There are two sure-fire ways to impress your guests at a party -- serving luscious desserts, and (best of all) ones that you prepared yourself.

I know, I know... most people are intimidated by the idea of making desserts for a crowd. But it doesn't have to stress you out, or overwhelm your abilities in the kitchen.

The following dessert ideas are simple to prepare, look like a million bucks, and are sure to impress your guests. You can do it!

Of all the dessert possibilities for a party, chocolate is always a winner.

This cake recipe has a fancy name -- Boca Negra -- which translates as "Black Mouth" -- because it's dark and sinfully rich. Best of all? It's easy to prepare -- right in your food processor.

The ingredient list is simple:

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

2 sticks (8 oz. total) butter

5 large eggs

2 tbsp. flour

First -- turn on your oven to 350F to preheat.

In your food processor: grate the bittersweet chocolate (use your box grater, the side with large holes.) Don't worry if some of the chocolate pieces are larger sized.

In a saucepan on the stove, cook the sugar and bourbon until the mixture comes to a full boil. Immediately pour this hot liquid into the food processor with the chocolate -- mix for about 12 seconds till the chocolate is melted.

With the machine running, add the butter IN PIECES (I just cut off inch-long pieces and drop them into the processor till all the butter is used up.) Continue processing for about 15 seconds till butter is fully melted.

Add eggs, one at a time, allowing about 5 seconds of mixing for each egg.

Add in the flour, then use a rubber spatula to scrape down your food processor, then mix for about 15 seconds.

Lightly spray a 9" round cake pan with Pam cooking spray, then pour the batter into it.

Bake for 30 minutes -- the top will have a thin, dry crust (it looks gorgeous!)

Remove from the oven and let it set on the counter for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. A Boca Negra is thin -- but plenty rich!

Place a lace doily (you can find them at Walmart or Target or any cooking store) on top, and sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Carefully remove the doily and -- wow! -- a beautifully decorated white and chocolate cake!

How many of these should you make? One will serve 12 people (they're rich, so you'll cut it into thin wedges -- 12 of them from one cake pan.) If you're serving 50 people, then four of them will work beautifully. This is such an easy recipe, and your guests will flip -- they look like professional cakes and taste incredible!

I love this recipe! It's easy to make, and looks like a million bucks. It's white, so is really an ideal dessert to serve alongside the Boca Negra.

Here are the ingredients:

4 cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

4 sticks (one pound) of butter at room temperature

4 large egg yolks

2 cups sugar

1 cup of Raspberry jam, or blackberry jam or whatever kind of jam you love!

Powdered sugar, for dusting

In your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can use a handheld mixer) beat the butter on high speed till it turns from yellow to a creamy (pale) color. Add the egg yolks and sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low and add these dry ingredients to your butter/egg/sugar mixture -- mix only until the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated. You'll have a rich dough.

This is the easy party: turn your dough out on the counter, and divide it in half, wrap each half in plastic and put into the FREEZER. Freeze the dough for about half an hour, or up to a month if tightly wrapped.

For parties, I think it's a wonderful idea to make this dough at least a week ahead, then all you have to do is follow the directions below on the day of the party!

How to make the shortbread:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Remove one of the frozen doughs, and grate it (using the large holes of a box grater) into a 9 X 13 baking pan. Pat the grated bits of dough gently into the corners -- gently! Don't pack it down!

Gently spread the one cup of jam on top of the grated dough.

Now get the other hunk of frozen dough, and grate it on top of the jam. Again -- don't forget to pat it down gently onto the jam.

Bake the shortbread for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

As soon as you remove it from the oven, dust the entire surface heavily with powdered sugar, then cool to room temperature.

These two desserts -- black and white -- look elegant and mouthwatering!

To serve the Boca Negra -- put individual slices on dessert plates, then add a small dollop of Cool Whip.

To add that "final touch" -- refrigerate a couple Hershey bars, and get your potato peeler. Unwrap the milk chocolate Hershey bar, and slice off a curl of chocolate onto the Cool Whip. It's okay if it breaks, or if small crumbs of chocolate fall onto the Cool Whip. It all looks scrumptuous.

To serve the Jam-filled shortbread -- after you cut your squares and put them on dessert plates, place a raspberry on top (if you used raspberry jam) or a blackberry, if you used blackberry jam.

That's all there is to it.

Get ready for the oohs and ahhs -- you'll be so proud of what you created with these special party desserts.

Are you expecting a large party? 50 people? 100 people?

The Boca Negra and the Jam-filled Shortbread are easy to make ahead of time, and are both served room temperature. The Boca Negra makes 12 slender servings (they are rich, after all) and the Jam-filled shortbread recipe makes 15 servings.

In our experience, about half of your guests will take a serving of each -- so plan accordingly.

50 people: you'll want to make 5 Boca Negras, and 5 Jam-filled Shortbreads.

100 people: make 10 Boca Negras and 9 Jam-filled Shortbreads.

If the above desserts are *close* but not quite what you were looking for, then please get the following two dessert books. Click the link to go to Amazon (you can get them used for little money).

These dessert "bibles" will definitely have the recipes (and gorgeous photos) to inspire you to create the perfect dessert for your party!