Dessert Darling

Liliput Truffles by Sprüngli

Wow- so many 5 cherry reviews lately! What a sweet summer it's been :) Just the other day my guy surprised me with a little box of Swiss chocolates by Sprüngly.  These tiny truffles were so darling and delicious, you couldn't stop from popping them in your mouth as they'd instantly melt away.

Sprungli's delicate truffles are not much larger than a Gumdrop and have exceptionally thin shells that envelop soft and flavorful ganache.  My guy, who not only claims to dislike all sweets, but furthermore, hates chocolate, couldn't keep his hands off of my gift.  Well then, I guess there are some exceptions in life, especially for divine little boxes of extraordinary truffles. 

For more info on Sprüngly, click here. 

Milkshakes at Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop

This past weekend I had a lovely vacay in San Francisco where, naturally, I found myself at Ghirardelli Square. An enthusiastic line for the ice-cream and chocolate shop curved out the door, and after seeing the gorgeous Sundaes and milkshakes milling about, I knew I had to have one...or five.

Luckily I was with a group of guys who know that Sharing is Caring. They each got a "Quake Shake" whereas I got myself two milkshakes, a chocolate and strawberry.

 
 

Quake Shake

 

A Quake Shake is like Ghirardelli version of the Blizzard, where they take vanilla ice-cream, milk, and a chocolate bar, and blend it all together.  Personally, I' not the biggest fan of frozen chocolate as the cold renders it hard, waxy, and a bit flavorless.  It also perplexes me that in addition to a whole milkshake, I'm consuming a chocolate bar. That said, the Quake Shakes are a lot thinner than the milkshakes since extra milk is added to seamlessly blend the ingredients.  The three flavors that we shared were the Peanut Butter Chocolate, which had an extra serving of real peanut butter blended in, Raspberry Chocolate, and Mint Chocolate.

The PB chocolate was a raging hit with the guys who declared it a 5-cherry winner before I even had a taste.  It was mighty delicious, so who am I to argue the unanimous decision of four adamant men?  The Chocolate mint was strong and well done, if you like minty dairy treats, but the raspberry chocolate was totally uneventful to me. Over all, a 4.5 cherry average for the Quake Shakes.

Milkshake

 

The milkshakes were thicker and more concentrated than the thin and textured Quake Shakes.  The smooth chocolate shake particularily had a rich cocao flavor that would make anyone roll his eyes back in bliss.  Clearly, chocolate is Ghiradelli's heartbeat and soul. Mmmmmm, Good.

The strawberry milkshake was too zingy for me. In fact, strawberries are pretty tricky ice-cream additions.  They have to be perfectly ripe and wonderful to work.  Otherwise you end up with tart zingy-ness like this Ghiradelli's milkshake, or you end up with an artificially flavored experience, like the sweet McDonald's shake that I reviewed here.  

Ultimately, these milkshakes made for a happy little stop in our SF adventures.  While they're not my favorite consistency, and they melted pretty quickly (which was odd given how freezing the city is), I still highly recommend that locals and tourists alike enjoy a special day and treat at the Ghirardelli shop!

For more info on Ghirardelli, click here. 

 
 

Lemon Cake from Just Desserts

Ohmygawd, I'm totally melting.  I just inhaled a "single serving" lemon cake from Just Desserts. I couldn't help myself- it was that good.  Luckily, Just Desserts' goodies are 100% all natural and made with zero trans-fats.

The cake, the icing, the ratio of cake to icing... everything about this dessert was perfection!  Ohlord, who needs cupcakes when you can have mini cakes made from scratch? 

I always passed by these plastic domed cakes at Whole Foods, chalking them up as factory produced rubbish. Now that I've given it the time of day though, I see I was sorely mistaken.  Amazing. Just Desserts are my new Go-To cakes for gatherings like book-club and showers!

For more info on Just Desserts, click here. 

 

 

 

 

Thinny Thursday Tip 2

Never Drink Sodas

This Thinny Thursday tip is pretty self-explanatory.  Soda has been linked to pancreatic cancer, heart risks, rotting teeth, and of course, obesity.  I know a guy who simply cut soda out of his diet and dropped 15 pounds. Wop-babaloo-bop, there you go.

And for you diet soda fans who drink a beverage as a snack or food substitute, you're drowning your insides in disgusting chemicals for nothing, because studies show that "artificial sweeteners increase weight gain odds." Studies also show that even sugar free sodas result in an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome ("a cluster of risk factors linked to diabetes and heart disease").

