How sweet it is! Indulge in a dessert party

With just a few easy-bake confections, you can have a sweet celebration any time of year. Anne-Marie O'Neill of Real Simple shares some ideas from the magazine's new book, “Real Simple Celebrations,” that are far from cookie cutter.

Nothing says the sweet life like an indulgent, all-desserts party. A dessert party is something that works year-round, from the summer months through Valentine's Day. Or it's a good thing to keep in mind during the holidays and great for guests with children. You can transform frozen pie crust, puff pastry or cookie dough into playful yet sophisticated desserts. Add a couple of far-from-saccharine decorating ideas, and that's just the icing on the cake.

Invitations
Even if you're not serving Grandma's recipes, your invitation can still convey old-fashioned charm. Print on standard card stock and fill in all the information on the recipe card. Tie a bow with baker's twine through a hole punched in the corner.

An invitation designed like the map to a chocolate sampler box is the perfect way to kick off a sweet celebration. Party details can be written in the blank spaces.

When should you have it and how long should a dessert party last?
A decadent dessert-fest is a great excuse for throwing a party on a Sunday afternoon. (Saturdays are often too packed with chores, errands, and shopping.) Start your party around 2 or 3 p.m. Have it last no more than two or three hours so that people can get home to enjoy the rest of the weekend and prepare for the week ahead.

Food and drink
Chichi chocolatiers may not admit it, but making truffles is pretty easy. Truffle making is great to do at the beginning of the party, so that the treats can be setting while partygoers are dipping into the other desserts. Prepare the truffle base up to a day in advance, set out about two cups of each type of truffle coating. Have partygoers roll the truffles in the coatings.

You don't even need a centerpiece, like flowers, when you have nice confections on the table. Many treats can be made with pre-packaged goods. In fact, store-bought treats like brownies and rugelach can make perfectly suitable sidekicks.

Aim for these quantities if you would like to send guests home with leftover pastries:

People	Pastries
8	80
16	160
24	240

What to sip?
To complement the sugary pastries, serve time-tested classic dessert wines like a Madeira or a tawny port. What would a cookie be without milk? Fill large ceramic mixing bowls with ice and set old-fashioned glass bottles ($10 @ fishseddy.com or local dairy shops) of milk in them. The kids at the party will love it, and it's likely a few of the adults will opt for milk, too. This is also the perfect occasion for coffee with real sugar cubes. They lend an elegant touch to the table, and you won't have to clean up spilled sugar or ripped paper packets.

What should you do if some of your guests are dieting?
At any given moment, it is probable that at least one person you know is watching her weight (or simply her health), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't still throw a dessert party or that you shouldn't invite that person. It is reasonable, though, for guests to expect you'll have at least one low-fat or low-sugar option they can enjoy, whether it's a fruit salad, berries and yogurt dip, or a low-calorie baked good, like angel food cake.

Decoration and set-up

• Pink paper cupcake liners turn an ordinary strand of white lights into a string of delicate blossoms. Just cut a small slit through the center of each liner with a knife and poke the bulb through. Then drape the string along a mantel or a table's edge.
• For the few offerings not meant to be eaten with fingers, provide plastic forks and spoons. Set them out wrapped in cute polka-dot paper napkins (available at Kate's Paperie, $6.50 for 16 @ katespaperie.com) tied up with a length of bakery string.
• A dessert party is great for guests with children, so be sure to include coloring books, toys and child-friendly DVDs for kids. An entertained child means relaxed parents, and a better party for you.
• For favors, wrap pretty toothbrushes in clear cellophane, tie the ends with bakery string, and attach a key tag that reads: “Sweet Tooth RX.” Place the brushes in a decorative container, like a silver julep cup, on a table near the door.

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