The Crispery

You can’t really go wrong with a Rice Krispie treat, especially one that’s cut in half and stuffed with chocolate cookies and extra marshmallow fluff.  The Crispery’s treats stayed remarkably fresh over the course of a week, a testament to the secret recipe, containing no butter or trans fat, and the marshmallow within.  The flavor’s not as authentic as Mom’s but it’s pretty close and at $2.95 for one massive treat, how can you complain?

Chocolate Cookie & Marshmallow

Momofuku Milk Bar (website)

Imagine this: a pretzel topped chunky peanut butter Reese’s cup gives way to salty-sweet caramel studded with bits of crunchy toffee, all supported by a chocolate cookie crust.  It’s a balanced texture and flavor adventure.  Thank you David Chang, Christina Tosi & Marian Mar for making dreams a reality.  But almost $5.50 for a tiny sliver of this deliciousness? That’s a little exorbitant.

You’ve been forewarned fellow eaters, the portion size of the Candy Bar Pie does not match the price.  You owe it to yourself, however, to at least give it a try because in the end, I don’t know where you’re finding anything this decadent, delicious and unique for this price.

The crunchy exterior provided by a bed of crushed pretzel gives way to decadent, silky deliciousness.

Southampton Tea Truffle ($2.25)

The favorite bon bon of co-owner & London-trained chocolatier Rachel Zoe Insler, the hand-rolled Southampton Tea Truffle is the largest of Bespoke’s chocolates.  The subtly fruity flavor of imported apricot infused black tea is steeped (infused) in the cream used to make these chocolates.  Like the pretzel-covered sea-salted caramel, the flavor of the light and creamy Caribbean chocolate also moves in waves over your taste buds.

Apricot, chocolate and a fleeting hint of tea take turns at the forefront of your tongue, leaving in their wake a surprisingly refreshing flavor uncharacteristic of a dark chocolate bon bon.

Passion fruit White Chocolate ($2.25)

If you’ve never tasted Venezuelan white chocolate, the time is now.  The deodorized chocolate offers the creaminess of white chocolate without the overwhelming sweetness, resulting in a much cleaner flavor.  This is the perfect receptacle for the vibrantly flavored passion fruit filling which really pops upon first taste.  I’ve never experienced such a perfectly sharp contrast between fruit and chocolate.

Chai Spice ($2.25)

One of just three milk chocolate items on Bespoke’s menu, cinnamon was the dominant flavor in the chai spice bon bon, subduing the flavor of the creamy milk chocolate.  I’m an opportunist when it comes to chocolate, usually leaning towards milk, but in the case of Bespoke, I’d stick to the complex and rich dark chocolate.

Hazelnut Praline ($2.25)

Praline, I learned from Rachel, is actually the “caramelized paste of roasted hazelnuts and almonds.”  And if you use high quality Chocolate Weiss praline (”better than Valrhona”, according to Rachel), the result is a flavor more intensely hazelnut than Nutella.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

And speaking of Nutella, you’re now able to pass on the brand name spread and treat yourself to Bespoke’s intensely flavored version.  The tiny sample I tasted offered a smokey and delicate decadence which regular Nutella could never match.

Finding Bespoke Chocolates

First take a look at the Google map (link) I’ve provided, then familiarize yourself with the photos below and you’ll have no problem finding Bespoke Chocolates, nestled on Extra Place, off 1st street between 2nd Avenue & Bowery.

Bespoke Chocolates (Website)

Eat your heart out Mom, we no longer need your mixing spoon.

Yes, that is caramel filling. And yes, it is smiling at you.

Batch (Website)

Dragon Devil’s Food Cake ($2.95)

NYC Food Guy’s Favorite at Batch

Devil’s Food Buttermilk Cake, Caramel Filling, Valhrona Chocolate Frosting,Valhrona Chocolate Pearls

Pure decadence, in regard to flavor and texture, is what set this cupcake apart from the other two I tried.  Rich dark chocolate frosting and airy cake are contrasted by the sweetness of slightly smokey caramel oozing from the cupcake’s center.  The lack of reliance on sugar as the main flavor is a testament to the high quality ingredients used in all of Pichet Ong’s desserts.  Attempt to exhibit self control by letting the cupcakes rest after being removed from the refrigerator.

The Velvet ($2.95) & Black & White ($2.95)

Both of these cupcakes sounded too delicious to pass on.  Unfortunately, neither truly wowed.

“The Velvet’s” slightly bitter chocolate filling was the only redeeming flavor amidst an out of place cream cheese frosting that was spread a bit too thick and a coarse cake lacking any beet or strawberry flavor.

The lemon flavored vanilla filling of the “Black and White” ruined what I hoped would be an experience reminiscent of a vanilla cream filled chocolate Hostess cupcake.  I’m not a fan of butter cream frosting in general and Batch’s version didn’t change that.

