[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan]

The newest roll cake to join the current line-up at François Payard Bakery is the strawberry roule ($4), ideal for the summer months. It all starts with a gioconda sponge cake, a light and eggy base with plenty of finely ground almonds whipped into the batter. The cake is rolled up with a bold passionfruit and banana mousse, along with a brush of fresh strawberry puré, and lined with a glossy layer of strawberry jelly. It's presented in a form that vaguely reminded me of a jelly roll, only this one simply melts in your mouth. Each slice is sandwiched with a pair housemade strawberry macarons, the final seal to a rather sophisticated roll cake.

François Payard Bakery

116 W Houston Street, New York, NY 10012 (map)
212-995-0888; fpbnyc.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.