Desserts »Young’s Double Chocolate Stout

youngs_double_chocolate_3
Made with Real Chocolate

You imagine a chocolate stout and you think thick, creamy, rich and strong. Young’s version manages to be all that but really quite drinkable as well. I first tried the brew at Berry Park as the snow fell outside, but was happy to find the British import at out local grocer as well. Young’s is a family brewery that’s been around (impressively) since 1831.

That chocolate flavor by the way, comes from real chocolate, added into the brewing process before bottling making it a great after dinner beer in lieu of dessert.

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Posted on December 26, 2009

Desserts »Chocolate Santa

chocolate santa jacques torresfrom Jacques Torres

Thanks to Astrid and Marcus who gave this jolly dark chocolate fella to Jim for his birthday. It comes from Jacques Torres and, you might agree, is not a little bit creepy in the eyes. I’m almost concerned about the ramifications of eating him with those penetrating eyes baring down on me… it’s easy to envision myself in some sort of Twilight Zone moment. However, this is Jacques Torres chocolate and eating it will be worth the slim possibility of supernatural retaliation.

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Posted on December 20, 2009

Desserts »Will Cotton at Partners and Spade

will cotton partners and spade40 Great Jones Street

As a fan of Will Cotton’s scrumptious and almost creepily saccharine paintings as well as fun things secret and rare, I was thrilled to make it to his two day only bake shop hidden inside the usually appointment only Partners and Spade space.

The epicenter of the bakery/installation was the towering stack of pastel cakes, of which I could hardly get enough of and took many photos. One of his paintings hung in the back as a team of little helpers rushed around with fresh baked birthday cakes and macaroons.

I spoke to the artist himself to say I was a fan of his work and he was totally adorably embarrassed and hoped we liked his baking as well before scimpering off to his frosting and flour.

The treats were tasty, though having just come from the New Amsterdam Market, I was stuffed almost too full to truly appreciate more than a bite (Jim chowed the rest). The entire experience left me feeling almost like one of the nymphs in his paintings, surrounded by a tempting, sugary landscape.

Click here for the rest of Will Cotton at Partners and Spade

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Posted on November 29, 2009

Desserts »Haagen Dazs Five

haagen daz fiveMade With Only Five Ingredients

Haagen Dazs takes me back to my childhood, back when my dad used to have a goldenrod tee-shirt with a Haagen Dazs logo in brown. I still love that shirt, but I haven’t had a scoop of Haagen Dazs in years – but friends have been raving about their new ‘Five’ brand.

The idea is simple: ice cream made from only five ingredients. It’s a refreshing option today when most store bought foods are loaded with who knows what. Best of all, they’re really tasty – both the coffee and passion fruit have been huge hits and I’m looking forward to trying the mint and brown sugar.

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Posted on November 22, 2009

Desserts »Penny Licks (Worst Dessert)

How could I resist this ice cream cone cupcake from Penny Licks? It's adorable. But, it was also terrible. Every part of it, even the sprinkles, tasted old and stale and flavorless. It was unconscionable.

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Posted on November 9, 2009

Desserts »Blue Stove (Best Dessert)

blue stove mini pies

This is what I wrote back on March 23rd:

Just next door to Fanny is Blue Stove, a bright and airy bakery run by a friend of a friend (a lovely slave to the stove named Rachel) offering an array of home baked pies in unique and classic flavors like pecan (with an excellent sweet cream topping), cherry, key lime, and blackberry mousse. Just like Fanny, it's situation in a slightly less traveled section of Williamsburg makes it feel more like a secret spot frequented by in-the-know locals rather than a passing trend.

There's no static menu, you're limited to ordering only what has sparked the baker's fancy, but I can promise (now having sampled three little pies, which was the perfect amount for a four guest dinner party) that everything is absolutely top notch. Before the bakery moved in to this adorable space with its a peekaboo pantry, black and white tile floors, beautifully aged pressed tin, and homemade welcome sign, the baker would take orders and deliver pies to those with a sweet tooth for fresh baked goods, building up a quite a reputation among those who prefer their pies without a lot of artificial junk.

We loved the pies we grabbed to go, but there's an array of large tables should you prefer your sweet to stay with a cup of coffee or tea.

RUNNERS UP:
Calpis Ice Bar
Momofuku Cookies
Ronnybrook Ice Cream
Ralph's Italian Ice
Brent Beer Brittle
Raspberry Buttercream Cake

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Posted on November 2, 2009

Desserts »Pumpkin Pie

The perfect fall dessert, Pumpkin pie is usually associated with Thanksgiving, but after finding the best version I've ever had at Blue Stove (with home made whipped cream and a rich, caramelized bottom-crust with a hint of chocolate) I'm hoping to grab a few of them for my lucky Halloween party guests – we'll just call them dead jack-o-lantern pies.

Of course, if you are not near a bakery as good as ours, the classic Mrs Smiths has served me well for years.

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Posted on October 26, 2009

Desserts »Almond Roca

From an old family recipe in 1923, to the best mid-level gift baskets of today, Almond Roca has earned its proud moniker, “America's Finest Confection”.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Desserts »Reed’s Ginger Chews

reed's ginger candyReed's Ginger Chews are probably the cheapest things you can find at Dean and Deluca (two bucks opposed to the seven some of the chocolate bars cost) and the added bonus of being good for the digestive system makes the deal even better.

Reed's also makes great candied ginger and, according to their site, a ginger ice cream that sounds incredible, but it's not something I've come across yet myself.

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Posted on October 12, 2009

Desserts »Almond Joy

Maybe it's just the recent stress at work that's turning me into a comic strip stereotype of a chocolate craving office lady, but the other day I had a bite-sized Midnight Almond Joy from the candy canister in the middle of a meeting and then… I had another.

The things were brilliant. Delicious and brilliant. I feel like a nut!

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Posted on October 5, 2009