we are invited to a valentine's dinner party (just two couples) and i want to bring a super special dessert. any bakery recommendations in manhattan?? many thanks!
By helenschulman
on Feb 12, 2010 04:36 PM
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Every party cake I have ordered from Payard has been absolutely exceptional. Try the Diamantaire, it will be stunning and delight even jaded pastry lovers.
If you are willing to venture outside of Manhattan, there is value and quality:
Canelle Patisserie in Queens makes a outrageously delicious Coco Fraise cake - Luscious strawberry mousse and vanilla sponge cake with coconut. This bakery is beyond excellent and half the price of Payard.
or
Baked in Brooklyn has several fantastic cakes that would be perfect for Valentine's day. The Red Hot rvc is divine, as is the Grasshopper Cake and the Sweet & Salty.
FYI - On the spectrum of sweetness, Payard cakes are sweetest, followed by Baked and Cannelle cakes are rather lightly sweetened (which I like). I ate two slices of cake from Billy's in one sitting and actually got a sugar headache. At Cannelle, I ate eight pastries in one sitting and no sugar headache!
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Payard. The OP asked for MANHATTAN recs.
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Payard is not closed - they have opened a shop at 714 Madison Ave on the 4th fl. You can also order their things on line:
http://www.payard.com/
I'd also like to recommend Ceci-Cela on Spring St. Lovely cakes.
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I'm sure the original poster will read my first recommendation, located in Manhattan, and I'm sure the original poster will read "if you are willing..." and decide accordingly.
And at some point I will simply come to terms with the snippiness on the internet and not bother replying to something that is farted out in two seconds without consideration or care.
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What kind of cake is the Diamantaire? The web search isn't showing me much information. Sounds fantastic already.
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It's one of their specialty cakes that they make for Valentine's Day. It's heart shaped and rich, buttery vanilla cake covered with delicious vanilla cream and crystal sugars. I'm sure that you can request a special order, but if it's not Valentine's Day, I prefer their chocolate cakes. The Diamantaire is special because of the heart shape and crystals.
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Sounds very special and delicious! I'll have to remember it for next Valentine's Day.
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Two Little Red Hens on the UES makes wonderful cakes and desserts. Everything they make looks and tastes awesome and qualifies as a "super special dessert".
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I'm sorry to say that I bought a cake from Two Little Red Hens last week and it was a huge disappointment (and I've been buying from them from years). The buttercream was so thick that there was actually more of it than there was cake, and it was cloyingly sweet too. The only people who enjoyed it were under the age of 6. It was really bad.
I hope it was an anomalous experience.
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Just for a different take - I go for the more fun and a bit less fancy types of dessert. Mine are always one of these 3:
1. Bannana Pudding from Magnolia
2. The "composte cookies"and a few jars of "cereal milk" from Milk Bar
3. Chocolate Chip and Walnut cookies from Lavain Bakery.
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are u planning on taking stuff to go or do u want a place to sit in have dessert and coffee?
a few of my favorite bakery items that I can remember right now are
Levain's chocolate chip walnut cookie
Sullivan street bakery-bread pudding
Two little red hens-cheesecake, cupcakes (especially ginger) note: (I've had a bad pumpkin pie from them)
dessert truck-nutella donuts, buttermilk panna cotta
build a tree bakery-pumpkin pie
My favorite dessert places to take a date are
Bruno (really good gelato), Veniero's, Spot, and Ferrara but they will all probaby be really crowded on V day.
BTW if I were you I'd stop be Kee's chocolate. Maybe you can call them and order some chocolates and pick it up tomorrow. They are not a bakery but their chocolates are really super special desserts.
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There are some really good suggestions on this thread already. I'll just throw out 2 more ... I really love the chocolate cupcakes at Kyotofu (I don't remember what they are called). They are so rich and delightful. I know you can buy boxes, not just individuals. Also, both DH and I adore S&S Cheesecake -- although it's from the Bronx they are available at Zabar's. S&S also makes a chocolate mousse cake that is quite good (and exceedingly rich). But I don't know if they are available at Zabar's too (we bought it in the Bronx).
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these are great ideas! i am really grateful. thanks so much for taking the time!
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Let us know what you decide. I received a box of Kee's chocolates and Coco Fraise cake from Cannelle :)
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Sant Ambroeus makes fantastic desserts!
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we brought the diamantaire from payard and it was gorgeous (kind of a hoot to to look at) and delicious. very special. now i have to eat my way through the rest of these suggestions. i really appreciate the help!
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