Seattle's Best Desserts

Handheld dessert of the year: Molly Moon’s sundae with salted caramel ice cream and Dana’s hot fudge sauce ($4)
Creators: Molly Moon Neitzel (left) and Dana Cree
Why we love it: With her very neighborly ice cream shop, Neitzel, who in her previous career combined music promotion with political organizing, has led the charge here for organic, gourmet ice cream. The opening of her picture-perfect shop—and her mainstreaming of flavors like balsamic strawberry, Vivace coffee and honey lavender—was far and away the biggest sweet development this year. But mostly, we love that the sweet-creamy-salty-bittersweet combination reminds us of our favorite childhood candy bars, but tastes much better.
What to look for next: Cree, formerly pastry chef at ultramodern Veil, is working on packaging her magical ice cream toppings—vanilla-bean caramel, butterscotch, hot fudge and seasonal fruit compotes—a retail line that Neitzel is helping her develop.

 

Most Delicious Restaurant Ice Cream: Housemade malt ice cream at Lark ($8/scoop)
The not-too-sweet, musky, deeply flavored after-dinner treat brings out the malted-milk-ball-loving kid in you.

Best Restaurant-quality Ice Cream Not in a Restaurant: Poco Carretto Gelato ($3/scoop)
Holly Smith, chef/owner of Café Juanita, began spreading gelato and sorbetto joy this summer at a few area farmers’ markets, including Columbia City and Bellevue. The intense, almost bitter burnt-sugar gelato—an early signature flavor—ups the bar on caramelized sugar from here on out. The two carts should be sighted this winter as well, at year-round markets, scooping out decadent treats to sustain shoppers.

 

Most Unusual Ice Cream Dessert: Cream cheese sorbet at Tilth ($7)
It is impossible to pass up this intriguing dessert constructed of tangy cream cheese sorbet with naturally sweet fresh carrot juice, candied walnuts and golden raisins: carrot cake taken apart and creatively put back together.

 

Best Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor: Snoqualmie Gourmet
Think friendly and inviting: a black-and-white tile floor, cozy fireplace, an old-fashioned table and dozens of ice cream flavors ($3.25/scoop) to choose from (all made on site), served up however you like them: in dishes, cones or yummy sundaes (plain or with brownie, choice of toppings).

 

Best Ice Cream Sundae: Double chocolate sundae at Steelhead Diner ($9.95)
A chocolate lover’s treat, this shareable sundae comes generously endowed with brownies, Snickers ice cream from Olympic Mountain, chocolate sauce and decadent unsweetened real whipped cream.

 

Most Stylish Ice Cream Parlor: Mora Iced Creamery
A contemporary counterpoint to the classic homespun ice cream parlor, Mora serves incredibly smooth, velvety treats with bold but balanced flavor. Their ice creams, including eggy-rich sabayon with a whisper of Marsala, and brightly flavored sorbets (zippy mojito is rave worthy) are made with Old World style to suit modern tastes.

 

Best Profiteroles: Profiteroles with honey rosemary ice cream at Trellis ($7)
The choux puffs are perfect browned domes, and the chocolate and caramel sauce luxurious and silky, but what really makes these profiteroles shine is the honey rosemary ice cream, a signature flavor made by Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, that fills the choux shells.

 

Tastiest Ice Cream on a Stick: Whidbey Island ice cream bars ($3)
Their old-fashioned ice cream bars—sold from a cart at area farmers’ markets, including Ballard on Sundays and Wallingford on Wednesdays—come in a surprising array of flavors: dark cherry, mint and intriguingly tasty chocolate chardonnay among them, all hand-dipped in a rich Guittard dark chocolate.

 

Best Use of English Royalty in Ice Cream: Earl Grey ice cream sandwich at Dinette ($7)
Here’s an ice cream sandwich that stands out because it’s more about the ice cream—a lush creamy concoction that has subtle flavoring from Earl Grey tea—than about the cookie, though the crisp gingersnap is a worthy partner.