Yikes!

Anyway, it's a complete waist of calories to drink them, if you ask me. I'm a huge fan of the tall glass of water! If you need caffeine, drink tea! Tea can have incredible benefits for your body. Green tea is practically touted as a panacea by some!

If you need bubbles, try fruit flavored sparkling water.  Or if you want a cold palette cleanser with a kick, try Kombucha!  This fizzy beverage is amazing and naturally low in calories :)

 

 

 

Finally, if you must must must have "soda", try all natural brands made with natural sweeteners and fewer calories.  Hope that helps. :)

Dessert Platter from Global Cuisine Catering

One of the perks of living in Los Angeles is getting to attend sexy events like roof-top parties where you can marvel at a California sunset, test drive a new fancy car, and dine on divine food by caterers who happen to know a thing or two about great desserts.  Such was the case for a recent Jaguar party, catered by Gary Arabia from Global Cuisine.  

 After a lovely evening with friends and a delicious peppercorn steak, I couldn't wait to see what we had in store for desserts. Mr. Arabia did not let me down.  A delightful array of goodies came out that included parfaits, chocolate pot de cremes, mini macaroons, a cheesecake pop, and a ding-dong pop. Yummers!

I truly loved everything on my plate!  The cheesecake pop might disappoint specialists as it was a little sweet and had a hint of fruit, but I melted with joy while eating it.  I had to go back for seconds on the cool parfait since it was perfect for the warm summer night, and the ding dong was like the '80s on a sitck!

 Overall, a wonderful night!  Check it.. wind in my hair, dessert on my plate, and a sweet ride. What more could I ask for?  ;-)

For more info on Global Cuisine catering, click here.   

Rice Krispies Treat at Starbucks

On Facebook I asked my friends and fans if they had outgrown Rice Krispies Treats or if they still found them exciting.  An overwhelming response of Rice Krispies devotees expressed their love for this childhood treat. 

Woa, watch out cupcakes! I think there's an untapped market to bring back the nostalgic crispy treat in gourmet form!  Clearly, Milk and Krunchies is not the company to do so, but someone out there would enjoy an enthusiastic audience if they were to make fresh, delicious renditions of the Rice Krispies treat.

I spotted a promising display of "Marshmallow Dream Bars" at Starbucks today and had to buy one in vein of the Facebook response. You could tell this shiny bar would be nice and chewy as it sported whole little marshmallows in the batch. Additionally, the sign advertised that the Dream Bars were made free of high-fructose corn syrup. Considering that's not an ingredient in the traditional recipe, nor is it even an edible additive, I considered this a good thing.

When I brought the treat up for my first bite though, I smelled a faint strawberry flavoring. Hmmm, that was odd.  I took a bite and pondered....it didn't taste like sweet fruit, in fact, it tasted almost like a normal treat.. however, something was off. A few more bites and I determined that they must have used cheap butter. Well, what can I say, this was much better than the Milk and Krunchie rendition that I just had a few days ago. Not perfect or divine, but really not all that bad.  3 cherries for Starbucks' high-fructose corn syrup free Marshmallow Dream Bars!

 

Tasty Tuesday at MILK

Hi everyone! I'm really excited to announce my first Tasty Tuesday video! I hope to get one of these bad boys up at least once a month, so stay tuned for all the sweet action as I continue to hit up bakeries around town.

 

 

In the meantime, check out my first experience eating Blue Velvet cake at MILK on Beverly Blvd. Ultimately, I'd give three cherries to both the red and blue velvet cakes there. But tune in to see my thoughts why! :)

ps: yes, I did shoot this around 4th of July.. just a little late getting it up ;)

Carrot Cake at Daily Grill

Mmmm, this carrot cake from the Daily Grill was surprisingly delicious! For one thing, I question chains abilities to execute fresh baked goods with skill, care, and fine ingredients, and for another, I noticed an alarming lack of frosting on side. In fact, the back edge of the layers was completely naked!

Normally, cream cheese frosting is the highlight of carrot cake. I love it lathered in the layers, on the side, and with a decorative dollop on top!  When I first saw the presentation with lightly whipped cream, sweet glazed pecans, and cinnamon dust, I thought it was lovely.  Then I noticed the dearth of side icing and grew completely skeptical.

