There is an art to putting together a restaurant-style plated dessert. With a little practice and a good sense of style, you can definitely put an upscale twist on your at-home dessert presentations, but starting out with a guide that will teach you the ins-and-outs of creating these impressive desserts is an easier way to begin. To get you started, I’m giving away a copy of The Dessert Architect to one lucky reader. The cookbook, which I’ve reviewed before, is written by Robert Wemischner and teaches you the fundamentals of putting together plated desserts with detailed information about the foundations of these desserts and many tempting recipes. To be completely honest, it is also terrific for food bloggers looking for some new presentation ideas.
To enter the contest, leave a comment below with the best dessert you’ve had at a restaurant – whether it’s a neighborhood favorite or a splurge restaurant you visited on vacation. Don’t forget to mention what city the restaurant is in so we can all make a note to give it a try if/when we’re in town! Simple and elaborate desserts will both do, so don’t worry if you’re favorite isn’t something particularly fancy. The contest ends Sunday, February 26th at midnight and the winner will be randomly selected from the entries. Don’t forget to fill in your e-mail on the comment form (it will not be public), as that is how I will contact the winner, and good luck!
Update: This contest is now closed. Thanks for entering, everyone. Congrats to Madison on winning the book!
Sara Redlin
February 23, 2012My favorite restaurant dessert was the Chocolate Fondue at Eno Vino here in Madison, WI. It’s nothing super fancy but the amience there is just so cozy and it’s the perfect dessert for snuggling up and sharing!
Sara Redlin
February 23, 2012*ambiance, oops!
Kristina
February 23, 2012Without a doubt, anything from Andre’s Confiserie Suisse in Kansas City, MO. They have a few other locations as well, but Kansas City is the original. Their desserts, pastries and chocolates are UNBELIEVABLE. I have an obsession with them and go back every time I visit.
Rachel
February 23, 2012The best desert I have ever had is an ice cream sandwich from Scream Sorbet in Oakland which is a small local business that only uses ingredients from the San Francisco bay area. It was a cardamom orange cookie with pistachio sorbet. FABULOUS!
Allie M.
February 23, 2012Any pie at Mama Dip’s in Chapel Hill, NC
Judy
February 23, 2012There is this grilled blueberry muffin at my local diner. It’s amazing and I’ve never heard of it before this place. Yum!
Ashley J.
February 23, 2012Peach ice cream at a hotel restaurant in New York. It was years ago and I don’t remember the specific hotel, but the peach ice cream was phenomenal!
Liz
February 23, 2012I love the gelato – especially the coconut and black current ones in Montreal at a little place called Pagliacci. Delicious!
Janet
February 23, 2012The butterscotch and chocolate pot de creme at Town Hall in SF – so delicious.
Sara
February 23, 2012I love the ice cream tempura from KYO Sushi & Steak in Monsey, NY
Jackie
February 23, 2012the best dessert? it was the bourbon bread pudding at heaven sent desserts in san diego. SO GOOD. <33
Cindy B.
February 23, 2012The the best dessert I’ve had at a restaurant is peach cobbler, at Golden Coral in Albany, Ga.
Laurie
February 23, 2012My favorite dessert is the chocolate ganache cheesecake at Raw Aura in Mississauga. So creamy, smooth, and chocolatey!
BakingTray
February 23, 2012Oriental Love – it was like a coconut macaron sandwich with banana, pandan cream and passionfruit curd filling! so yummyy! Lux Bite, South Yarra, Melbourne AUSTRALIA 🙂
Samantha
February 24, 2012The best dessert I ever ate was the bread pudding at La Louisianne Express in Simi Valley, California.
Vivian
February 24, 2012I’d have to go with the flourless chocolate cake at Bonefish Grill in Paramaus NJ. It’s absolutely huge, and topped with vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and slivered almonds. My go-to dessert for celebrations 😀
bente scott
February 24, 2012The best dessert I ever had was the Coconut Cake at Peninsula Grill in Charleston SC, it definitely lived up to all its hype.
Agricultural Commodity Exports
February 24, 2012I love icecream of chocolate flavour & vanilla as well. But, i dont know the recipe. Sorry…
doris
February 24, 2012An apple cobbler at the Berkley Cafe in Berkley Michigan
Brenda
February 24, 2012Rock Cake from the ST bakery and cafe’ in Dallas TX sadly they had to close their door due to the weak economy.
Jeanne ODonnell
February 24, 2012Triple chocolate torte with chocolate dipped strawberries at The Terrace bay Inn in little old Gladstone, Michigan. That is in the upper peninsula!