Ovaltine Pudding ($4.95)

You can never go wrong combining banana with Rice Krispies (as proven by The Volstead’s chocolate fondue) but in the case of this pudding, the deliciousness ended there.  The chalky and slightly sweet chocolate pudding gives way to ripe banana and the awkward nutmeg-tinged chocolate soil.

The caramelized Rice Krispies redeemed this dish, providing serious crunch and the lingering flavor of smoky caramel.  I would order these to snack on by themselves.

Jack’s Stir Brew (Website)

Aunt Rosie’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies ($1.00)

Aunt Rosie definitely knows a thing or two about chocolate chip cookies but I hope she isn’t banking on her baking ability to take her to the top.  As you bite into the crisp edges of this thin cookie, a chewy and buttery center greets you with a healthy amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a great homemade flavor.

I won’t be running back to Jack’s for their chocolate chip cookie the way I would for Levain’s, but if I happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted a cozy place to grab some organic shade-grown coffee, Aunt Rosie’s cookie would be a welcome accompaniment.

Roasting Plant (Website)

Cookie Dough Shots  – $1.08

The handful of times my Mom baked cookies, licking the delicious raw dough off the mixing spoon was a major no-no.  One dip in the batter was all that was allowed.  When I was old enough to purchase raw cookie dough on my own, my friend and I rushed to the supermarket and devoured the roll of Toll House dough like paranoid junkies, looking over our shoulders to make sure no one would interfere with our gluttonous moment.  Maybe things weren’t quite as extreme for you, but on the odd chance they were, Roasting Plant has changed everything with this genius idea.

The eggs are pasteurized so there’s no chance of salmonella poisoning (Mom really does know best), and the cookie dough is delicious.  Homemade chewy dough filled with a surprisingly large amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips possesses that deliciously grainy quality that only undissolved sugar and butter mixed together could create.  It’s heaven in a tiny plastic container and it’s just over $1.  Thanks to Serious Eats for the discovery.

Chocolate Croissant

This unassuming bubble of buttery, airy goodness is one of the better croissants I’ve had and it has nothing to do with the sparse strip of fudgey chocolate hidden inside.

A light, slightly salty skin encompasses an airy hole structure that provides a refreshing lightness greasier croissants can only dream about possessing.  I didn’t even mind the lack of chocolate in one half of the pastry because the croissant itself is that tasty.

Chocolate Croissant

As far as chocolate croissants go, this doesn’t rank high on my list.  Crispy bits of dark chocolate emerge from the end of an extremely buttery outer shell which upon first slice reveals an interior that isn’t as flaky or delicate as I had hoped.

The airy yet chewy inner croissant houses soft, mousse-like chocolate which was the croissant’s saving grace and a nice departure from the fudgey and hard chocolate usually found in most chocolate croissants.

Chocolate Rugelach

Nothing like the tiny, cream cheese infused rugelach you would find at most bakeries, Pinisi’s version is very similar to the chocolate croissant.  The main differences are a chocolate-dipped exterior and denser insides.  Regardless, the taste wasn’t close to the rich, decadent rugelach I’ve grown up with at Bruce’s Bakery in Great Neck, Long Island and Manhattan.  Not that I’m someone to worry about calories, but I wouldn’t waste them on the rugelach next time.

Pistachio Cupcake – My favorite discovery of the the bunch

I’m a big fan of  salted pistachios and naturally flavored pistachio ice cream but this was my first foray into the world of pistachio cupcakes and after tasting Pinisi’s I regret that I hadn’t tried one sooner. A deliciously green, pillowy cupcake strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and pistachio.

It’s crowned by light cream cheese frosting sprinkled with chopped pistachios, the latter of which adds a little crunch to contrast the airy cake.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Chees Frosting & A Cheesecake Base

While it looks delicious, my reaction was more “Hmm” than “Mmm”.  One wonders how this interesting combination could possibly go wrong but the answer is simple: the red velvet cake was too dense to provide the light middle ground between the cream cheese frosting up top and the rich cheesecake below.  The cheesecake, although tasty, was overkill.  It didn’t really combine with either of the other components of the cake to create the harmony of flavors I was hoping for.

Australian Packaging, Worldly Deliciousness

You haven’t heard of them because they’re Australian, which only makes them more awesome.  But now, Pepperidge Farm is selling Tim Tams at Target stores until March 2009, which means we only have 5 months to stock up on Tim Tams and tell Pepperidge Farm we want them to stay.  Good thing for us, Tuck Shop, on 1st Street between 1st & 2nd Avenue, is selling Tim Tams FOREVER! I’ve introduced them to at least a dozen people in the last few weeks and everyone says they’re delicious.