Wow though, this cake shocked me.  Truly, it was phenomenal. The cake was moist and delicious with a perfect balance of spices and flavor.  The notable shavings of carrots and zuchinis, along with chopped walnuts and raisins, gave it delightful texture without being too chunky.  Since there were five layers of cake, each sandwiched by a layer of frosting, I did not miss the extra serving of it on the side.  Additionally, the whipped vanilla cream that was served on top did a wonderful job of adding a cool sweet creaminess to the mix.  Mmmmm.  Finally, I loved the sweet pecans and enjoyed them with every other bite! This carrot cake was a unanimous home-run at our table. Kudos to the Daily Grill on their 5-Cherry rating!

For more info on the Daily Grill, click here.

Adventures in New M&Ms

The other night I caught myself hovering over an M&M bowl at a party.  This was no ordinary M&M bowl though, it was a peanut-butter M&M bowl. Now, I know these aren't exactly the latest and greatest invention and long before the orange M&M bag we had Reeces Peices cornering the PB market, but these candies surprised me like a freshman geek who'd transformed into a senior hottie overnight. How'd I not know or remember how amazing these M&Ms are!?

Photo from TheToothHurts

I don't rate candy because it's loaded with artificial and low quality ingredients,  pandering to the least discerning palettes (children's!).  Instead, I enjoy fresh, home-made desserts that hopefully involve thought, creativity, and the finest ingredients.

 

That said, I did just indulge in M&Ms and as long as I have a dessert blog, I may as well share.  Naturally, my newfound love-affair with PB M&Ms made my eyebrows raise upon spotting a white M&M bag at my drugstore's check-out stand.  Why-Hello, what are you White Bag o' M&Ms??

Coconut M&Ms. Well, you don't say.  Visions of goey white coconut shreds miraculously encapsulated in M&M chocolate/sugar shells danced in my head and I knew I had to buy the bag at once.. even if it only appeared to have 3 colors (green, white, and brown).

Alas, the insides were solid brown chocolate (like large plain M&Ms) and had a strong dose of artificial coconut flavoring instead of the real, tropical stuff. ((Sigh)), a total bust.

In conclusion, M&Ms are still tried and true childhood treats that have an array of options to target my any mood. Right now, my mood loves the Peanut-Butter bites!

Milk and Krunchies Rice Krispie Treats

After a string of fantastic desserts this week, I had a disappointing experience with a fancy Rice Krispie bar that looked far more delightful than it's execution.

I found my Milk and Krunchies at Joans on 3rd, a very upscale market, cafe, and bakery. Rows of darling polka-dot wrapped rice-crispy treats ranging in flavors from Peanut Butter Cup to Fruit Loops tempted me into trying the childhood treat of yore. 

The first bite of my Kookies n' Kreme selection completely let me down.  Instead of a fresh and chewy trip down memory lane, I encountered a firm and artificial bar.  I then checked the ingredients to see some horrific items listed, a few of which I can't even pronounce. Bummer! I was totally duped by the adorable packaging.  (Sigh).. sorry Milk and Krunchies, but you missed the mark on this one. 

 For more info on Milk and Krunchies, click here. 

 

Thinny Thursday Tip 1

EAT REAL FOOD

Hi everyone! You might recall from this post here that you all inquired about how one stays thin while eating dessert.  I'll repeat that I'm not a nutritionist and diet was never meant to be a focus of my blog, but since so many people have asked, I'm sharing my personal tips on Thinny Thursdays.  

My first tip is to EAT REAL FOOD. This might seem like a pretty basic demand of human survival, yet in this day and age, so many chemicals, additives, powders, bars, junk, and artificial "foods" abound, often times tricking people into thinking that they're "healthy," that it must be stated.. Eat real food. 

 Before I elaborate, reflect for one moment about the bodies you see in images from the '50s, '60,'70s,and  '80s. These were fairly innocent days before the Fat-Free, Sugar-Free, Carb-Free phases descended upon us (for which I was at Ground Zero for each trend).  In fact, there's a photo of my Dad in the 1960s at a breakfast table with a milk carton that advertised "Made with 20% more cream!"-  Can you imagine?!

Also, remember when "Chunk" was the fat kid in The Goonies?  He now looks like a typical kid!

