The best thing about Franui as a party dessert is that you barely do anything. Tip it out of the tub, into a bowl, onto the table. But the small choices (which bowl, which drink, when you bring it out) turn a nice dessert into the moment guests remember. Here is how Argentinians do it, and how to make it work in Sydney.
Quick answer
Serve Franui straight from the freezer, in a chilled glass bowl or on a wooden platter, no more than 10 minutes after taking it out. Portion at one 150g tub per 4 to 6 people as dessert or one tub per 8 to 10 people as a cocktail-hour finisher. Best pairings: Malbec, Prosecco, espresso, Fernet and coke, or mate late at night. For parties over 15 people, order two to three tubs and combine Dark and Milk.
Serving temperature
Franui is designed to be eaten frozen. The chocolate shatter, the icy raspberry, the whole thing depends on the temperature.
- Straight from the freezer. This is the correct temperature.
- Five minutes on the bench. The chocolate softens slightly and the berry starts to give. Still enjoyable, less snap.
- Ten minutes or more. Chocolate becomes soft, berry loses structure. This is where you have lost the plot.
Take the tub out just before you serve it. If you are running a longer cocktail hour, bring out fresh tubs in staged rounds rather than one big pile that slowly melts.
Presentation options
Glass bowl (the classic Buenos Aires move)
Chill a small clear glass bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes. Tip a tub of Franui in just before serving. The glass fogs slightly, the chocolate stays hard, guests can see the pieces glistening. Set it on the table with a small serving spoon or let people pick with fingers.
Wooden platter (dinner party finish)
Scatter Franui pieces across a small wooden or slate board with a few sprigs of fresh mint. Works best when Franui is one element of a small dessert spread. Add a few dulce de leche alfajores if you want a fuller Argentinian ending.
Cocktail glass with a drink
Drop 3 or 4 pieces into a coupe or short glass beside the dessert wine or espresso. Each guest gets their own little handful. Great for sit-down dinners of 6 to 8.
Dessert cart
For larger gatherings, roll out a small trolley or side table with two or three Franui tubs (one Dark, one Milk), a bowl of dulce de leche alfajores, a jug of espresso and small cups, and a bottle of Malbec beside the glasses. Guests self-serve.
Party math: how much to order
| Guests | Franui tubs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 | 1 tub | Choose Dark or Milk depending on palate |
| 4 to 6 (dinner dessert) | 1 tub | Roughly 4 pieces per person |
| 6 to 10 (cocktail finisher) | 1 tub | Roughly 3 pieces per person |
| 10 to 15 (dinner party) | 2 tubs (one Dark, one Milk) | Palate variety, guests can compare |
| 15 to 25 (larger gathering) | 3 to 4 tubs | Mix Dark and Milk, stagger from the freezer |
| 25 to 60 (event) | 5 to 8 tubs | Combine with alfajores or a fruit platter to extend |
A 150g tub holds around 25 to 30 pieces. Argentinians tend to eat 3 to 5 pieces in a sitting, so a tub covers 5 to 8 people comfortably as dessert.
The pairings
Malbec (the correct wine)
The Argentinian answer to any dessert with dark chocolate and berry. A medium-bodied Mendoza Malbec, glass or two per guest, in the middle of dinner still open on the table. The dark fruit in the wine echoes the raspberry, the tannin cuts through the chocolate. Franui Dark pairs marginally better than Milk here.
Prosecco or a sparkling
If you want lighter and brighter. Prosecco's bubbles reset the palate between pieces, and the fruit-forward wine works especially well with Franui Milk.
Espresso
The most photogenic pairing. A short black in a small cup beside a bowl of frozen Franui. Guests alternate hot sip, cold bite, and the temperature contrast is the whole point.
Fernet and coke
Only include this if you have Argentinian guests, or Sydney friends who spent time in Buenos Aires and will lose their minds. Fernet Branca on ice with cola, and a bowl of Franui on the coffee table. This is what Argentinians drink after a long dinner, and it works.
Mate (for the late-night crowd)
If you are entertaining guests who bring their own mate gourd (there are more than you think in Sydney), serve Franui alongside. The bitter yerba plus the cold chocolate raspberry is exactly the Argentinian last-hour-of-the-night ritual.
The Franui-focused dessert cart
For a small dinner party (8 to 12), replace the traditional cheese board with an Argentinian dessert cart.
- 2 tubs of Franui (one Dark, one Milk), chilled bowls ready
- Dulce de leche alfajores from a Latin American deli
- Fresh strawberries and figs to extend the fruit story
- Espresso pot and small cups
- Open bottle of Malbec plus a bottle of Fernet Branca and cola for the late crowd
Bring the whole thing out after the main course, let it sit for the rest of the evening. This is how Argentinian nights actually roll: no formal dessert course, just a slow, shared, sweet ending.
Catering with Franui at scale
Franui is one of the most-requested add-ons on Argentum catering orders. Common combinations:
- Corporate Box (100 empanadas for 30 to 40 people) plus 4 to 5 tubs of Franui as end-of-event dessert. Around $80 in Franui for a $499 catering order.
- Party Box (60 empanadas for 15 to 20 people) plus 2 to 3 tubs of Franui.
- Treat Box already bundles 36 empanadas with 2 Franui tubs, priced for smaller gatherings of 8 to 12.
For office events, the temperature-swing move (empanadas hot from the oven, Franui straight from the freezer) is the whole meal in one clean sequence.
What not to do
- Do not thaw Franui "to serve at room temperature". You have wrecked the product.
- Do not microwave any part of it, ever.
- Do not serve it as a base under other desserts (like a chocolate-covered strawberry). The temperature is wrong.
- Do not refreeze once it has fully softened. The chocolate loses its snap and the fruit turns to slush.
FAQ
How long can Franui sit out at a party?
Ten minutes maximum before texture starts to slip. For longer events, keep spare tubs in the freezer and rotate them onto the table in fresh rounds.
How many Franui pieces per person?
Argentinians typically eat 3 to 5 pieces at a sitting. For dessert planning, work at 4 to 5 pieces per person. Each 150g tub holds 25 to 30 pieces.
Can I mix Dark and Milk in the same bowl?
Yes. The two share the same white chocolate inner layer, so the flavour bridge is natural. Guests self-select and often try both. Recommended for parties of 8 or more.
What is the best wine with Franui?
Malbec. Specifically a medium-bodied Mendoza Malbec. Dark fruit meets dark fruit. If you prefer lighter, Prosecco works well with the Milk version.
Is Franui a good end to a savoury dinner party?
Excellent. It is small, cold, sweet, and requires no last-minute cooking or plating. Argentinians almost always end a heavy meal with something small and cold, and Franui fits the slot perfectly.
Can I serve Franui at a corporate event?
Yes. Argentum's catering team packages Franui alongside the Corporate Box for exactly this reason. Frozen dessert that needs no setup, presented in a chilled bowl at the end of the food service.
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