Ten Top Surprising Must-Try Ethnic Desserts

(Gerry Furth-Sides) These local Ten to try local desserts are the best in the world, full of fascinating flavors and textures — and even shapes. Even if you are not a dessert lover, these might change your mind; they did change mine. Pictured above is our original list. The Mont Blanc and Praline Bar from Susina Bakery and the Merengue Chip at Le Pain De Quotidien (top left), and the Chocolate Meringue Stick Cake second from bottom, right column, are still superb but no longer available!

(1) Bouchon

This little bouncy, lump of a flourless chocolate cake was introduced to me as “the best chocolate thing you ever ate” at the Culver City Farmers Market. And it is! I went back for more, and also ordered from the bakery nearby.

Pastry school graduates, Sylvia and Sam, a Parisian couple, who moved to LA in 2015 have been the bakers (and company staff) from the beginning. Sam graduated from Ferrandi school in France and honed his experience at places famous for deserts, such as Spago Restaurant and Bottega Louie. When Sam is not in the kitchen experimenting, shares their culture and passion for gastronomy at the farmers markets. And Kathy (below)is the smiling presence at the farmers market counters when Sam is in the kitchen.

Jean DELVIGNE, her beloved baker grandfather, inspired them. To honor his name they use a traditional recipe with seasonal ingredients from California and a grass-fed butter from France.

This and their other delectable pastries, breads and croissants are at the Culver City Farmers Market on Tuesdays and at the Studio City Market on Sundays. Details for orders and pick-ups on Saturday in Culver City bakery are on the website: //www.delvignecroissant.com

(2) Canales

Canales at Proof, Atwater are so popular that no matter how many they make, they sell out by 10 in the morning. French Tart Magazine described them at “magical French bakery confections, little fluted cakes with a rich rum and vanilla interior enclosed by a thin caramelized shell. One day they may rival crème brulee.”

Canales are baked in special, difficult to find, tin-lined copper molds. The brilliant recipe was developed long ago by an anonymous Bordeaux cook and then refined the next 300 years. Glossy and dark brown, almost black at first sight, bittersweet at first bite, the crunchy burnt sugar canale-shell makes an exquisite contract to the smooth, sweet filling.

In Gironde, a southern region of French, alone consumed over 4.5 million canals annually as long ago as 1992. They are popular at the internationally famous Laduree and Pierre Herme in Paris. And now at the Laduree in Beverly Hills.

Proof, Atwater 3156 Brand Avenue, Glendale. For details: //www.proofbakery.com Laduree Beverly Hills 311 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 For current details:please see //www.laduree.fr/en/laduree-beverly-hillls

(3) Chocolate and Classic Olive oil cake

This textured, light cake has a hint of orange and the cornmeal that is made of gives it a slightly crunchy texture. The olive oil makes it moist without being greasy.   The pastry chef at Saddlepeak serves it with drops of lemon curd, buttermilk ice cream and fresh strawberry slices. Little Dom’s has it in their to-go selection of desserts as well as in the restaurant menu on occasion. The Commissary serves it in mini-brick slices.

The Commissary, locations across LA //www.Thecommissaryla.com and Little Dom’s in Silverlake (www.dominick’s.com)

(4)Marino ristorante Ricotta Cheesecake

The Ricotta cheesecake looks “sorta” like the NY version but it is made in-house from a family recipe with freshly made ricotta, that lends it a more rustic and substantial feel, and dotted with dried citrus fruit.   It has two pages on Google devoted to it. Enough said.

Marino Ristorante, 6001 Melrose Avenue, East Hollywood, Avalilable in the restaurant and for takeaway. Please see //(www.marinorestaurant.com)

(5) Traditional Moroccan Almond Macaron

They look like a winsome, round, cracked piece of clay. They are just big enough for one or two bites, almost stepping in for one layer of the Marjolaine with the snap and the uniquely satisfying taste of almond paste, just enough of the chewy quality of a cookie and the zing of a hint of lemon.

Got Kosher Takeaway, Next door to Harissa Restaurant, 8916 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. For details please see //www.gotkosherinc.com

(6) Pan de Muerto

Master Baker, Alex Peña’s Dia de los Muertos holiday bread, Pan de Muerto, may look like dough but it literally looks like a cloud in his hands.   And it feels like a cloud when you taste it. So it is considered an honor to be gifted with this confection. The bread is elaborate, decorated with skulls and bones, and sprinkled with sugar or covered in sesame seeds depending on region home, on the ofrendas or alter, along with the statuettes of life and death, one on each side.  Peña’s  would be on the altar.  His is the best.

These days Master Baker Alex is head of research at Bellarise. You can still purchase the pan de los Muertos at Latino bakeries and supermarkets, such as Northgate. Alex may even have been a consultant to make them stay fresher longer!

(7) Vanilla Bean Trio of Triangle Scones at Starbucks

Corporate tried to take them off the menu but popular demand brings them back. The actual specs of bean in the vanilla glaze was what first attracted me to them in the first place, the refined, slightly sweet bisquity texture under the delicate gaze keeps me coming back.  

(www.starbucks.com)

(8) Lemon Hazelnut Torte

The Torte is a pared down, more elegant California version of the Marjolaine, which has for me every single ingredient makes a cake perfect: layers of crunchy praline,  ground nuts and marshmallowy meringue with the added surprise of citrus.  How can you not love anything so labor intensive and difficult as its small layers with fillings of praline, buttercream, vanilla-rum buttercream and chocolate buttercream. The Lemon Hazelnut has instead lemon curd and buttercream, the better to contrast flavors as well as textures, my dear.  

The Annenberg Beach House, 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402 //www.annenbergbeachhouse.com Il Forno, Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, 2901 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA //www.ilfornocaffe.com

(9) Danish Farm -inspired Chocolate chip cookie

No ordinary chocolate cookie, Danish born and bred chef Leni Houck perfected it in the past 15 years. The secret of this lacy, chewy and still crisp cookie is the speckles of semi- dried cherries along with the chocolate chips. We were headed to this Danish food shop after our writer friend @tableconversation was lamenting last Christmas that a continuation of Scandinavian goodies are much needed since Olson’s left. And lo and behold, Chef Lene Houck’s name came up with Open Face Food Shop, which she operates with husband Mark, who is experienced the hospitality industry. This means building not only the sandwiches from scratch, and this toothsome chocolate chip cookie you can also eat on counters and chairs or benches that runs all around the corner building they renovated from a 1959 hot dog stand.

Open Face Food Shop 5577 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 //www.openfacefoodshop.com

(10) Spoonful of Comfort Cookies

Another chocolate chip and also oatmeal cookie that stands out in our mind are the ones from Spoonful of Comfort. And these were even mailed in a box!

s//spoonfulofcomfort.com