Lemon Bar and Cream Cheese Brownie at Corner Bakery Cafe

 

Oh wow. I'm not normally a lemon or crust girl, but the Lemon Bar from the Corner Bakery completely swept me away. Sweet and creamy lemon curd melds right into a buttery soft crust that's totally irresistible. I intended on having only a few bites, but ended up eating the whole bar. I guess that's a 5-Cherry treat! Perfect for the summer time :)

 

 

The Cream Cheese Brownie from the Corner Bakery is also pretty delicious. I had low expectations since I'm weary of chain restaurants churning out generic treats with little care and poor ingredients, but both the Lemon and Cream Cheese Brownie bars totally impressed me. That said, when I sampled the cream cheese top separately from the chocolate brownie bottom, I found the layers a bit salty and lacking great flavor. Together though, the cheese and brownie combine to make a pretty tasty bar that would surely satisfy any sinful craving.

 

For more info on the Cornery Bakery Cafe, click here.

Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery

As promised here, I'm finally going share the dreaminess that is the Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery in Los Angeles. Now, I've had the Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafer cookies just down the street at TOAST on 3rd street (see review here), and I can assure you that these two desserts are worlds apart.  

Unlike the impenetrably thick pudding at Toast with dry Nilla wafers, The Banana Pudding from Magnolia is smoothly whipped and well blended with soft, soaked cookie crumbles and ripe banana bits. The creamy whipped dreaminess suggests hints of pure vanilla and condensed milk that oddly enough, yield flavors reminiscent of raw cookie dough, my absolute favorite concoction on earth. Mmmm, while Banana Pudding might not normally be my first pic on a dessert menu, this batch makes me think otherwise. A Golden Cherry Honoree all the way!

For more info on Magnolia Bakery, click here.

 

 

Chocolate Cake at Oliver Cafe in Beverly Hills

The other day my girlfriends and I met at Oliver Cafe, the lounge adjacent to the $25-million Sports Club LA. You know, the one where Posh Spice works out in full make-up (and high heels, did I hear someone say?!?).

While the indoor/outdoor space isn't that large, the bright and airy venue boasts a comprehensive menu with delicious options, including a spa section that's guaranteed to satisfy the most health conscientious Beverly Hills housewife. With such attention paid to veggie-steaming and calorie-counting, I doubted that they'd have a satisfactory dessert menu.

This is where I was wrong, aside from some awful sounding low-fat Tiramisu that's made with Splenda (bleh), they had delectable options including red velvet, carrot, and chocolate cakes. Mmm, chocolate cake it was!

This selection completely captivated all three of us with it's perfect consistency, cool fudgy icing, and strip of chocolate sauce on top for good measure. Unlike the dry and terrible chocolate cakes that I've had lately, this slice of heaven had a rich and full bodied flavor, enhanced by a kick of amaretto liquor. Mmm, an easy 5-cherries!

For more information on Oliver Cafe, click here. 

 

Iced Cookies from Victor Bene's Bakery

"I'm on a BOAT! (I'm on a Boat!) I'm on a Boat (I'm on a Boat!) Got my fish-shaped cookies and my flippy-floppies..." 

Awee yeeeah, spent my weekend on a boat.  Enjoyed the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and these cookies in ma belley.  Truly, how cute are these iced-cookies made by Victor Bene's Bakery? While I found them a little dry and hard, they still pleased the crowd and had happy takers. 

For more info on Victor Bene's Bakery, with locations in Gelson's and Vicente Foods, click here. 

  

The Opening of Magnolia Bakery in Los Angeles

Wooo! I'm jumping for joy!  

 

Thanks to this post in Daily Candy about the famed NYC bakery Magnolia opening in Los Angeles today, hundreds of people dropped by the fresh corner shop in WeHo, only to learn that they don't open until tomorrow. Oops.  That said the good people of Magnolia Bakery did not turn their new neighbors and eager fans away empty handed.  In fact, the owner himself scooped free cups of the most swoon-worthy Banana Pudding I've ever tried.

 Mmmmmmm

 It was so good I got a second one. Hee

The Banana Pudding wins the sparkling Golden Cherry award for which I will write a separate review, but for now, let me revel in the joy that is leaping around a brand new, fresh bakery before anyone else gets to!

My friend and blogger Ben from B-sideBlog joined up with me and we chatted with the owner a bit.

Turns out there's a terrible neighborhood scandal involving an old-lady mafia that tries to close down and prevent new businesses from opening in the area!!!! How awful and appalling!  Check out Ben's fine reporting on the story here. 