Amy Johnson
February 24, 2012I don’t know why but it looks like my comment got deleted? The best I know of is the Fruits of the Forest Gateau with Dark Chocolate from Patisserie Valerie. It’s fruity and sweet goodness. Vanilla cake with cream and berries with chocolate. It’s stationed in Oxford, England, which is out the way, but makes the perfect thing to drool over when you’re a hungry study abroad student at 7 in the morning.
sarah
February 24, 2012The best dessert I’ve had was one of the dessert specials at JK O’Donnells in Fort Wayne Indiana. Chocolate raspberry mousse, so delicious!!!! They don’t serve it often enough, thankfully their regular chocolate mousse is quite yummy too.
Malinda
February 24, 2012A delicious I don’t know how many layer red velvet cake from a local favorite, Fat Hen Grill!
Sarah S
February 24, 2012I just had some Dulce de Leche crepes at Nada in Cincinnati this past weekend which were out of this world!
Lauren
February 24, 2012Opera Cake from Amphoras bakery in Herndon, VA
Holly
February 24, 2012I guess I’m easy on dessert. I usually don’t order dessert when out to eat, I’m usually too full to do so. However, I love making desserts.
I’m just going to go simple with the Raspberry Cheesecake at the Olive Garden. Simple, but good!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
February 24, 2012When I was on my honeymoon in Italy, I had an unbelievable dessert that combined a warm chocolate cake with a rich chocolate semi-fredo, it was amazing!
Anna
February 24, 2012My favorite was the cheesecake at a local restaurant! First time I’ve ever had it and it definetly made an impression.
dena
February 24, 2012My favorite was trio of microscopic chocolate cuties (which I could remember the dessert’s name) at Daniel in NYC. Each was no bigger than a teaspoon.
grace
February 24, 2012that’s a toughie. most recently, i had a coconut cream pie that was outstanding.
Leigh Reynolds
February 24, 2012Bread Pudding at the Bon Ton Restaurant in New Orleans.
YUM YUM.
Linda
February 24, 2012Delicious “Lemon Bars” the best I’ve ever eaten in a Denver restaurant called Nadines! Thanks for a neat giveaway!
Karen
February 24, 2012Strawberry Nutella Crepes at a little place off the wharf in Monterey, CA
jamie
February 24, 2012my favorite is a twist to the typical traditional korean dessert called “paht bing soo” (red bean shaved ice). they serve it at a flower shop/cafe called ‘scent’ on wilshire and serrano in los angeles! instead of the red bean they made it with sweet pumpkin! it has the pumpkin with ice cream, fruits, rice cake, syrup, and shaved ice! it is the most sweet and refreshing dessert especially during the summer!
Simran
February 24, 2012Just one, like really! Okay, the one that comes to mind immediately is the chocolate jalapeño souffle at Indigo Deli in Mumbai.
Derrick
February 24, 2012I like cookies dipped into creamy rice pudding
Jenny
February 24, 2012Creme brulee!
Sarah @ Cooker Girl
February 24, 2012Eating gelato every day while we were in Italy.
delia
February 24, 2012Chocolate cake, simple but very tasty
Denise O
February 24, 2012One of our local Indian Casinos, Chuckchansi, has an incredible selection of baked goods. Their coconut macarons are practically the size of my head, you can get them dipped in chocolate or not, and they are out of this world good!!! It takes me a couple days to eat one, but I still won’t share with my husband!!
Elaine M
February 24, 2012the godiva chocolate souffle at Eddie V’s in Austin, Tx.
Margot Core
February 25, 2012I have never forgotten having ‘Mile High Ice Cream Pie’ at the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans when I was a kid growing up there. Here’s someone showing how to make it: http://www.sauceandsensibility.com/?p=371 It’s basically pie crust, ice cream and a gigantic meringue top. I guess that you have to cook it really quickly, I’ve never made it ~ maybe I will now.
Stacy
February 25, 2012Love the matcha opera cake at Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki.
Joan
February 25, 2012Chocolate lava cake from 555 in California.
LaChelle
February 25, 2012The Molten Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Sauce at Barnstable Tarven on cape cod ma is quite tasty
Ben
February 25, 2012Lemon Icebox Pie from Ouisie’s Table in Houston.
June
February 25, 2012Banana cream pie at The Wheel Restaurant in Benson, Vermont. It is a quarter of a homemade pastry pie shell filled with bananas, cream filling, and whipped cream
upon ordering. Very fresh and a good dessert to share.
stylefriendly
February 25, 2012Decadent chocolate cheesecake with multiple layers.
Marnely Rodriguez
February 25, 2012On Martha’s Vineyard at the MV Chowder Co.: Flourless Choco Cake, Coffee Ice Cream, Caramel Coffee Brittle! SOO good!