Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 31, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon, we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Today is Halloween, so this is the last of our pumpkin-based Sugar Rush posts. (Although I'm sure there will be more between now and Thanksgiving.) Click here to see the past two weeks of pumpkin desserts.
New to the prix-fixe menu at the ChikaLicious Dessert Bar is a Pumpkin Mousse and Pecan Shortbread Napoleon. Paired with an orange-sorbet quenelle and caramel syrup, it's the lightest pumpkin dessert we've encountered all season. Where other pumpkin desserts satisfy one's cravings for cozy fall flavors, this dessert instead embodies a more Japanese aesthetic—subtle, clean, and miniscule in portion. The shortbread is more crispy than buttery and the mousse more fluffy than creamy, but with the tart sorbet, these elements make for a delicate departure from our usual treats. A daily amuse (caramel gelee and pear sorbet on our visit) and a trio of petit fours mark the beginning and end to this dainty dessert tasting.
ChikaLicious Dessert Bar
203 E 10th Street, New York NY 10003 (bn. 1st and 2nd Avenues; map)
212-995-9511
chikalicious.com
Posted by Zach Brooks, October 30, 2008 at 6:00 PM
I love custard. I love pumpkins. I love The Dessert Truck. I guess you could say that this one is a no-brainer for me. The custard is not unlike pumpkin pie filling (in the best possible way) and it's only improved by the addition of a toasted marshmallows and candied pecans. This creation may not have won them the Dessert Vendy Award, but it was my favorite sweet item of the day. Available through Thanksgiving for $5. desserttruck.com
Related:
The Dessert Truck: For Desserts on the Go
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 29, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Serious Eater Robyn stopped by my place Sunday afternoon, brown paper bag in hand. "I have a surprise for you!" she declared, before promptly handing over the bag with much care. Curious, I lifted the heavy, chilled bag and slid the contents out onto a glass plate. "Cheesecake?" "Pumpkin!" "Oh goodness, is that a nut crust?" We eagerly grabbed a pair of forks from the kitchen and then sunk them deep, all the way down the gently spiced airy light cheesecake—a creamy tower of sweet pumpkin. At the base rested a crust composed of little more than chopped pecans, bound in a toothsome moist mass, a fantastic departure from the usual crushed graham cracker number. Heavy in weight, though surprisingly light on the mouth and in the stomach, it's the ideal closer to a hearty October meal.
Cheeks Bakery
378 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (nr. Havemeyer Street; map)
718-599-3583
http://www.cheeksbakery.com/
Posted by Carey Jones, October 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we end the day with Sugar Rush. Its the dessert course of your daily blog-reading. As an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween, Sugar Rush will be pumpkin-based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets on offer in the city right now. Enjoy!
You’re unlikely to find a pumpkin macaron on any French patisserie’s roster. But the endlessly versatile cookie was made for experimentation. French Laundry–schooled pastry chef Hsing Chen now sells her own Sweet Chick Macarons, which are available online and at Batch Bakery; and Seasonal Pumpkin Pie Spice Macarons are her October creation.
Any pumpkin treat is largely a vehicle for nutmeg and clove, and these macarons are no exception—the light, chewy cookie gives way to a spicy interior, silky and sweet, like a pumpkin pie in cream-filling form. Paris, take note.
Batch
150B West 10th Street, New York NY 10014 (map)
212-929-0250
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Plus, as an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween these Sugar Rushes will all be pumpkin based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets being offered in the city right now. Enjoy!
There we were on Saturday night in Midtown, my friend and I, stuck in one of the worst New York City downpours we had seen in a long time. Swayed by the winds, our umbrellas were rendered useless—finding a new home in the garbage can on the corner of 51th and 5th. Luckily we found warm solace in the nearby Oceana, where we ducked in for an unplanned escape of hot tea and dessert. The two of us tasted our way through a collection of sweets, though it was the Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake that most captured our fancy. We dove into the triple tiered creation, with crisp meringue tucked in between pumpkin ice cream and moist spice cake. Then we swiveled our spoons into the refreshingly tangy yogurt lime sauce, candied lime peels included. The spiced meringue made a reappearance in the form of shards speared into the ice cream, alongside dots of burnt caramel. Between many cups of hot tea (and two more desserts) we were warmed to the bones. With much fortune, the downpour of rain had ceased by the time we called it a night; stepping out the doors, very content.
