Beef wellington is a British classic, and it’s certainly a showstopper when you’re catering for a special occasion.
Fillet steak coated in pate, encased in buttery puff pastry and baked in the oven until golden makes for a meal fit for even the most discerning of dinner guests, so it makes sense to carefully consider the dessert you’ll be serving up afterwards.
Here, I’m going to talk you through 15 tempting treats that are the perfect choices.
The best desserts for beef wellington include quintessentially English options like raspberry trifle, apple crumble and custard, sticky toffee pudding, and lemon posset. They’re sweet, indulgent, and will be a huge hit with adults and kids alike.
Let’s take a look at some recipes and ideas that you’ll want to try…
Let’s start off with a retro favourite.
This raspberry trifle recipe includes fresh berries, fruity jelly, a creamy custard layer, squirty cream, and plenty of sprinkles.
Best of all, it can be made in advance and just kept chilled until you’re ready to serve. Beef wellington is a fairly intensive recipe to make, so it’s handy to have a stress free dessert option up your sleeve!
You can change up the flavours of your trifle if you like, depending on your personal tastes and the ingredients you have available to you. Orange jelly works well with fresh or tinned orange segments.
Apple crumble and custard is an autumn favourite that’s like a warm hug in a bowl!
Think crisp and tender apples, with a beautiful sweet and oaty crumbly topping, and lashings of creamy vanilla custard.
It can be made ahead and frozen until you’re ready to enjoy it, and baking in the oven will make your whole home smell wonderful.
It’s a great choice for what dessert goes with beef wellington when you want something hearty and satisfying.
Sticky toffee pudding is another indulgent dessert that can be served after beef wellington.
It’s classically British, and consists of moist sponge cake packed with melty dates, a sweet and rich toffee sauce, and it’s usually served with either custard or a scoop of ice cream.
Brandy snaps are another fun and retro choice. They’re the British answer to Italian cannoli, and these light biscuits are perfect if you want a sweet treat that won’t be too filling.
If you like, you can dip them in melted chocolate and roll in your favourite crushed nuts for something a little fancier.
Or if you prefer, you can form them into neat little bowls and fill with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Yum!
Sweet and flavoursome strawberries, drizzled with a generous serving of double cream and a sprinkling of sugar? Yes please! Strawberries and cream is the ultimate post wellington treat.
The best part is that this dessert is easy peasy to make. There’s no baking, and no messing about.
Lemon is a bright and zesty palate cleanser, and it does a great job of balancing out a rich main course like beef wellington.
Lemon posset is a simple mix of double cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and caster sugar. The result is an elegant dessert with a beautifully velvety texture.
The combination of creaminess and tart lemon flavour is just divine.
If you want, you can serve with shortbread biscuits on the side for scooping.
Just one bite of this traditional treacle tart will tantalise your tastebuds and guarantee that you’ll be going back for seconds!
It’s one of Britain’s most loved desserts, and it consists of a flaky pastry crust filled with a sweet and gooey lemon infused filling.
Kids will be interested to know that treacle tart is Harry Potter’s favourite teatime treat.
There’s no denying that beef Wellington is an extremely filling meal, so you might decide that you want to ditch the heavy puddings and cakes and simply offer your dinner guests a shortbread biscuit alongside a pot of piping hot tea.
This classic shortbread cookies recipe requires just a handful of staple pantry ingredients and is ridiculously easy to follow. Even if you’re completely new to baking, you’ll be able to nail this technique first time!
Peach melba is a dessert that was first created in the Savoy Hotel in London back in 1893 by French chef Auguste Escoffier.
Since then, it’s become an ever popular choice in gastropubs and restaurants specialising in traditional British cuisine.
Nigella’s peach melba recipe is summer on a plate, and poaching the fruit helps to bring out the very best sweet flavours.
Another wonderfully British choice for what dessert goes with beef Wellington, an Eton mess is made with crunchy meringue, whipped cream, fresh fruit, and strawberry sauce.
Assembling your pud will take a matter of minutes, and if you’re short on time, you can pick up ready made meringues at the supermarket.
It may be simple, but it’s refreshing, tempting, and it looks so good when served in a knickerbocker glory glass.
If you love a classic bake, you need to attempt your very own bakewell tart for dessert!
It’s a classic English pudding that’s made with a shortcrust pastry case filled with layers of fruity jam, frangipane, and topped with almonds.
You can make your own pastry if you’re up for a bit of a challenge, but I always feel that when it comes to making a dessert alongside a beef wellington, it makes sense to save all the time that you can.
No one will know that you’ve used shop bought pastry unless you tell them, and your secret is safe with me!
If you’d like a chilled dessert to serve after beef wellington, how about trying a cheesecake? There are so many different flavour combinations out there to choose from, so there’s something for all tastes!
Here are a few of my favourite cheesecake recipes:
For special occasions, I like to make individual mini cheesecakes so everyone has their own serving to dig into. They look fabulous and will definitely earn you some kitchen brownie points!
Love bananas? Love smooth and golden caramel? If so, you need to try this banoffee pie recipe!
It’s another make ahead and chill option, which can be super handy when you’re undertaking the fairly mammoth task of making a beef wellington from scratch.
The hardest part of making this dessert is being patient whilst it chills in the fridge. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be so eager to tuck in!
Rice pudding reminds me of school dinners, and cold winter afternoons. It might be simple, but it’s warming and comforting, and something that’s precisely what you want in a dessert.
This old fashioned rice pudding recipe is easy to make on the hob, and has the cosy flavours of cinnamon and brown sugar.
Here’s another light dessert for serving after beef wellington!
This easy strawberry mousse recipe offers a delightful balance of strawberry flavour and creaminess, and it’s elegant enough for those weekends when you’re entertaining.
Beef wellington is a classic dish that pairs perfectly with traditional and retro inspired desserts. You might want to try:
If possible, choose something you can make in advance so you’re not over stretching yourself in the kitchen.