Australia & America, Together At Last

Amazingly, Tim Tams are not even the most delicious dessert at Tuck Shop, where they specialize in Australian street food (nothing like the Halal Guys).  In fact, two of the best desserts I’ve ever had can only be found at Tuck Shop: Lamingtons and Vanilla Slice. Click here for even MORE deliciousness.

Tuck Shop’s Official Website

You can buy Tim Tams in two varieties: Caramel & Chocolate Creme. I opt for the chocolate creme because I find the caramel an unnecessary distraction to the deliciousness of the silky chocolate creme.  You should buy these for the Tim Tam Slam alone.  Pepperidge Farm should put Tim Tam Slam instructions on the box.  But since they don’t, read on…

Tim Tam Slam: Bite off both ends of a Tim Tam and use it as a straw for hot chocolate or coffee. The result is a mess of warm, melty chocolate deliciouness.  Get some now and don’t forget to contact Pepperidge Farm and tell them WE WANT TIM TAMS TO STAY!

Alas, sometimes love isn’t enough in this unforgiving city, that’s why Jen & Charley, the great people behind PMS, offer their sugary goodies at some of the best coffee houses in New York City. Check out their awesome video, find out where you can eat their delicious desserts and then go tell your friends to do the same. Read on for Loco Coco Nutty Bars, Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches, Surprisingly Delicious Vegan Cupcakes and the best Peanut Butter Cup in the World…

Peanut Butter Blast aka The Best Peanut Butter Cup Ever

Unreal. Think a Reese’s Cup on steroids. A thick layer of milk chocolate rests atop a healthy layer of salty, creamy peanut butter, all on top of a tiny chocolate chunk cookie. The hint of salt in the peanut butter and cookie combine with sweet chocolate for a flavor trip that puts Reese’s to shame. Of the 9 delicacies I sampled, this was the only one where I ate the entire thing.

Chocolate on top, chocolate chunk cookie on the bottom, peanut butter in the middle. Heaven.

Mooney Mood Pie

Really good. It’s a chocolate chip/peanut cookie with peanut nougat filling. The cookies are firm yet chewy and you get a great textural adventure with the combo of the cookie’s crunchy peanuts and the creaminess of the filling. A truly delicious cookie.

Chocolately, Crunchy, Creamy & Peanut Buttery; this cookie has it all.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Chocolate Discs! Forget about chocolate chips, discs are the wave of the future. When you break this cookie apart, you hear the sounds of deliciousness: strands of rich, buttery cookie separating and making way for shards of fudgy, pure-tasting chocolate which appear in every delicious bite.

Looks can be deceiving, like these huge chunks of delicious chocolate hiding inside this unassuming cookie.

Vegan Cupcake

I know, I know, Vegan?! Keep an open mind. This is one really tasty cupcake. The ratio between the moist and airy Devil’s food cake and the tall coating of coffee-flavored chocolate frosting is perfect.

Nothing but chocolate and love. I’d take this over Magnolia’s corporate cupcakes any day of the week.

Loco Coco Nutty Bar

Before you go loco, let’s break this down: A graham-oat bottom, a layer of coconut and chocolate chips, a massive layer of fudge topped with pecans. What seems like an unbelievable idea was tasty but lacking in the buttery department, particularly in the graham-oat bottom. The healthy layer of coconut really saved this for me. I credit my disappointment to a bad batch, nothing with this combo of ingredients could fall short twice.

Power Brownie

The high hopes I had for this milk chocolate chunk-studded brownie melted when I realized it was more cakey than fudgey. That’s just preference. The flavor, however, was interesting: chocolate with a hint of what tasted like maple syrup. More fudge, less maple, and this is a happy Food Guy.

Oatmeal Raisin

Cinnamon! It screams out at you upon every bite. This chewy, buttery cookie is filled with tasty oats, but the best bites combine the plump, tart raisin with the sweet surrounding cookie. Balance is achieved and voila: cookie bliss.

Raisin Coconut Oat

Hopes were high for this coconut creation but in the end the cookie more closely resembled the Oatmeal Raisin, in consistency and flavor. You could see the coconut but you couldn’t really taste it.

Coconut, Coconut, wherefore art thou Coconut? I can see it but I can’t really taste it.

Chocolate Dipt Peanut Butter

A peanut butter cookie dipped in hard milk chocolate and dusted with chopped peanuts. The chocolate side is very sweet but the peanut butter cookie is perfect; light, a little creamy and not too heavy on the peanut flavor. You can taste quality ingredients. I’d be more content with a chocolate drizzle similar to the Raisin coconut oat.

So Where Can You Find These Awesome Cookies?

