Dessert Darling

Fairytale Brownies Assure a Happy Ending

For my first review of 2011 I thought I'd start with a 5-cherry Bang! My brother recently sent me a box of gourmet, Belgium, Fairytale Brownies.  The wrapping on each brownie made me skeptical since it gave the illusion of being an artificial, store-bought item. However, these brownies enchanted me upon first bite with their gooey consistency inside a thin, crispy layer of cooked, brownie perfection.  Heaven! The Belgium chocolate gives these brownies a lovely depth, while the array of flavors endows them with charm and variety.  Fairytale Brownies are the perfect gift to send a brownie lover for his/her birthday, Valentine's day, or just to say "thinking of you."  And look! There's even a post-holiday sale right now. :)

 

For more information on Fairytale Brownies, click here. 

 

Hot Blondies Bakery serving up Blondies and Brunettes for Brownie Fans

Who doesn't love a Hot Blondie? The great bakers of Hot Blondies Bakery sent me a sampler of their delicious goodies and it was quite a treat.  While cupcake shops are sprouting up on every corner, few bakers focus on the art of the brownie. Hot Blondies Bakery features a wide array of Blondies and Brunettes with both traditional and original flavors like Butterscotch White Chocolate Chip, Peanutbutter Chocolate Chunk, S'mores, Nutella Hazelnut, and Espresso White Chocolate.  The consistency of the bars was perfection, however, some had strong flavors that made me melt, while others tasted a bit bland.  Surely there is a perfect bar for everyone though, Blondies and Brunettes alike!

 

 

Hot Blondies delivers locally in NYC and ships anywhere nationwide. For more information on Hot Blondies Bakery, click here. 

 

S'mores Treat from Mauro's Cafe at Fred Segal's

Mmm, I wasn't expecting such a delicious treat from Mauro's Cafe at Fred Segal's since I'd had such disappointing experiences with their bakery in the past. Furthermore, I was full from lunch and not even hungry! Yet, I was about to embark on four more hours of traffic school and thought I'd console myself with a sweet treat anyway.  I mean, I really only needed one bite.. right?  

See, this is the problem with being the Dessert Darling. If a dessert is great, I can't just have one bite! I eat the whole darn thing, (sigh) and whole darn thing I ate. This S'mores bar featured an abundance of mini-marshmallows that laid snug in a bed of light mild fudge, all supported by a soft Graham cracker crust.  I loved every last morsel!

 

 

For more information on Fred Segal's Mauro Cafe, click here. 

 

Blissful Brownies from Williams-Sonoma

With the holiday season around the corner, I thought it my duty to investigate some of the catalogue goodies that I see in my daily mail.  Luckily, I had a William-Sonoma gift card, which made me feel less pathetic ordering treats for myself. It's what my aunt would have wanted me to buy with her generous gift... right?! 

So far, only the "Blissful Brownies" have arrived, and while they're good,  "Blissful" might be a stretch. The ingredients are your basic, traditional brownie items with an added dash of "Guitard Chocolate Liquor." This Liquor must be a "secret" ingredient of sorts. Unfortunately for this big hunk of uncut brownies, I just don't think they travel well.  Perhaps they were "blissful" fresh out of the oven, but my biggest, and really only complaint, is the chalky texture... especially from the top crumbly layer.  As you get deeper in, you do hit some sweet spots that are rich and smooth... but eeg, those chalky moments really besmirch the overall experience. 

These brownies won't totally disappoint you,  but they won't make you die and go to heaven either. With their natural ingredients and fantastic flavor, these brownies still garner a 3.5 cherry rating. 

 

They come in one big hunk, but this image advertises the brownies when cut into squares

 

For more info on William-Sonoma, click here. 

If you're local and want absolutely divine brownies, I recommend the "Chocolate-Caramel Brownie Puddle" by Bountiful Desserts. Now these goodies will send you directly to Bliss!

 

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.

Mint Brownie from Heirloom LA Catering

Last night I attended an event where I enjoyed mint brownies served up by Heirloom LA Catering.  

This three tiered dessert had a smooth and mildly minty center, sandwiched between an equally smooth and fudgy top and a traditional brownie bottom.   Additionally, this treat featured fine gourmet touches, like the dustings of pure, bitter cocoa powder, a slight tease of sea salt, and a teeny mint sprig garnish on top.  

Ooh La la~

For more info on Heirloom LA Catering, click here. 

 

Organic Chewy Brownie from FABES Natural Bakery

I really appreciate FABE's All Natural Bakery for concocting organic treats that don't have bleached flours, refined sugars or hydrogenation. Their Chewy Brownie is just that... chewy.  You can taste the sweetness of the agave nectar and enjoy the soft, Tootsie Roll like consistency, but I won't lie and tell you it's just like sugar and butter! 

Also, somewhat distressing, is this article that I came across that claims that agave nectar is actually worse for you than high fructose corn syrup!! A DessertDarling-say-what? This can't be!!  See, this is why I just stick to the real stuff.  It all probably ends up being bad for you, but at least you get desserts that taste amazing.  

For more info on FABE's All Natural Bakery, click here. 

 

 

Brownies from Dancing Deer Baking Company

Love free samples at Whole Foods! Without them, I'm not sure I would have discovered these beyond-delicious, all natural, Peanut Butter Brownies by the Dancing Deer Baking Company!  These dark fudge brownies lay beneath a drizzle of peanut butter and have roasted, salted peanuts mixed throughout the batter to give it the perfect sweet-and-salty combo that makes the best treats addictive and crave-worthy. Mmmmmmmm, an easy 5 Cherries!~~

For more info on the Dancing Deer Baking Co., click here.  

 
 

Bountiful Desserts

We all know the Farmer's Market is great for fresh fruits and vegetables, but who knew I'd find the most amazing desserts amongst the rows of vegetation too?

Denise Assad of Bountiful Desserts has the most exciting stand with her array of freshly made treats that include her famous carrot cake (perfectly spiced), old-fashioned double chocolate layer cake (divine), Banana cream pie (so fresh you'd swear she has banana tree in her yard) and brownies so unbelievably out-of-this-world magnificent, that they earn the highest honor with the Golden Cherry (see below).  

When Denise lost her job as a designer, she used what money she had to sell her baked goods to the parents at her son's pre-school.  One year later, her desserts have become so popular that she now supports her child with the treats she makes from scratch, using her grandmother's tin recipe box.  What a sweet tale :) 

Chocolate-Caramel Brownie Puddle

 

OhmyGawd, this divine creation tangos with your tastebuds as it melts in your mouth. An outer shell of chocolate brownie envelopes a gooey, chewy, chunky center that's laced with a hint of salty-sweet caramel.  This caramel touch so enhances the experience, one learns cleary, it is the missing ingredient in other, more mundane cocoa bars. Not even my mom's brownies compare to this cosmic concoction (sorry Mom! Love you).

For more info on Bountiful Desserts click here.