What’s a romantic Valentine’s Day date without concluding it on a sweet note? Smart Life brings you some of India’s most beautiful and appealing shared desserts to indulge with.
By Raul Dias
The adage “saving the best for last” has never been more apt when it comes to desserts. That sweet finish to a good meal puts the proverbial—and often, quite literal—cherry on the cake. After all, the dessert is the last thing one remembers of the meal. The luxurious goodness of every sweet bite rounding it all off so very well.
Now when combined with one of the most romantic days of the year, aka. Valentine’s Day, the results can be quite magical and special. It’s also safe to say that over the last couple of years the ante of desserts across the country has been upped. And how! From almost sculptural creations to some truly scrumptious treats, the dessert scene in India has entered a whole other realm.
Keeping this in mind, we’ve come up with a list of some of the most stunning confections to indulge in with your special someone all though this love-fuelled month of February. Enjoy!
Five Spice Cake
At Shanghai Club, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
As its name suggests, this spicy, Chinese-style dessert packs in quite a punch at the end of a romantic dinner for two! As part of the Shanghai Club’s new menu, this layered confection is made up of 63% dark Belgian chocolate and chocolate cremeux which is further enhanced with a freshly ground mixture of five spices such as cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns. The super-moist, flourless baked cake is also served with a whiskey-steeped Chinese pear compote for a tart and boozy contrast to its taste.
Seven Textures of Chocolate with Strawberry
At Tiamo, Conrad Bengaluru
Not just is its name a mouthful, but the main components of this decadent dessert are legendary as being associated with love. For one, chocolate has been long considered an aphrodisiacal food since the time of the Aztecs. Strawberry on the other hand, thanks to heart shape, is recognised as the symbol of Venus—the Roman Goddess of love. This visually stunning creation at the Conrad Bengaluru’s rooftop Mediterranean restaurant Tiamo is a combination of 56% chocolate, nuts, raspberries, cream cheese and fresh strawberries that are sourced from the hills of Ooty. For some additional berry heft, it is served with a quenelle made with fresh, crushed strawberries and some luscious cream cheese.
Dessert Thali
At Dhansoo Café, New Delhi
Giving an interesting desi spin to this selection of romantic shared desserts and putting a twist to the concept of a dessert platter, the innovative Dessert Thali at the brand new Dhansoo Café is a fun way to end your meal. This nine-part dessert extravaganza showcases the best of India’s regional sweet delicacies from the north to the south. And so what you get when you call for this dessert is a coconut laddu, a gulab jamun, a portion of rabdi, kesari bhat, atte ki panjiri, namak paratha, chena mukri and churros jalebi with a few slabs of Mysore pak rounding it all off.
By Raul Dias
The adage “saving the best for last” has never been more apt when it comes to desserts. That sweet finish to a good meal puts the proverbial—and often, quite literal—cherry on the cake. After all, the dessert is the last thing one remembers of the meal. The luxurious goodness of every sweet bite rounding it all off so very well.
Now when combined with one of the most romantic days of the year, aka. Valentine’s Day, the results can be quite magical and special. It’s also safe to say that over the last couple of years the ante of desserts across the country has been upped. And how! From almost sculptural creations to some truly scrumptious treats, the dessert scene in India has entered a whole other realm.
Keeping this in mind, we’ve come up with a list of some of the most stunning confections to indulge in with your special someone all though this love-fuelled month of February. Enjoy!
Five Spice Cake
At Shanghai Club, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
As its name suggests, this spicy, Chinese-style dessert packs in quite a punch at the end of a romantic dinner for two! As part of the Shanghai Club’s new menu, this layered confection is made up of 63% dark Belgian chocolate and chocolate cremeux which is further enhanced with a freshly ground mixture of five spices such as cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns. The super-moist, flourless baked cake is also served with a whiskey-steeped Chinese pear compote for a tart and boozy contrast to its taste.
Seven Textures of Chocolate with Strawberry
At Tiamo, Conrad Bengaluru
Not just is its name a mouthful, but the main components of this decadent dessert are legendary as being associated with love. For one, chocolate has been long considered an aphrodisiacal food since the time of the Aztecs. Strawberry on the other hand, thanks to heart shape, is recognised as the symbol of Venus—the Roman Goddess of love. This visually stunning creation at the Conrad Bengaluru’s rooftop Mediterranean restaurant Tiamo is a combination of 56% chocolate, nuts, raspberries, cream cheese and fresh strawberries that are sourced from the hills of Ooty. For some additional berry heft, it is served with a quenelle made with fresh, crushed strawberries and some luscious cream cheese.
Dessert Thali
At Dhansoo Café, New Delhi
Giving an interesting desi spin to this selection of romantic shared desserts and putting a twist to the concept of a dessert platter, the innovative Dessert Thali at the brand new Dhansoo Café is a fun way to end your meal. This nine-part dessert extravaganza showcases the best of India’s regional sweet delicacies from the north to the south. And so what you get when you call for this dessert is a coconut laddu, a gulab jamun, a portion of rabdi, kesari bhat, atte ki panjiri, namak paratha, chena mukri and churros jalebi with a few slabs of Mysore pak rounding it all off.
Warm Apple Tart
At La Loca Maria, Mumbai
Since the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the apple has played a vital role as a fruit that’s synonymous with love. Putting a whole other spin on the fruit, La Loca Maria’s Spanish expat founder Chef Manuel Olveira Seller sends out his rendition of an apple tart in style. His warm apple tart begins with a sweet pastry based with a crisp texture that’s extremely flavourful. The finely-sliced golden apples on the top are caramelised and dusted with icing sugar for a dramatic snow-like effect. A scoop of glossy strawberry and red wine sorbet sits atop the tart and provides the perfect icy foil to the warm tart below.
(A differently edited version of this piece was first published in the February 2020 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)
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