Oceana
55 E 54th Street, New York, NY 10022 (b/n Madison and Park Avenues; map)
212-759-5941
Posted by Kerry Saretsky, October 24, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Plus, as an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween these Sugar Rushes will all be pumpkin based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets being offered in the city right now. Enjoy!
I've expounded before on how the Upper East Side seems to be devoid of all things fabulous and delicious. I have this idea that people in other neighborhoods can step out, round the corner, and return with baguettes worthy of France's national baguette subsidy and cakes as dreamy as those that populated the salon of Marie Antoinette. But there is one gem that I brag about to anyone who'll listen: Two Little Red Hens. I order my birthday cake from there every year (chocolate cake, raspberry filling, white icing, chocolate buttercream flowers), but for Erin's birthday, I brought in their seasonal Pumpkin Cake. She promptly exclaimed that it was the greatest pumpkin baked good she'd ever tasted, and she should know. Ed nodded, "Not at all cloying." The pumpkin cake and pumpkin frosting result in autumn-leaf-embellished layers of pumpkin perfection. Cupcake versions are also available.
Two Little Red Hens
1652 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10028 (at 86th Street; map)
212-452-0476
twolittleredhens.com
Posted by Carey Jones, October 23, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Plus, as an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween these Sugar Rushes will all be pumpkin based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets being offered in the city right now. Enjoy!
Pumpkin is the flavor of fall, of course. But so are maple, and spice, and rum… so leave it to Pichet Ong to conjure a cupcake that hits all of the above. A satisfyingly adult Halloween treat, the Pumpkin Maple Rum cupcake at Batch starts with a subtle but seasonal cupcake base, tasting like the pumpkin bread my mom used to bake. It’s topped with a thick, almost solid layer of maple butter frosting, and dotted with golden currants. But inside, as always, is the Batch surprise— a tangy rum raisin filling, a perfect foil to the sweet, sweet cupcake. With desserts like this, who needs trick-or-treating?
Batch
150B West 10th Street, New York NY 10014 (map)
212-929-0250
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 22, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Plus, as an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween these Sugar Rushes will all be pumpkin based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets being offered in the city right now. Enjoy!
In the middle of 12th Street, tucked neatly between Avenues A and B is Ciao for Now, a cafe with little media hype but a strong following of loyal customers. One friend swears by the passionfruit lemonade while another proclaims the fudgy brownies among the best in the city. Me? I'm a lover of the pumpkin loaf, perfectly sized for an individual with a sweet tooth in need of satisfaction. Made daily in-house with fresh pumpkin, the tender and moist loaf, gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg pairs dandy with a cup of tea. I like to sit inside the café and lazy away the afternoon with a selection of magazines. But should the weather permit, make sure to claim a seat on one of the two rickety green rocking benches and couple your snack with a bit of people watching.
Ciao For Now
504 E 12th Street, New York NY 10009 (map)
212-677-2616
ciaofornow.net
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 21, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Plus, as an added bonus, every day between now and Halloween these Sugar Rushes will all be pumpkin based. It's the only way we could think of covering the enormous number of pumpkin sweets being offered in the city right now. Enjoy!
There's an abundant variety of scones at Alice's Tea Cup. From buttermilk chocolate chip to strawberry cream cheese, the traditional British-style scones are shunned in favor of large and sweet American takes on this beloved baked good. Fall months usher in the return of Alice's famed pumpkin scone. It's addictive, with its buttery crust and easy-to-love crumb that is gentle and moist. Spices are noticeably light, but a deliciously shiny pour of sticky caramel glaze makes for a scone that is more childish than classy. If Alice's scones are no longer hot from the oven, the sweet gals and guys behind the counter are more than glad to warm it up for you.
Alice's Tea Cup
156 East 64th Street, New York NY 10021 (near Lexington Avenue; map)
212-486-9200
alicesteacup.com
