Gourmet Desserts That Are Deceptively Easy To Make

The thought of making a gourmet dessert in your own kitchen may be intimidating. In fact, it may sound like nothing less than a culinary disaster waiting to happen, with visions of ruined pies and crumbling cakes swirling around in your mind. While there are definitely desserts that are so over-the-top that crafting them should be left up to experienced pastry chefs or for your most daring days in the kitchen, that doesn't describe them all. In fact, there are actually a wide array of gourmet desserts that are shockingly painless to create. Even novices can make these desserts, which will not only impress everyone when the treat is served at the table but will taste great, too.

Even if you don't know the difference between a spatula and a whisk off the top of your head, these nine recipes from Mashed will be simple for you to follow and everyone you share the desserts with will be thrilled with the outcome. From gourmet desserts ranging from elegant tiramisu all the way to joyous cheesecake, the fact that these yummy desserts are deceptively easy to make will have you coming back to these recipes again and again.

If you grew up in the South, particularly in the state of Texas, the pecan pie is regarded as the holy grail of gourmet desserts. Only grandmothers and, better yet, great-grandmothers were trusted with the task of creating these beautiful masterpieces packed full of a sweetened pecan filling surrounded by a beautifully flaky pastry shell.

Amazingly, though, this pecan pie recipe demystifies the entire process. Now, no matter who you are, you have the ability to make a pecan pie. Even more amazing, perhaps, is the fact that you'll only need ten minutes of prep time to get this ready to bake. After an hour in the oven, you'll have a gourmet dessert that tastes so good that even your great-grandmother will be impressed with your baking acumen.

Even if you love Key lime pie, you may be hesitant to even consider making this gourmet dessert. You may think these pies are too delicate and too packed with flavor to create with your own two hands. However, if you follow this recipe for 5-ingredient Key lime pie, you'll be stunned by how easy it is to make your own.

Not only do you need just five ingredients, this recipe only has three steps for you to follow. If you can, try to track down real Key limes to get the iconic flavor of this pie just right, but, since that can get pretty tough to do even for determined bakers, rest assured that regular fresh limes work very well here, too. When it's done and you take a bite, your taste buds will be doing somersaults either way.

If you've never seen an apple galette before, this gourmet dessert is best described as a fancier version of the apple pie that you can in any diner across the nation. Plus, if you take just a few extra minutes to arrange the apple slices in a symmetrical pattern, you'll be visually wowing everyone before they even dig in.

While its American counterpart is known for its ubiquitous appeal and its unpretentious nature, this French dessert is elegant and sophisticated. That said, this apple galette recipe results in a dessert that not only looks dignified, but also tastes just as scrumptious as the traditional apple pie that you know and love. Even better, the rustic nature of the crust means that it tastes great while also not demanding too much of your time in crimping and fussing. 

When it comes to gourmet desserts, tiramisu could very well reign supreme — and not just because it can be so costly when made by some chefs. It also has an extravagant appearance and it frankly tastes like a million bucks, especially if you're a fan of its coffee-forward espresso flavor. Even if you confidently know your way around your kitchen, making this dessert can be extremely daunting. 

Thankfully, by using this tiramisu recipe, you'll find that making this coffee-flavored dessert is actually a surprisingly straightforward endeavor. Gather the yummy ingredients involved such as ladyfingers, espresso, rum, and mascarpone, and you'll soon be well on your way to dessert heaven. It only takes an hour to prep and cook, though be forewarned that tiramisu usually needs at least an overnight chill in the fridge to achieve true greatness.

Like the aforementioned apple galette, clafoutis is a gourmet dessert with French roots. It looks and tastes like a treat that is halfway between custard and cake. It's also often classified as something like a souffle, yet without the headache-inducing complexing and heartbreak involved with getting a souffle to rise just so. Yet, don't think that it sacrifices anything by occupying a middle ground.  Clafoutis is beloved for a reason.

While clafoutis can be made with a variety of fruits, this delectable clafoutis recipe is blessed with sweet cherries, the traditional filling for this dessert. The contrast in colors in the finished product is aesthetically pleasing, but it's the flavor packed into each bite that will really blow you away. While this recipe for clafoutis is technically enough for eight slices, don't be surprised if you gobble it all down before you're able to share.

This strawberry cake recipe produces a cake that looks like it took all day to make and tastes so good that it will make professional pastry chefs jealous. And all you needed were a few simple ingredients and a bundt pan to pull it off. 

The dessert features fresh strawberries both in the cake batter and in the glaze. Compared to a strawberry cake that you can buy at the grocery store, it's truly no contest as to which one is the superior strawberry confection. This cake has every attribute you could want in a gourmet dessert and will steal the show at any get-together. No need to tell anyone that it took less than an hour from gathering your ingredients to pulling the finished cake out of the oven.

Skip the oven completely with this no-bake cheesecake recipe. That's just a summertime plus for this cheesecake recipe, which tastes utterly delightful. You'll be wowed by its complicated flavor profile, which features hints of vanilla and lemon in addition to being both sweet and savory like the best cheesecakes — but without the fretting over cook times and water baths, for starters. The graham cracker crust is made from real graham crackers that are crushed by hand. We won't tell if you sneak an extra cracker or two as a snack.

When it's done, you can add dulce de leche, canned blueberries, or salted caramel to kick things up another notch, but don't worry if you don't have those ingredients in your kitchen right now. This cheesecake will taste so good as it is that you'll think twice before messing with its perfection.

If you want to bring Oreos along for the journey to add another dimension of deliciousness, consider this easy recipe for no-bake Oreo cheesecake. The Oreos are used to make not only the crust, but also to help create the filling and the topping for this dish. If you, like so many of us, simply can't get enough of this classic chocolate sandwich cookie, then this recipe is surely for you.

To make this memorable gourmet dessert, you only need a total of five ingredients: cream cheese, butter, sugar, whipped cream, and, of course, a package of Oreos. After cooling in your refrigerator for two hours, it'll be ready to impress all who try it.

As long as you have a game plan and you know what you're doing, classic desserts like chocolate-covered strawberries are a lot easier to make than what you're likely imagining. They're also perfect for parties, as these beauties are easy to handle and look downright beautiful. As if that weren't enough to make you put this together, you need no heavy equipment or expert know-how to create this romantic and sumptuous gourmet dessert. In fact, all you need is a microwave, a baking sheet, and some parchment paper.

Before you head to the grocery store or farmer's market to consider the exact type of strawberries you need to procure, remember that bigger is better when picking the fruit for this recipe. Try also to snag the freshest ones possible, to really impress everyone with the taste of this gourmet dessert. With just a few ingredients and pieces of kitchen equipment, you'll be able to make this visually stunning dessert in time for the next event.