Make or bake: I need a great dessert for Easter I can make in advance

What’s a good, make-ahead dessert for entertaining over Easter?
Chris, Bristol
“A classic chocolate mousse is unbeatable,” says Gurdeep Loyal, author of the recently published Mother Tongue. “There’s a restaurant in Paris called Chez Janou that’s famous for making a gigantic bowl of chocolate mousse every day, which you basically help yourself to.” What makes this 1960s dinner party favourite such a good tactic, however, is that it can be done well ahead of time and left in the fridge. “Then turn it into chocolate mousse sundaes,” Loyal suggests. “Give everyone loads of bits to adorn it with – crushed amaretti, meringue, almond praline … It’s fun and interactive.”

The immaculate chocolatiness of a torte also hits the make-ahead sweet spot. Chocolatier Paul A Young, author of The Joy of Chocolate, starts with the base, which is similar to that of a cheesecake. “Crush chocolate chip cookies, mix in melted butter, then press into the bottom of a cake tin.” For the filling you’ll need equal amounts of dark chocolate and double cream: “Melt the chocolate, warm the double cream, then mix the two, spread on to your base, and chill.” You could, Young adds, flavour the filling with cinnamon and nutmeg for hot cross bun vibes or, if it’s adults only, add a splash of brandy or rum. Once set, “top with mini eggs or different-sized Easter eggs – pile them really high”. It will then sit happily in the fridge over the weekend.

Of course, Easter is not solely about chocolate. “It also lends itself to a spruced-up carrot cake,” Loyal says. An oil-based batter means it will stay moist, then stir in toasted pistachios, sultanas soaked in lady grey, a mix of citrus zests, and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and tonka beans. “If you’re feeling fancy, finish with a saffron-infused cream cheese icing.” Like all right-thinking people, Loyal also sets his sights on “a really creamy, amped up school dinner rice pudding” with roast fruit spooned all over it. “Cover [early] strawberries in sugar, some fennel seeds and black pepper, then roast slowly until jammy.” And everyone knows that rice pudding tastes best a few days after it’s made.

For Claire Ptak, of Violet Bakery in London and author of Love is a Pink Cake, meanwhile, easy Easter entertaining means bite-size coconut macaroons: “Dip them in milk or white chocolate, and dust with dried fruit powder – for extra flavour, add a pinch of salt.” Trifles, meanwhile, are the low-effort, highly customisable dessert that everyone will love, and they even work layered in a baking tin. Tom Oxford, co-founder of The Exploding Bakery in Devon, stacks up “ground almond sponge, jelly, custard and a combination of double cream whipped with mascarpone and icing sugar”. One tip, though: “Double up on the custard powder, so the custard sets harder than normal, which makes it easier to cut into slabs.” Oh, and don’t forget to finish with hundreds and thousands.

Also scoring high in the fun factor stakes are icebox cakes, Loyal says: “What you’re doing is layering a pack of biscuits [custard or lemon creams, or Jammie Dodgers, say] with softened ice-cream, a bit like a lasagne.” Loyal might ripple his cake with fruit, jam or hot marmalade, too. Freeze, then remove to soften before slicing: “It’s like a biscuit Viennetta.” And what could be better than that?