrape a vanilla bean or add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling (do not simmer/boil).

Combine & set

Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Pour the mixture into 6–8 small (1.5–2 oz) serving cups or molds. Chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours until set. Top each panna cotta with a few fresh berries just before placing on the tray.

Choose a large serving tray or platter. Place small paper liners or doilies spaced evenly across the tray to contain individual items and keep the presentation tidy.

Arrange components: place small clusters of 3–5 mini chocolate chip cookies in several spots; group lemon bar squares in one area on their parchment or doilies; set chocolate-dipped strawberries in another cluster (stem side up) to avoid smudging chocolate; place the mini panna cotta cups upright and spaced so they won't tip.

Garnish each grouping with fresh mint leaves and a light dusting of powdered sugar over the lemon bars and cookies just before serving. Add edible flowers sparingly for color. Keep the tray chilled until serving (especially because of panna cotta and chocolate).

Storage: Hold leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 48 hours for panna cotta and lemon bars; cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days; chocolate-dipped strawberries are best eaten within 24 hours for optimal texture.