Ugh, on that note, WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MAGNOLIA! We are so happy to have you join 3rd Street and wish all small business owners the very best in their endeavors!

 

 

 and LA CUPCAKES YOU!

 

Five Layer Chocolate Cake and Apple Tartan at Prado

As you may remember from this post, I had dinner at Prado with the lovely Lynn Chen of The Actor's Diet.

We enjoyed a delicious red velvet cake (as reviewed here), but we weren't so thrilled by the chocolate cake.  

5-Layer Chocolate Cake: Yep that's right, 2 cherries for the chocolate cake. Prado's chocolate cake reminded me of my disappointing experience at The Palm Restaurant (review here).  Really, it looked like a Ferarri but had the engine of a Pinto.  The cake was dry and the chocolate flavor was eerily similar to that of Hershey's syrup from a can (yea,not even squirt bottle).  It would hit your chocolate fix, but not entirely satisfy you.

 

 

Apple Tartan: now the open-faced Apple tartan was another story altogether.  The large pieces of caramelized apples were very sweet to the point that they reminded us of candied fruit, but the mild vanilla ice-cream that they served perfectly balanced the sweetness of the apples.  We also loved the texture of this treat.. not mushy, not crunchy, but just melt-in-your-mouth right!

Overall, our dinner was completely delicious and the desserts weren't far off from their savory counterparts. I'd highly recommend dining at Prado if you find yourself in the Larchmont area.

 

 

For more info on Prado, click here.

Check out Lynn's blog here!

Thanks Lynn for a Great Night!

 

Macaroon and Red Velvet Cake at Lemonade in Beverly Hills

Today I had lunch at the most darling spot called Lemonade, on Beverly in West Hollywood.  The array of delectable foods and desserts had me so giddy that I literally clapped and squealed to my friend "I'm so excited!"  This typical burst of DD-enthusiasm elicited a sideways glance from a painfully waif yet towering model. Hmm.  Whatever- Yummy Food!

For dessert I ordered this gigantic, pistachio flavored macaroon, and a slice of red velvet cake. 

Pistachio Macaroon

The gigantic macaroon was the size of my full palm and probably consisted of about four and a half normal macaroons in one.  When you bite into to it, a thin shell gives way to a soft chewy cookie that's almost cake-like due to the sheer volume.  Then your teeth continue to sink into the softest, gooiest, and most delightful ganache filling that's sweet with a dynamic hint of lemon.  I Love this rendition of the trendy Macaroon!

Red Velvet Cake

I also swooned over the delicious red velvet cake which was layered in a veil of coconut flakes.  The cake itself was super moist with mild flavors, and while the icing alone could have used a slight kick, the coconut shavings perfectly enhanced the flavor with it's sweet and distinct taste.  If you like coconut, you'll love this red velvet cake. If not, this is not the red velvet for you. 

Large Macaroons

Red Velvet Cake

 sorry for the blury pic here :-P

For more information on Lemonade and their other locations, click here. 

 

 

Introducing Thinny Thursdays

One of the first things people ask me when I tell them that I'm the Dessert Darling is "How do you eat so many desserts and stay so thin?!"  WITHOUT FAIL I get this question.((Sigh)) I was really hoping that Dessert Darling could be an innocent realm where calories, fat, and weight don't matter.  I don't like over-thinking or obsessing about food, since that is actually one of the key tricks for me to staying thin in the first place!  Alas, people really want some answers, so I've thought carefully about them in hopes that it will help you on your personal journeys.

Let me state right off the bat that I am not a nutritionist. That said, I am ironically passionate about and well read on matters of health, science, and nutrition. What works for me though, may not work for you, but I guess it's worth a shot!

Below are my Top 10 Thin Tips in no particular order. While they may not make sense now and might even seem counter intuitive to what you've read about dieting, I will elaborate on each tip every Thinny Thursday to bring clarity! So stay tuned ;)

 

TOP 10 THIN TIPS

1) Eat real food.. Don't care about fat

2) Never drink sodas, rarely drink calories

3) Eat breakfast and fiber

4) Don't eat 3.5 hours before bed

5) Be in touch with your body

6) It's good to spaz

7) Move your body.. Don't over exercise

8) Enjoy eating! Never starve yourself

9) Be happy

10) Don't obsess

 

 

 

Raspberry Red Velvet Cake at Prado

Tonight I had the greatest time catching up with the beautiful actress Lynn Chen of The Actor's Diet.  