 

Most Elegant Ice Cream Cake: Torte
gelato at Gelatiamo ($30, serves 8–10 people)
Ramp up your image of “ice cream cake” a bit. This version layers two of Gelatiamo’s 16 luscious flavors on house-made Italian sponge cake that gets a little drizzle of rum. Plan ahead to customize the combo, or take a chance on what’s available from the twirling case in the shop.

 

Most Decadent Ice Cream Float: Stout float at Pike Brewing Company ($6.50)
You’ll have to show your ID for this savory-meets-sweet grown-up float, using Pike’s XXXXX Extra Stout with your choice of vanilla or chocolate gelato (from nearby Gelatiamo). Pike also serves up a framboise float, using a raspberry Lambic ale.

BEST DESSERTS FOR YOUR INNER CHILD
Sweets that satisfy the ooey, gooey, sticky, icky, chocolate-sauce-dripping, caramel-loving kid in you

 

Best Sticky Sweet Puffed Rice Treat: Krispettes at Caroline’s Desserts ($4.29)
We go weak in the knees for the marshmallow goodness, especially this extra-thick buttery version of a classic American indulgence. Some varieties come studded with chocolate, nuts and even mint patties, but for sheer nostalgia, reach for the lavish but minimalist Not-So-Plain-Jayne, studded simply with miniature marshmallows.

 

Best Excuse Not to Act Your Age: Peanut butter and jelly confection at Theo ($2)
What goes together better than PB&J? Add chocolate to the mix and this perfect truffle is sure to please, whatever your age.

 

Best Chocolate-Almond Toffee: Pete’s Perfect Toffee ($10/half pound)
It’s virtually impossible to eat just one piece, topped with a layer of either milk or dark chocolate, with chopped almonds and pecans. Available at several area farmers’ markets or by direct order.

 

Tastiest Mom-n-Pop Lollypops: See’s Candies’ butterscotch lollypops (60 cents)
The hard, square caramel candies on a stick—which also come in a delicious caffé latté version—are a reminder of a simpler time, when one of these was a reward for good behavior.

 

Nuttiest Goodness: Bag O’Rocher at Salty’s ($12)
A visit to Salty’s isn’t complete without their signature bite-
size stacks of caramelized slivered almonds dipped in chocolate, with enough tantalizing salt and crunch to keep you diving in for more.

 

Best Grown-up Caramel: Fran’s Chocolates’ smoked salt caramels ($11.50 for seven truffles)
Much hoopla has been made about Fran’s salt caramels, and for good reason: Her chewy-rich caramels, with a careful sprinkle of just enough salt, are nothing short of wonderful.

 

Best Way to Blow Your Calorie Budget: Fried chocolate truffle sundae at Elliott’s Oyster House ($8)
The most jaw-dropping indulgence at Elliott’s isn’t an oyster—it’s this treat of dark ganache, coated with graham-cracker-almond crumbs and deep-fried, served with vanilla ice cream in a praline cup and topped with chocolate and caramel-rum sauces and toasted almonds.

 

Best Salty/Sweet Combo: Salted caramel at Bakery Nouveau ($1)
Yes, salted caramels have become ubiquitous, but the ones that continue to hold our fancy are these dainty little squares. Perfectly tempered, exquisitely thin chocolate shells house the liquid gold.

LEMONHEADS
For people passionate about citrus, only the tangiest contenders will suffice. These options deliver bursts of lemon flavor so vivid that just thinking about them puts sunshine on the back of your tongue

 

Most Marvelous Lemon Bar: Lemon bar at Columbia City Bakery ($2.25)
This ne plus ultra of lemon bars boasts a generously high ratio of tart yellow curd to thin, buttery-crisp crust, finished
with an opaque layer of confectioner’s sugar. It’s even better with
black coffee.

 

Most Lemony Slice: Lemon tea bread at Blackbird Bakery ($2.60)
A lot of flavor is packed into the easily transported cake, made in loaf form and served in generous slices. The glaze imparts extra tart-sweetness, so save the top for last.

