Simply Dessarts: The Most Creative Desserts in City

What better way to welcome the hordes of artists, gallerists and collectors this month than with a sweet and sticky spread of exquisite, enchanting and indulgent confections?

Roganic

Renowned for his farm-to-table approach to dining, Simon Rogan places great emphasis on natural, organic and sustainable ingredients. So it’s no surprise Roganic’s head chef Adam Catterall follows the same philosophy, especially when creating this 100-flower honey chamomile cake. Made with cream infused with vanilla, anise, mint and lavender, the cake sits beneath a dollop of bee pollen ice-cream and a stunning crimson blackcurrant leaf crisp before being sauced at the table with a blackcurrant sauce finished with marigold oil.

Otera

We say you’re never too old for a good helping of banana foster, but just in case your grown-up tastebuds crave something more refined than sugary rum, former Andō and Nobu pastry chef Joanna Yuen has created what she calls an adult version in the form of a banana whisky flan at her Otera pastry store. The splash of whisky adds malty notes to a silky custard and ripe banana mousse, complemented by toasted walnuts and airy Normandy cream for a textural meld. 

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

When it comes to desserts, it’s impossible not to mention those three-Michelin-star masters of French cuisine at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Helping the restaurant uphold its reputation for pastry perfection this month is a confection aptly named La Sphère, a ruby-red sugar sphere encasing strawberry mousse and sorbet made with premium Amaou strawberries from Japan, all of which sit atop a scarlet base of rosé champagne jelly, strawberry slices and a touch of edible gold leaves – vibrantly fruity and perfectly exotic for the coming spring months.

Caprice

Next time you’re at the three-Michelin-star Caprice, make sure to try the Grand Cru Chocolate with chocolate crisps, Réunion Island blue vanilla ice-cream and mint. Baked with cocoa nibs and sprinkled delicately with fleur de sel, the dessert features layers of crème patisserie, cocoa mucilage and 70 percent dark chocolate fondant. It’s all topped with ice-cream and a sauce made from Réunion Island’s blue vanilla that’s been aged for two years, a sculptural gavotte wafer and a touch of mint. 

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Estro

Estro’s head pastry chef Fabio Bardi might have just designed the quintessential Italian dessert – after tiramisu, that is. Named Cappuccino, the confection is inspired by the milk coffee so beloved in his home country, combining a rich and creamy caramel base with a salted brown butter shortbread cookie. Piped on top is a whipped ganache infused with coffee beans and a coffee tuile. If you’re in need of a good kick of caffeine after a long meal, this is definitely the go-to.