The first thing we encountered upon entering Prado, a quaint Caribbean restaurant on Larchmont, was a glorious dessert platter displaying Tarte Tatin, Raspberry Red Velvet Cake, Creme Brulee, 5-Layer Chocolate Cake, and a thin slice of Cheesecake. 

 

Naturally, I ordered three out of five of the desserts ;-)  

I sampled the Raspberry Red Velevt first and quite enjoyed the twist of taste delivered by the raspberry addition.  This subtle hint of flavor neutralized the cocoa a bit, giving it a light, almost vanilla-from-a-Betty-Crocker box flavor which reminded me of childhood.  Anything that reminds of childhood is a huge bonus in my book, as long as the ingredients are fresh and real! Overall, a solid 4-Cherries for Prado's red velvet cake! 

 

Stay tuned to see my thoughts on the Five-Layer Chocolate Cake and the Apple Tarte Tatin! 

Also coming up, my new feature Thinny Thursdays, where I'll be blogging my Top 10 Thin Tips, starting tomorrow!

 

For more info on Prado Restaurant click here.  

Dibs Ice Cream Bon Bons

 I often find Dibs at the movie theaters and sporting events and when I'm craving a little ice-cream and a little chocolate, these Nestle Crunch covered ice-cream bon bons suffice.  That said, the quality of the ingredients and overall experience are downright average. I still buy them every other time I'm at the Staples Center, though I'd rather be eating Choco's! (click here for my Choco's review)

Late Night Eating at Pinches Tacos and McDonalds

 Hi! It's my first late night blog...Tonight I ended up at Pinches Tacos, which, I have to say, for 8 years now I've thought was "Pinks Tacos" based on the fact that the edifice is pink. Yeah, I thought it was kinda vulgar too.. but hey, it's Hollywood, you never know..!  Lo thus, it's PINCHES taco. What the heck is a PINCHES Taco??

Anyway, I got cheese fajitas with guacamole and flan.  MMmmmm, the flan was pretty fantastic-actually.  While it had a rich and slightly eggy flavor the consistency was still seamlessly smooth.  The caramel at the bottom was burnt and bitter, lending it a gourmet twist on a normally sugary sweet touch. My friend really appreciated this exotic turn, where as I just kept eating it with one eyebrow raised, wondering if I loved or not.  Over all I give Pinch Taco's Flans a solid 4 cherries!

Yay, late-night me with a Mexican Flag and Flan.. I'm good to go

 

Hmmm, I ate every last lick. Clean plate and bowl club! WIll I regret this tomorrow?

 

Then our designated driver (very important to have one of those!), insisted on doing a quick McD's drive-through for some coffee. Well, excuse me, but your Dessert Darling is NOT about to go through McDonalds and not get a milkshake!  I told my friend to surprise me with the flavor. The result was an artificially sweet strawberry milkshake that kindled fond memories of scratch and sniff stickers and strawberry cotton candy.  Made with real strawberries this was not. But then again, as much as I'm about eating "real food" (and I am), I kinda dug that I didn't have real tart berries souring up the batch.  Over all, it was a tasty, but perfectly average shake.  2.5 cherries.

 

 Perhaps I'll tidy this blog entry up in the morning... but for now, I'm having jolly time late night blogging...OOoh, naughty me. 

An Experiment in Baking with Cake Pops

 

 

I had the best time yesterday baking with Leslie Sarna, "the dainty vegetarian!"  We thought we'd experiment together by making our first batches of Cake Pops (also known as Cake Balls or Truffles). I had enjoyed this rich treat at a friend's holiday party and about died on the spot. I was convinced that this dessert was going to be the new cupcakes. Hmmm. Let's put a pin in that thought.

Cake Pops sound so simple at first. You mash cake and icing together, roll the mixture into balls, and then coat them in chocolate!  

Step 1    

 

 

 

Step 2

   

  Step 3

 

We decided we'd make one batch Banana Bread with Butterscotch Frosting, dipped in Milk chocolate and one batch Red Velvet cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, dipped in White chocolate.

The process clearly revealed that the quality of ingredients and the proportions make a world of difference.  We put too much frosting in the red velvet cake mix, which resulted in them tasting way too sweet.  Leslie was also turned off by the brand of melting chocolate that we used, though I appreciated it's ability to firm up as quickly as it did.  

