6 Ways to Design a Statement Dessert Table

Diwali table

By Anjum Choudhry Nayyar

Many South Asian celebrations begin and end with food and that includes mithai! Whether it’s Diwali or any other big South Asian holiday, it can be fun to play around with designing and making a statement with a dessert or sweet table. Get your inspiration and creativity flowing by creating a nice dessert table that people will remember.

Even though many of us are conscious about health when it comes to desserts, there are some great ways to include various sizes and portions of mithai and options for all palates both adult and children. The phrase, ‘mu mitha karo’ is a great way to help shape your dessert menu: just a little to make your mouth sweet or to give a taste of something sweet.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

So let’s get started on 6 ways to do just that for your next Diwali party!

  1. Decide on the menu items you want to have on your buffet dessert table by thinking about who your guests will be and what they’ll like for dessert. Are there elders? Are there children? If there are going to be children be sure to have some simple desserts in the mix such as gulab jamun or cake pops. These are tried and true favourites. For those first-generation Diwali celebrants, there is a natural desire to celebrate with biggest event in the South Asian calendar with food, décor and activities that provide a little ‘taste of home’.  Look for ready-made mithai or customizable boxes for both display and take home. Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills offer all of your Diwali needs at low prices. Select Real Canadian Superstore locations even have a Brar’s counter in-store so you can pick-up fresh mithai. You can even find some great frozen pre-made options like gulab jamun and rasmalai. Check your local Real Canadian Superstore flyer for great deals and see the below pics for some of or masalamommas favourites in ready-made mithai.

 

 

2. Pick a colour theme. Love fuchsia? Or burnt orange? What about both! I love pinks and golds and all things metallic for celebrations like Diwali. If possible, set up your table in front of a natural backdrop, like plants or flowers, or in front of a nice part of your home like a brick wall. See a few looks below with pinks and orange and more. Also think about creating colours with your sweets/desserts to help compliment the table setting.

Table Decor

 

  1. Try to create depth of space. You can do this very easily by creating different heights in your displays as it makes things visually stunning. Use a cake stand to put bowels or small plates of barfi on for easy access to guests. Use cake plates on top of a cake stand for added height variations.   Suraj brand sweets can help give your mithai section on the table great variety from Khoa barfi to rasmalai. You can also place diyas on the cake stand for Diwali style decor and ambiance. Set up trays of sweets with various tea pairings from Suraj Tea, which can include, orange pekoe, cardamom and masala chai. You can create the trays with various themes for example a nut and chocolate tray, a barfi only tray, etc. you can also add a tray of fruit skewers for a different option for those who only want small bites. The colours also look great!

    Sample Cake plate idea

Here’s a tip! Make your mithai boxes (link to post) with various ribbons and fabric style paper, or with bangles and Indian motifs for added decor. This helps create depth if you display them on top of one another. They’re also great to help give to guests as they leave as a Diwali gift!

 

  1. Add some bling to place settings with blingy charger plates. There nothing like the variety of metallics available for charger plates that add a little bling to any plates you may be serving mithai with. Hint: Choose charger plates with glass and metallic framing to allow for more colour from your tablecloth to come through. Use gold cutlery instead of silver for added bling.

 

  1. Think about lighting strategy. Diwali is all about light over darkness and diyas or tealights are key. Instead of a plane tea light, add tealights to gold metallic votives or crystal votives that stand out and reflect light.

Photo credit: Good Earth India Table setting from Good Earth India

  1. Pick a few statement desserts that will look and TASTE good. There’s nothing wrong with the tried and true favourites but having a different twist on a few traditional desserts can be something guests will remember. We love this recipe for Gulab Jamun Trifle (gulab jamun sliced up with whip cream and layers of nuts in between all in an ice cream dessert bowl or goblet). How you display the traditional ladoo can also make a statement. Try putting ladoos in martini glasses with a cinnamon stick or gulab jamuns in shot glasses for added effect. These two ways also help with portion options for guests.
Gulab Jamun Trifle

Photo credit: Gulam Jamun Trifle Recipe on masalamommas.com

This post is sponsored by Real Canadian Superstore but as always, opinions are my own.  


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