Dessert? Unable to finish second course! (8)
I believe the answer is:
syllabus
'dessert? unable to finish second course' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'dessert? unable to finish second course' is the wordplay.
'dessert?' becomes 'syllabub' (syllabub is a kind of dessert).
'unable to finish' means to remove the last letter.
'second course' becomes 's' (I am not sure about the 'second' bit.).
'syllabub' with its final letter taken away is 'syllabu'.
'syllabu'+'s'='SYLLABUS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for syllabus that I've seen before include "Topics prescribed for a course" , "Prescribed course of study" , "(School) subjects" , "List of subjects for study" , "Course list of subjects" .)