Sweet Somethings
Photo: KCB Photography
For as long as she can remember, Jenny Keller has loved baking. Then, one day, her lifelong hobby became her career. As her website humbly notes, “I'm Jenny, the girl who named a cookie after herself, and then turned it into a business.” Of course, that’s understating things a bit. Keller has spent years perfecting her coveted cookies—as well as mini pies, macarons, cupcakes, cake pops, and just about every decadent treat you’ve ever imagined (and some that haven’t even been dreamt up yet). Her clientele includes celebrities and major brands, along with dessert-loving brides and grooms, and her new book, “Eat More Dessert” is fast becoming a favorite of event planners, avid bakers and sugar enthusiasts across the country. We’ve got Keller’s top choices in wedding treats, and tips for creating a mini-dessert table with personality and style.
Table for Fun: “The key to a fabulous dessert table is choosing the correct desserts. Consider the size of the wedding, the season, the ages of your guests and theme of the wedding. If you're having a winter wedding, it's fun to offer seasonal desserts. If the theme is around a specific color palette, try to incorporate that color palette into your dessert table, whether it's the actual desserts or the display pieces. I also love to include a favorite dessert or flavor of the bride and groom into the dessert selections.”
Goodness to Go: “Rather than trying to personalize take-home treats themselves, it's much easier to make a generic treat and personalize the packaging. Box up your treats in coordinating packages with a personalized note tag or sticker on each. I'm a big believer in the take-home treat. There is nothing better than getting home and remembering you have a dessert waiting for you!”
Top Treats: “I'm seeing a lot of mini pies, macarons, gourmet chocolates, mini stacked cakes, tarts and lots of sugar cookies. Of course, cupcakes and cake pops are still quite popular as well. Kids love them and they're easy to make in a variety of flavors.”
Cake Companion: “I believe the dessert table is the centerpiece of any party, even a wedding. It's a great conversation piece, and it adds decoration and provides a place of communication. People love to snack from a dessert table and chit-chat with other guests. And they add great character to weddings since no two dessert tables are alike!”
DIY Dessert: “With ‘Eat More Dessert,’ I wanted to create a book that would inspire people around the world to bake and create special desserts and treat tables for their own holidays and events. It was hard to limit the book to just 10 chapters, since I think every day deserves a dessert or celebration. But I did manage to include over 100 mix and match recipes!”
Jenny Keller’s book, “Eat More Dessert,” is available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.
