Before I went to Chocolate Boot Camp, I'd probably have made filled mini-tarts, using either a sable breton or a chocolate pate sucree dough, like the sable breton tarts shown at the bottom of the page. The sable breton dough is a much softer dough than pate sucree, which makes it a little more tricky to release from the molds.

My wife has a Nordicware Teacake Plaque that she makes small scones in, it should work for other small cakes. Her scones recipe is so buttery they never stick in the pan. I think shaped desserts are more attractive than drop cookies or bars that have to be cut.

These days I'd consider making a plate of chocolates, like the almond haystacks I made for a Halloween buffet. (I sent about 60 of them, they ate all but one.) For an even fancier dessert, I'd make filled molded chocolates. One of the chocolates we made in class was filled with a lemon white chocolate ganache, it's one I'm eager to try at home. We made them in egg molds that had been colored on the outside with yellow cocoa butter, but I think any shape or color exterior would work.

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Mike Nolan.