 

Best Lemon-Chocolate Combo: Lemon Rivoli at Salty’s ($8.95)
Named for the ultrachic street in Paris, the multifaceted “Rivoli,” hazelnut dacquoise topped with hazelnut mousse, chocolate sponge cake and lemon cream, is garnished with lemon curd, raspberries and a bright yellow lemon macaroon.

 

Richest Lemon Ice Cream: Lemon bar ice cream at Mora Iced Creamery ($3.59/scoop)
The seasonal lemon ice cream bar is two treats in one. It’s got eye-rollingly creamy mouthfeel, loads of lemon flavor and bits of moist crust for texture.
 

Most Delectable Lemon Tart: Signature lemon meringue tart at Dahlia Bakery ($5.95)
Cradled in each golden-brown tart shell is Dahlia’s signature lemon curd (only available in the summer), festooned with a burnished wisp of Italian meringue.

 

Most Satisfying Lemon Pie: Sour cream lemon pie at B & O Espresso ($6.50/slice)
A longstanding favorite, this pie renders a heavenly tart tang, edged with just enough whipped cream to tease; get an extra dollop on the side.

Most Intense Blast of Lemon: Affogato al limoncello at Tidbit Bistro ($9)
 

Devout lemonheads: Get thee to Tidbit pronto for tart lemon gelato molded around a creamy limoncello center, encased in vibrant lemon meringue sprinkles, drowned in a shot of limoncello liqueur. (Also available sans booze...but why?)

 

Best Lemon Triple Threat: Meyer lemon pound cake at Elliott’s Oyster House ($7)
A mini Bundt-shaped pound cake is infused with Meyer lemon juice, accompanied by Olympic Mountain lemon ice cream and, on the side, a boat of warm Meyer lemon curd so sweet-tarterrific, it’ll curl your toes.

BEST FRUITY AND NUTTY DESSERTS
‘Tis the season for pastry chefs to turn to richer flavors:
Apples, pears, nuts and spice fuel a slew of holiday desserts

 

Cranberry Pumpkin cheesecake at Macrina Bakery ($30 whole)
You get two fall flavors for the price of one from Leslie Mackie’s gently spiced pumpkin cheesecake, topped with a zingy, jewel-toned layer of fresh cranberry compote.

 

Musician’s tart at the Harvest Vine ($7.50)
Every year, co-owner and pastry chef Carolin Messier de Jiménez brings out these tarts, which feature a crunchy-gooey mix of caramel and nuts—walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and pine nuts—atop a sinuous layer of date and fig purée.

 

Crespelle with compote or gianduja at Café Juanita ($9)
Chef Holly Smith regularly serves chestnut-flour crepes called crespelle filled with either quince compote or gianduja (think Nutella, but made with higher-quality chocolate and hazelnuts).

 

Tarte tatin at Campagne ($9)
There’s more than one way to make an apple pie, and this French classic is a knockout: caramelized apples baked underneath a puff pastry crust. Come serving time, the whole affair is inverted to show off the glossy apples and it is served with sweetened crème fraîche.

 

Holiday cookies at Café Besalu ($1.50–$1.75)
Besalu’s masterful baker, James Miller, who did some of his training in Switzerland, brings in a ringer—a retired Swiss baker—to help him craft his spiced holiday cookies (available in late November, call ahead). Together they create hard-to-find classics, such as anise-scented springerle, spiced chocolate Basel brunsli and leckerli with its minced candied citrus peel.

 

Apple and quince pie at Betty ($8)
Pastry chef Brittany Bardeleben has a knack for distilling a season’s essence with no-nonsense clarity: Take her double-crusted pie made with Washington apples and fragrant quince, which she serves with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

 

Sweet potato pie at Café Flora ($7.50)
This Southern classic gets a vegan twist, with a whole wheat flour crust, candied pecans and vegan pear ice cream. A tad healthy, a whole lot tasty.

