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If you are someone who likes to entertain at Christmas but have run out of ideas on how to surprise your guests year on year, then a wonderful sweet treats table may just be for you.
Whether you have a large, vast space that you’re looking to fill or a small board that you like to bring out after Christmas dinner, Hillier has thought up the ideal solution that can be catered to on every level – how to create a beautiful sweet treat table this Christmas.
How to Create Your Sweet Treat Table
A sweet treats table combines all your favourite post-meal goodies, suitable for your guests to snack on as and when they wish.
Follow our step-by-step guide to produce a stunningly moreish display:
Step 1
Plan your table ahead of time – Lay out all the items that you’d like to include as your sweet treats and carefully consider your layout. If you are creating a cheeseboard-sized version or individual boards, have these out ready before you start.
Step 2
Arrange your items in size order – The last thing you want to happen is to create a beautiful display only to realise that you don’t have enough space to add your biggest focal point. Once you have this organised, then it’s time to assemble your table.
Step 3
Start with your biggest sweet treat – Items such as panettone or boxed Turkish delight should be the first to be positioned. These can be placed slightly off centre to leave room for their accompaniments. If you have a long space to fill, taller items should go towards the back so all your items can be seen from the front. Bottles of drinks can be included for structure; just make sure you have glasses handy nearby!
Step 4
Get creative with layers – We’ve all seen plates of digestives where the biscuits sit flush with the dish. Experiment with stacks or stand them on edge, leaning them against your taller sweet treats to add texture and for easy picking. If you have various types of pastries, fan them out so all the flavours, colours and shapes can be seen, with larger pastries at the base and building up to smaller features.
Step 5
Add pops of colour! If you’re making a mostly chocolate sweet treat table, the colours may appear one dimensional at times. Fruit is a fantastic way of adding vibrancy and will help to draw the eye around the selection. Cut kiwis into star shapes, while blackberries and red berries are a great pop of colour and can act as a palette cleanser for your guests.
Step 6
Don’t be afraid to leave items in their original packaging. If you have an item with an interesting wrap, include it on your table in its entirety or alternatively halve what’s inside and display it in front of the product as bite sized pieces. This then can be grabbed easily but will keep the remainder of the product moist in its packaging.
Step 7
Fill in any gaps with smaller items. If you have slightly smaller inclusions, these are great for adding to any spaces that may appear a little sparse. If you have run out of sweet treats, grapes or blueberries work just as well!
What Items Should I Include for My Sweet Treat Table?
Your sweet treats table can really utilise any festive goodies that you’d like! At Hillier, we have a few recommendations below that will really wow your visitors:
- Belvoir Farm Festive Edition Drinks. Belvoir Farm has a range of drinks this Christmas, including Fruit Punch and Mulled Winter Punch, that are great options to bring the taste of Christmas to your sweet treat table.
- Brambles marzipan stollen is a must to add to your sweet treat table, bringing the almond and marzipan flavours.
- Bon Bon’s Luxury hand-packed Turkish Delight in rose and lemon flavouring. The indulgent Turkish delight is beautiful to position as a centrepiece for your table.
- With two types of panettone you’ll be spoilt for choice. The Granducale Panettone which comes in different coloured Christmas themed tins and the Ore Liete Deruta Panettone in a traditional Christmas tin. With lots of flavoursome choices to suit every tastebud this is a Christmas taste of Italy that you just can’t do without.
- Include kiwis, red berries, blackberries, figs, satsumas, blueberries and grapes to add a splash of colour to your sweet treat collection.
Delectable Beverages
Go one step further for your sweet treat table by creating a selection of luxurious cocktails to add to your sweet treats table. Come and visit us at Hillier Garden Centre to see our huge choice of mixed cocktails and punches.
Crafting an alluring table arrangement for cocktails and beverages is a wonderful way to set the stage for a memorable gathering. Not forgetting to display an array of garnishes like citrus slices, cherries, and olives for those who like to add a bit extra and a bucket of ice which makes it more convenient for those who need it.
Thoughtful details and safety considerations ensure a comfortable and responsible gathering which allows everyone to relish their drinks and conversations. You can enhance the event’s atmosphere but also leave a lasting impression on your guests.
Want more inspiration? Explore more festive food selections at Hillier Garden Centres.
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