We also wondered if cake truffles really need normal, sugary icing.  When you have such a sweet chocolate shell, something a bit sour, like plain cream cheese mixed in with the cake might cut the the sugar a bit.  Or perhaps throw in benign ingredients like walnuts, pecans or pistachios, depending on your cake choices.  Another option would simply be to use a less sweet chocolate to coat the balls.

I'm curious to see how cake truffles taste from professional bakeries like My Sweet and Saucy in Long Beach :) Perhaps then I can determine if these creative desserts du jour really have the potential to take over the cupcake craze!

But in the meantime, aren't our's at least pretty? ;)

 

Partners in crime

 

Leslie Sarna & the Dessert Darling 

 Check out Leslie's blog by clicking here!

Vanilla Gelato from Ciao Bella Gelato

 While Angelinos are experiencing totally bizarre, grey and drizzly days, the rest of the country is heating up and looking like Gelato time to me!  And really, rain or shine, I love me some gelato.  

Gelato differs from ice-cream in that it's made with a greater proportion of milk to cream, which yields a softer, more flavorful, and often times, less fattening experience than ice-cream (although,the amount of air whipped into ice-cream can make a difference too).  You really can't go wrong with Gelato, and for scorching weather, it's a slightly more refreshing option than it's heavier sibling, ice-cream.

I recently bought a pint of the award winning Ciao Bella Tahitian Vanilla gelato.  It had little black vanilla bean specks that immediately enchanted me. A few spoonfuls in and I completely peaced out. I simply relaxed into a calm daze, with eyes half closed,  and reveled in the wonder that is great vanilla gelato.. ((Happy Sigh)).  I recommend letting your pint sit out a bit to achieve the perfectly soft consistency that you see in Gelaterias across Italy.  

A strong 5 Cherries for Ciao Bella Gelato- Bravo! 

For more info on Cia Bella Gelato, click here. 

 

Deluscious Cookies

 I'd heard legendary things about Deluscious Cookies and now I know why: it's thanks to a little mound called "Chocolate Decadence," or the "Crack Cookie," as my girlfriends nicknamed it tonight. A slightly crispy, powdered-sugar shell gives way to a soft center that's fudgy-cakey-melted truffle-crumbly cookie all on in one!  Truly, there isn't a single word that can describe this thing other than "insane." 

In addition to the "Chocolate Decadence," we enjoyed oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, and sugar cookies, which yielded varying responses. Some loved the sugar cookie while other's preferred the oatmeal raisin. We all agreed that the chocolate chip cookie was a bit too similar to the ones we make at home, and well, when you pay over 3 bucks for a cookie, you want it to be pretty spectacular.

But why dwell on such details when we have a Golden Cherry in our mist?!  Congrats to Deluscious on your amazing creation!

For more info on how to order Deluscious cookies online, click here. 

the Chocolate Decadance

 
  

Milkshakes at Swingers Diner

 

 I find nothing more soothing and delightful than a fantastic vanilla milkshake.  I don't drink them often (since they sit like a 10 lb bowling ball in my stomach for eight hours later), but when I do, I want them to whisk me away to a heavenly place.

The other day my guy and I strolled up to Swingers Diner on Beverly Blvd for a lovely weekend brunch.  Before I even had a chance to see the breakfast menu though, Tyler insisted that I get a milkshake.  Since he doesn't have a sweet-tooth, I found this suggestion oddly intriguing, and really, who am I to say No to encouragement like that?!  

What Tyler knew, that I didn't, was that Swingers makes the best milkshakes!  I first ordered the Peanut Butter Banana shake and realized a few sips in that I was actually craving vanilla.  The PB-Banana shake was a bit strong on the Peanut Butter for me, but was still a solid 4 cherry sipper nonetheless.  

I then ordered the vanilla and ohmygoodess it was Delicious!  Not too thick, not too thin, and clearly made by humans mixing fresh ingredients (versus a fast-food machine).  If I could have this shake every week, I would.  

To see my thoughts on Swinger's cupcakes, click here, or for more info on Swingers Diner, click here. :-9

 

A Dessert Darling Recipe for Reduced Fat Blueberry Banana Bread

It's not often that I bake. I pretty much banned myself from the kitchen on account of the fact that I eat almost all the batter of everything before it even makes its way to the oven.

