by Jill Jacks

Created on: July 22, 2010

I love the top ten lists. If a magazine cover headlines the top ten choices, top ten reasons, top ten anything I buy it. Why? Because it is important to know what everyone else knows. I don't trust my own judgment.........except when it comes to desserts. The top ten indulgent desserts you say?

Such information cannot be asked in so offhand or casual a manner. Desserts are serious business. Specifics must be provided. There are desserts for blue days, rainy days, and sunny days. Desserts can be for a reason, or specific to the season; spring, summer, fall, and winter. Desserts can be occasion specific, weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, and other celebrations too. 

There is no way to know, without specifics, of the way for this list to go. Instead I'll try my best to cover a wide spectrum of fanciful desserts and their splendor.

I'll start with spring. A time of beginnings, it only makes sense. Something alive and vigorous yet satisfying to the general populace should do.  By George I think I've got it - Dessert No. 1 Key Lime Cheesecake.

Summer comes next. An opportunity for something healthy and fresh,  Dessert No. 2 Strawberry ShortCake Sublime. The berries are healthy and wise, the cream too irresistible to resist. What's that they say? One will cancel out the other. Thank goodness, this means we can move on to another.

Fall is full of color and delicious bounty. With less fruit in season we'll choose something other. Dessert No. 3 will be Crunchy Walnut Torte. Serve it warm with a dollop of cream during a reprieve from summer's heat. If an Indian Summer prevails, no need for warmth, plain can be exceptional too. 

Winter has knocked on the door. Don't grumble, we'll stay cozy inside. Dessert No. 4 will be a welcome treat, Spicy Cinnamon Apple Crumble.

We may be out of seasons but certainly not out of reasons for indulgent desserts. A special treat for someone sweet. This one I always make for Mother. Dessert No. 5 Neapolitan Cake has four layers, two vanilla and two chocolate. The center is made up of strawberry cream. This stunning cake is mighty tall and moist. It's frosted with whip cream and decorated with fresh strawberries and chocolate curls.

A twenty-first birthday requires something just right. Let's make Dessert No. 6 perfectly legal, Royal Rum Cake. If the celebrant survives their slice, it's okay to let them celebrate further on this night.

With birthdays covered let's move on to something new, how about a dessert especially for two? Variety and spice provide the zest of life. Dessert No. 7, lucky for sure, Fruit Platter with Fancy Flavored Syrups. Wait, there are rules! No cutlery, only fingers will do. Feed your man and he'll feed you.

We've had our wicked fun. Now it's time for a change in pace. Grandma's coming to tea. She likes things nice, with very little spice. Nothing tough, something traditional will do. We know what she's partial to.  Dessert No. 8  Shortbread Meltaway Cookies would be just right.

Dessert No. 9 should be sublime, perhaps even exotic. With that in mind, Cherries Jubilee would be my pick.

Here we are at long last. Shouldn't say that, for it went quite fast. Faced with a final choice, I feel sad, I feel blue. In that case anything Chocolate will do. 

   

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