Word by Katy Hofstede-Smith
Picnics have to be one of the happiest and most optimistic things about the British summer. I’m a huge fan of any style; be it the “throw a few bits you’ve rustled up into a bag” or the “go to town, pack everything bar the kitchen sink and make it as elegant as possible” approach, I’ll excitedly get in to the mood as quickly as you can say “the sun’s shining shall we…”
While the range and variety of picnic food is now as extensive as the places to lay down your blanket (or dining chair, tables, chandelier and flower vase) there is always one element that in my mind gets somewhat forgotten; dessert. This can and should be so much more exciting than a punnet of strawberries at the end of the meal. There is an easy way to inspire yourself when it comes to picnic desserts; think about how you’re going to transport it and more importantly, eat it.
Dishes assembled at home and transported in individual portions are a great way to make things more interesting. Use old jam jars or Kilner jars, and they immediately look gorgeous and will look just as good when they arrive. Try layering up crushed up shortbread biscuits, with a no-cook cheesecake filling (mascarpone, cream cheese and icing sugar) topped with a fruit compote to make cheesecake pots. Crushed up oaty biscuits, whipped cream, sliced bananas and dulce de leche creates a quick and very tasty banoffee pie. The truly British and iconic trifle works fantastically as a jar pot dessert. Layer up as you usually would but in individual portions. Make sure that they are quite full to ensure that they travel as well as possible and to make them look even more special, use twine or ribbon to tie a teaspoon to the side of each.
Some things are easier to make and transport as they are and lend themselves to picnics, this doesn’t mean to say however that they have to be boring. Make jelly in individual moulds and turn out onto plates to look more special. Fill them with fruit, bubbles or edible flowers to bring some interest to them. Make individual fruit pies using puff pastry to make turnovers, immediately more easy to transport and eat if you are going for the lighter approach to picnic.
If you want something that can be put together during the day, make it something unusual. Rather than a bowl of fruit before you leave, take some waffle ice cream cones, dip the top in chocolate and coloured sprinkles for the children or freeze-dried raspberries for the adults. When you are ready to eat, layer them with whipped cream and mixed berries, you don’t even need to pack bowls. If you’re going somewhere where there is a coffee shop or ice cream van, take some homemade chocolate chip cookies, buy a couple of tubs of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, and sandwich between the cookies for an ice cream pie. There are so many lovely small portable barbecues available, use one to toast some marshmallows, sandwich between an open oreo cookie or chocolate covered biscuit to make the American staple, ‘s’more’ and really up the picnic dessert anti and fun!