I had a bunch of ripe bananas though, and  couldn't resist the opportunity to make my reduced fat Blueberry Banana Bread for the holiday weekend. I basically end up substituting a fresh peach and some apple sauce for the excess butter. The treat is still completely tasty, delicious, and a huge hit with my man. I hope you enjoy!! 

 

I forgot to take a photo before we demolished the bread, so this image is courtesy of Melissa from 99percentcacao.

Ingredients:

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick salted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

7 medium, ripe bananas, mashed

1 large, ripe peach

2 tbsp apple sauce

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Lots of blueberries!

optional: chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans.

In a medium bowl combine flour, soda and salt with a wire whisk; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a chopped ripe peach, and then add 2 tbsp apple sauce.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add bowl of mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick.  Scrap down sides of bowl.

Add the flour mixture, and then blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.

Fold in blueberries with a spatula.  

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake on center rack of oven for 60-70 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!! :-)

Happy 4th of July

Here's a some Red, White, and Blue for your eyes to feast on as we celebrate our great nation's birthday!!! 

The slice of Blue Velvet cake and the Red Velvet cupcake from MILK. I'd review them, but I actually taped my experience eating them and will hopefully have a video to share with you this upcoming week. So stay tuned ;)

 

Cookies at MILK

Ok, so I've just posted this less than flattering review for MILK's ice-cream sandwiches here and now I fear I might really upset some MILK fans out there as I continue to write that... They're cookies aren't all that either!

Sorry MILK.  My friend Ben, from B-side Blog, and I continued our dessert fest as we dug into a bag of cookies from MILK.  We were both befuddled at first.  Were these cookies vegan? White-sugar free or low-fat? Surely these were not normal chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies..???

The chocolate chip cookie had a weird flavor that made me think it was fruit sweetened as the after-taste was reminiscent of white raisins.  Ben also loathed the cakey nature of the peanut butter cookie, which crumbled into many pieces as you tried to break off bites.  Where was the peanut butter's fudgy contribution?  

But as I have said before, MILK does nail their cream-cheese frosting, so if you're jonesing for a sweet treat at this trendy corner bakery, not all is lost. 

For more info on MILK, click here. 

 

 

Buttermilk Donut at Tasty Donuts

You might recall from this previous post that my friend B-side Ben found the buttermilk donut from Tasty Donuts to be, quite possibly, the "best donut in Los Angeles." Wow, that was a bold statement and required a joint venture follow-up.

Ben came over with donuts in hand, yet panic on his face.  Apparently, Tasty Donuts was out of the original Buttermilk donut, but they did have the same version, rolled in cinnamon sugar crumbs. No problemo Ben, your Dessert Darling can still detect if these donuts are winners or not, crumbs and all!

Mmmmm, I completely see where Ben was coming from!  The FLAVOR, the buttermilk FLAVOR is the secret ingredient to success here.  The slightly sour and creamy ingredient helps balance the intense sweetness that's intrinsic in a donut. It's such a soothing, sweet, and buttery taste, that you can't help but continue monching on the thing, no matter how large or dense it is!

Which leads me to, Yes, these are large and dense donuts, but the glaze seeps through, keeping them joyfully moist and delightful for every bite.  Your best plan is to share with a friend!

For more info on Tasty Donuts, click here. 

 

 

Ice-Cream Sandwich at MILK

 To some, MILK on Beverly Blvd is a mini mecca for desserts.  It's an airy little corner shop with a delectable array of freshly baked goodies ranging from their famous Blue Velvet cake to their home-made ice-cream bars and sandwiches.  The first item I ordered was a macaroon ice-cream sandwich. The place is called MILK, right? It's going to have brilliant ice-cream treats.  Or so you'd think.

A few bites in and I'm yearning for some good old Dryers or Haagen Dazs instead. I appreciate MILK's efforts to home-make every last morsel, but the vanilla ice-cream, compounded with the vanilla macaroon, was just too much vanilla, if there's such a thing.  I prefer a more subtle flavor with specs of vanilla bean, or perhaps even a french vanilla with a hint of egg.  But what I had, instead, was a strong, almost artificial, vanilla/vanilla Bang, and well, I didn't really like it.  That said, don't cross MILK off your must-try list, they do make some of the best cream-cheese frosting around town.  But that's a tale for another day ;)

For more info on MILK, click here.