88 Orchard Orchard St. & Broome

Café Angelique Bleecker b/t Broadway & Lafayette

Café Angelique Bleecker & Grove

Grounded Jane Street & W4th

Joe Waverly & Gay Streets

Joe E13th b/t Broadway & University

Joe Grand Central Terminal Graybar entrance

Joe 23rd & 9th Ave

71 Irving Irving & 19th st

Irving Farms 7th ave b/t 13th & 14th

Gramstand Ave A b/t 13th & 14th

Gimme Coffee 228 Mott St b/t Prince & Spring

Juicy Lucy Avenue A b/t E5 & E6th St.

Klatch Maiden Lane & Broadway

V Bar Sullivan b/t W3rd/W4th

York Theatre Company 54th B/W Lexington & 3rd

You can also order cookies directly from PMS Kookies at their Website: PMSKookieCompany.com

Cookie Tower: Choc. Chip Pecan, Double Choc. Walnut, Oatmeal Raisin w/ Walnut

Chocolate Discs are Better Than Chocolate Chips

Like the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies, Petrossian uses dark chocolate discs to make sure there’s fudgy chocolate in every bite of their chocolate chip pecan cookie.

The crisp, clean-tasting dark chocolate is a double threat. It’s fudgy and decadent in the middle while also blending with the cookie edges to create a crisp and buttery outside and base. The pecans enhance only the texture, adding some crunch, without changing the overall flavor.

Double Chocolate Paradox

Levain’s Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie is so buttery and decadent I simply call it “death by chocolate.” Petrossian’s double chocolate walnut cookie is more like a meringue, with a crisp and thin chewy exterior encasing innards which are simultaneously light, airy and fudgy. The walnuts are sparingly dispersed but when you do find one, they taste as if they’ve been toasted and provide a nice crunch and flavor.

A Great Take on a Classic

Oatmeal cookies tend to go the way of the bagel, they were great until all the good bagel stores closed and Dunkin Donuts took over. Nowadays its as hard finding a great bagel as it is finding a great oatmeal cookie. Petrossian makes a great oatmeal cookie. Hints of maple and cinnamon mingle with crunchy bits of walnut and chewy bits of raisin. The cookie itself is almost cake-like on the inside but it’s crisp on the outside, fortified by toasted oats, the flavor of which tastes homemade and lingers after every bite.

Petrossian

911 Seventh Avenue between 57th & 58th Street

Vanilla Liege ($4) with Nutella (+$1), Strawberries (+$1) & Powdered Sugar

Cinnamon Liege ($4) with Nutella (+$1) & Whipped Cream (+$1)

What’s a Liege Wafel?

• Smaller, sweeter and denser than regular Belgain Waffles
• Covered in a caramelized sugar coating giving it a lightly sweet flavor.
• According to the Wafels & Dinges Truck Menu, Liege is the “other” Belgian wafel, the one the Belgians kept secret from the world. It’s packed with sugar pearls that burst with irresistible aromas and caramelized flavors.

I don’t know about any “bursting”, but I do know Liege wafels are damn tasty.

Vanilla Liege with Nutella, Strawberries & Powdered Sugar

Why is the Cinnamon Liege better than Vanilla?

Nutella is essential for any delicious wafel, so in this case it was the equalizer, covering the surface of the cinnamon and vanilla liege. So why is the cinnamon better? One reason, and I quote my first Wafels & Dingers post to find it…

“It tastes like a hot Cinnabon with the consistency and texture of the best Cinnamon Danish you’ve ever had, airy, yet fibrous and dense all at once.”

Cinnamon Liege with Nutella & Whipped Cream (above & below)

“Wafel of Massive Deliciousness”

Imagine this: Any wafel with as many dinges (toppings) as you want for just $7.  That’s a wafel plus unlimited toppings for $7 total. Wafles & Dinges calls it “pimping” your wafel, NYC Food Guy calls it the potential end of his 34-inch waistline.

Here’s a list of available dinges:

• Strawberries
• Whipped Cream
• Nutella
• Dulce De Leche
• Maple Syrup
• Belgian Chocolate Fudge

Conclusion

There you have it, the cinnamon liege combines the best of a Cinnabon and an amazing danish all covered in Nutella. The vanilla liege can’t provide anything close to that, no matter what toppings you add. Stick with the NYC Food Guy, I won’t disappoint.

Wafels & Dinges Truck

• What: These simple cookies are simply delicious.  A macaroon-like cookie filled with chewy almond paste and topped with crunchy pignoli (pine) nuts.  If you’re feeling bold, prepare dip the cookie in some Dulce De Leche ice cream. Unreal.
• Website: http://www.venierospastry.com/
• Where: 342 East 11st Street off 1st Avenue NY, NY 10003 212-674-7070
• Inside info: Have an iced cappuccino with a scoop of espresso gelato at the cafe next to the bakery, its a great place for coffee and dessert.  If you’re taking out from the bakery, however, grab a number as soon as you can and map out your dessert plan.  Mini cheesecakes and canolis are delicious but the chocolate cake with chocolate icing and sprinkles was mediocre.

More Great Desserts Here