From berries bursting at the seams to chocolate whipped to other-worldly perfection, summer seems to be the season when our sweetest dreams come to life on the plate. Local farms offer honey, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches and fresh herbs, while clever chefs source the best in decadent chocolate, lemons, figs, vanilla beans and coconuts from around the globe.
TOP: BISTRO NIKO'S TARTE AU CITRON, CITRUS TART, MERINGUE BRULEE & ORANGE SORBET. ABOVE: CRAFT'S VALRHONA CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH ALMOND TOFFEE & MALAT ICE CREAM. KYMA'S CHAMOMILE CREME CARAMEL WITH CANDIED TURKEY FIG, KATAIFI TUILLE & MANOURI ICE CREAM. JOEL BRASSERIE'S RASPBERRY MACAROON & LEMON SORBET.
If you’re looking to enjoy a sweet end to the meal without blowing your calorie budget, try something light like Jöel Brasserie’s Raspberry Macaroon & Lemon Sorbet or Haven in Brookhaven’s Bing Cherry Semifreddo with hazelnut biscotti. If decadence is more your speed, then the Valhrona Chocolate Cake with Almond Toffee and Malt Ice Cream from Craft, Tom Colicchio’s Atlanta outpost, is just the ticket. A few extra laps around the track are well worth the splurge.
For a departure from the expected, Kyma turns out a Chamomile Creme Caramel, accented with candied Turkey figs and manouri (a creamy, mild Greek cheese) ice cream. It’s comforting and exotic, all at the same time. For a quintessentially summer experience, pair this creamy treat with an elegant cocktail and relax on Kyma’s ethereal patio and allow yourself to be transported to the Mediterranean.
If chamomile seems an unusual addition to the dessert menu, fennel may be even more so. Paces 88 at the St. Regis Atlanta presents a Vanilla Bean Pana Cotta with citrus salsa and shaved fennel. The fennel adds an unexpected depth to the dish and has guests coming back for more.
After a hard (read: relaxing and stress-relieving) day of golf at Lake Oconee’s Reynolds Plantation, continue to treat yourself by sampling the Lemon Pudding Cake with vanilla-marinated strawberries and coconut sorbet at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge. Executive Pastry Chef Brian Sundeen loves the tartness of the lemon with the creaminess of the coconut, while he keeps it simple with the pudding cake, using only five ingredients to keep it light and tasty.
Kitchy presentation seems to be all the rage in kitchens just about everywhere – perhaps thanks to the proliferation of cooking shows like “Top Chef.” Bocado on the Westside gets it right with the a airy chocolate pudding, layered with crunchy peanuts, bananas and caramel, all presented in a cute Mason jar.
For something fun and classic, Buckhead’s brand new jewel, Bistro Niko, presents a creamy Citron Tarte with a bruléed meringue. It’s lemony with a buttery, flaky crust and served with an icy housemade orange sorbet. What could be more summery than that?