LONDON
I'm going to update this list regularly as I eat more desserts but so far my favourites are listed below. p.s I dislike very sweet / very creamy desserts.
Millefeuille - Hedone - Chiswick
This is the world's best millefeuille! The texture is just incredible, everything melts instantly. Super light, just not sure how millefeuille can be made this way. Maybe someone need to request Hedone to release a cookbook.
Millefeuille - Casse Croute - Bermondsey
The first time I had millefeuille at Casse Croute it was overcooked and quite hard. But the second time it was spot on, slightly heavier than the Hedone version but still excellent, especially for London standards.
Pistachio and strawberry tart - Casse Croute
They only have this in the summer. It's incredibly summery and refreshing. Must order if you spot it on their menu! p.s I may have developed a habit of stalking Casse Croute's twitter feed...
Vanilla / hot cross bun doughnut - Bread Ahead
No doubt that everyone in London knows the best doughnuts are found at Bread Ahead, Borough Market. In fact I don't even like doughnuts but these are exceptions. It's not the doughnut itself that I like so much but the super light cream inside. My favourite flavours are vanilla and hot cross bun. Beware, very addictive.
Pastries - Little Bread Pedlar / Monmouth
I'm not ashamed to say that I've tried every single pastry from LBP. London is not like Paris where I can find good pastries easily. Take croissant for example, it's either too sweet, too pale or too rich. No one seem to be able to get it right in London. Maybe apart from Hedone's perfect croissants but those are harder to find. Little Bread Pedlar sell their pastries at all the Monmouth shops and at Spa Terminus on Saturdays where I normally go to pick up some sourdough bread too. Can't really say which one is my favourite, everything is really good. Morning coffee at Monmouth with a croissant / pain du chocolat is just such a great experience. Just make sure to avoid the Borough market weekend queue!
Maitre Choux - South Kensington
I find myself looking for good French patisserie in London and fail 90% of the time, then shoot off to Paris to satisfy my craving. The choux at Maitre Choux is really decent, especially for London standards and made so beautifully. I always see people just staring through the window and admiring how beautiful all the creations are. I've tried all their flavours and everyone has their own preference. I love the coffee and salted caramel choux and eclairs.
Yeast Bakery - Broadway Market Saturday
Yeast bakery supplies a few cafe's in London with their delicious danish and pastries. On Saturday, they run a shop at Broadway Market (near Ellory restaurant, Netil market end), which sells these amazing Kouign amann, they look really different from the classic but are very very buttery and delicious.
Rhubarb and almond tart - St John
I really love the St John bar, not the restaurant (which is good too). The natural light at the bar is so beautiful and you can order as many dishes as you like without being confined to the 3 course menu. This rhubarb and almond tart was just spot on, the crunch, the cream, the refreshing rhubarb and not very sweet. Hit all the boxes for me.
Pastel de nata - Lisboa Patisserie
These are the best Portuguese egg tarts in London. I know everyone loves the oozy ones from Taberna do mercado but I prefer these ones a lot more (also much cheaper). I went back to Taberna do recently and tried it again after its set and it was very very nice too.
Bakewell Tart / Apple Pie - Scotts
If I want to go somewhere for English desserts, I'd go St John (including Bread & Wine) or Scotts. The seafood dishes at Scotts are amazing too but not as stunning as their English desserts. The main star is the pastry, buttery and light. The apple pie is the best I've ever had and so were their the Bakewell tart (but a lot sweeter than the apple pie, can't finish a whole one).
Brown sugar tart - Ledbury
This is Ledbury's most famous dessert. I don't think they'll ever be able to take it off the menu because everyone would request it!
Bageriet - Swedish Bakery in Covent Garden
Bageriet is one of my favourite bakeries in London. It's not a fancy cake place but everything is made with soul, excellent technique and good ingredients. I've tried most things from the bakery, including cinnamon buns, coconut macaroons, raspberry and hazelnut caves. Everything has been excellent. The egg tart is one of the most interesting cakes I've ever had, as soon as I tasted it my definition of dessert just transformed. I tasted salt, then this duck egg yolk flavour kicked in, followed by sweetness of the pastry, such a magical and hard to explain experience. It doesn't appear often, watch out for it. Photo below is the sugar pretzel bun, which is probably the softest thing I'll ever find. Pillow doesn't even explain how soft it was, amazing technique.
End of the Eclair - Broadway Market
Finding these beautiful eclairs were a wonderful surprise at Broadway Market, which really shows how London is transforming. Compared to the Michelin star patisserie chef made eclairs at Maitre Choux, these seem more rustic and home made but they are just as good, some flavours seem to be even better. Unfortunately it's only available on weekends when Broadway Market is on. Follow her twitter for updates!
