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Before you host, your life may feel like a never-ending to-do list. The last thing you want is to repeat a step you previously completed. Avoid any redos in the kitchen by planning ahead with these mess-free muffins<\/a>. The secret to success is simple: Grease every inch of your muffin pan \u2014 including the top. This hack avoids broken or damaged muffins and<\/em> makes transferring them from pan to plate easy.<\/p>\n Ina shared her hacks for mess-free muffins, but what about mess-free cakes? Consider it handled \u2014 or at least, with this trick<\/a>, you\u2019ll have it covered. Before decorating cakes on your cake stand, Ina recommends<\/a> placing parchment or wax paper on the stand and cutting it into small triangles. As you work around the cake, you\u2019ll see the tiny triangles sticking out; seamlessly pull them out when finished. You\u2019ll have a mess-free cake stand that rivals one from the pros. (This video<\/a> shows how to do this step-by-step around the 18-minute mark.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Love alcohol and dessert? Ina is no exception. That\u2019s why, this holiday season, mix the two to create one delicious dessert. Ina\u2019s three-ingredient boozy limoncello desserts<\/a> earn an automatic green check in our book; they\u2019re easy to make and delicious. Part lemon-flavored alcohol, part ice cream, topped off with garnish and voil\u00e0<\/em>! It\u2019s the elevated ice cream float that\u2019s too decadent to miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ina provides another simple hack <\/a>that will have you whipping up restaurant-style cakes (or muffins) in seconds. Before plating your slice of cake, spread just a couple of spoonfuls of fruit jam in a circle on a small plate (using the back of the spoon), then lay the slice of cake on its side and garnish with a few fresh berries. It\u2019s the tiny details that will make a world of difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sure, Ina will assemble her table to her liking, but when grabbing food, she leaves that up to her guests. She lets them grab as much or as little as they need, and the way she does so is by planning ahead with the proper serving platters, particularly this one<\/a>. This Le Creuset oval platter<\/a> is dense enough to block moisture absorption to prevent cracking, crazing, and ripping, and the nearly nonstick glazed interior easily releases food for a quick cleanup. Plus, it looks so stylish when laid on a table, ready to dive deep into!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n11. Decorate desserts effortlessly.\u00a0<\/h2>\n
12. Indulge in boozy beverages (and treats!).<\/h2>\n
13. Perfectly plate portions.\u00a0<\/h2>\n
14. Serve in style.\u00a0<\/h2>\n