You’ll want to skip the starter and bypass the main course with our guide to star chef’s signature desserts. Ask your lifestyle manager to make bookings at any of the below and to check that each dish is available as menus constantly change.
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon: le chocolat tendance
13-15 West Street, London WC2H 9NE
Manjari chocolate. Dark chocolate sorbet. Oreo chocolate cookie crumbs. Joël Robuchon’s tendance is a compact mass of cocoa that threatens even the strictest of diets. A velvety mousse made from a floral Madagascan chocolate is spiked with the gentle bitter notes of the sorbet, while cookie crumbs give it a satisfyingly crunchy bite.
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester: rum baba
The Dorchester, Park Lane, London W1K 1QA
‘This is the best rum baba in London, without exception,’ says restaurant expert Hernan Castro-Vidal. The syrup-coated sponge makes a grand entrance on a silver platter before it is ceremonially split, doused in rum and crowned with Chantilly cream. ‘Most restaurants only serve the baba with one type of rum, but Alain Ducasse offers a selection of high-quality spirits to choose from. If you’re unsure, ask the staff to give you a steer.’
Those keen to taste the baba au rhum can call us to book a table, or for a copy of the recipe – also served at Alain Ducasse's restaurants Le Louis XV in Monaco and Plaza Athénée in Paris – which he has given us.
Koffmann's: soufflé aux pistaches et sa glace
The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RL
In 2003 Pierre Koffmann closed La Tante Claire, his three-Michelin-starred Chelsea venue, and embarked on a hiatus from the kitchen. While the great chef spent his time fishing and relaxing, London’s food lovers mourned the loss of his pistachio soufflé. This signature dish, however, has returned to the capital to sate the cravings of Koffmann devotees and give the uninitiated a compelling reason to visit Knightsbridge.
His soufflé is a pale green cumulus cloud into which a charge of pistachio ice cream is plunged on serving. Hernan says: ‘Koffmann’s soufflé is very delicate, with a mild pistachio flavour. The day we visited the restaurant it was on the excellent set lunch menu.’
The Fat Duck: tasting menu
1 High Street, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AQ
Heston Blumenthal’s dessert section on The Fat Duck’s tasting menu embodies the freewheeling, off-kilter creativity that’s earned him a reputation as a culinary sorcerer.
Following the fish course, it’s time for the palate to be cleansed as a cup of tea is brought to the table. However, this is no ordinary brew, with one half piping hot and the other ice cold. There’s no chance to ask questions as a deconstructed apple, fennel and rose tart appears, before the waiter sprays a musky scent in the air and the ‘BFG’ is whisked in from the kitchen. This cube of rich and creamy gateau, served with a punchy kirsch ice cream, mixes with the smell settling over the table to create a sensory dining experience like no other. To top it off, diners go home with a goody bag full of sweets.
Wabi: kuro mori
38 East Street, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1HL
Sushi is roundly praised for its healthy properties, which means diners at Horsham’s Wabi restaurant can enjoy some guilt-free indulgence at the end of their meal. The kuro mori is warm chocolate cream with black cherries, cherry liqueur and matcha stick, presented with a gentle grace that belies its potent cocoa punch.
Hernan comments: ‘The presentation of the dessert is simple and elegant, but it provides a powerful chocolate kick, which is accentuated if it’s accompanied by a warming winter cocktail.’
Mr Underhill’s: hot fondant beetroot tart, carrot ice cream, pea custard and black pepper caramel
Dinham Weir, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1EH
The eight-course market menu changes daily, making it almost impossible to pin down their best dessert, but this hot beetroot fondant has become a favourite among the West Midlands’ foodies, and when the ingredients are in season it will grace the menu as much as possible. Chef and owner Chris Bradley has a knack for turning savoury to sweet and never holds back on his unusual flavour combinations. So much so that on the restaurant’s menu he writes ‘yes, it works’ after some of the more unusual dishes.
Call us to reserve a table; we recommend booking for early spring when the walled garden with views of Ludlow castle opens.
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