 

Pecan Pie at Tilth ($8)
Maria Hines is not afraid to use good booze in her baking. She spikes her miniature pecan pies with plenty of Woodford Kentucky bourbon and then serves them up with ice cream made from local Fresh Breeze cream, Skagit Ranch eggs and yet more of the craft-distilled whiskey.

CREAMY AND DREAMY
Luscious, scrumptious and smooth, these creamy desserts hit our sweet spot

 

Most A-Peeling Banana Cream Pie: Yama-Nana pie at Yama ($8.95)
In an Oreo crust, Yama’s multilayered, not-too-sweet, mountain-high version alternates sliced bananas (eight per pie!) with dense cream, served with house-made caramel sauce, topped with chopped macadamias, chocolate sauce and more caramel. Bananarific.

 

Best Dessert with a Jolt: Filomena’s tiramisu at Tutta Bella ($8)
Served in deep square bowls and big enough for two (or more), this is an espresso lover’s version of the classic “pick me up” dessert: layers of ladyfingers soaked in heady coffee and slathered with soft, cloud-like mascarpone cream.

 

Quirkiest Pudding: Joule Box at Joule ($6)
The unique “Joule Box” tops heavenly coconut-milk tapioca pudding with zingy grapefruit segments and shreds of opal basil for a supremely fresh take on dessert.

 

Coconuttiest Confection: Triple coconut cream pie at Dahlia Bakery ($5.95/slice)
Many make the pilgrimage to Dahlia just to taste the famed coconut cream pie, and it’s still a knockout: a coconut-laden crust, luscious coconut cream and a bouffant pouf of toasted coconut and white chocolate shavings.

 

Best Caramel Custard: Flan de caramel at Salvadorean Bakery ($3/serving)
Caramel fairly oozes from this perfect flan. The custard is rich with eggs and cream, and baked until just set yet still wobbly beneath a shiny, burnished caramel glaze.

 

Best Traditional French Pastry: Mille feuilles at Le Fournil ($2.95)
Napoleons served here are called “mille feuilles” (thousand leaves), but whether you choose the traditional or the seasonal raspberry or chocolate, the layers of puff pastry and cream topped with icing are perfect to the last forkful.

 

Best Rice Pudding: Gateau de riz at Le Pichet ($6)
The gateau de riz is rice pudding gone one better: It’s been baked until softly firm in a caramelized dish that gives the exterior of each portion a sweet amber glaze. Coupled with whatever fruit is in season, it’s timelessly comforting.

 

Best Cheesecake with Flair: Caramel cheesecake at The Confectional ($4/slice)
Dense and creamy with a crown of salty, buttery caramel, this miniature caramel cheesecake is richer than rich and just the right size for a personal indulgence.

Supplest Flan: Espresso flan at the Harvest Vine ($6)
Unlike a lot of stiff, too-eggy flans, this one is quivering perfection, and beautifully flavored, too. Come the cold months, you’re likely to find a version of orange-scented espresso flan jiggling atop a dark chocolate base.

 

Most Perfect Bread Pudding: Bread pudding at Sweet & Savory ($2.60/slice)
Mount Baker’s country French bakery is home to the best no-frills brioche bread pudding around. Baked ’til brown around the edges in a deep cast-iron pan, the soft, eggy middle is pure heaven.

 

Heavenliest Cloud: Grand Marnier soufflé at Canlis ($14)
This Grand Marnier soufflé is a triumph, so evenly creamy and light on the tongue, with a perfect balance of orange liqueur flavor and vanilla crème anglaise. It takes extra time, so order in advance.

 

Best Boozy-Creamy Dessert: Zabaglione with fruit at La Medusa ($7)
Frequently appearing on the dessert menu, this silky, creamy, eggy, sweet Marsala-imbued zabaglione is topped with fresh berries in summer, dried fruit compote in cooler months, and is often accompanied by a cookie for dipping.

 

Best Cheesecake You’d Never Guess Was One: Torta di formaggio al balsamico invecchiato at Barolo ($7)
The lightest, fluffiest, most uncheesecake-like cheesecake in town is this balsamic-infused mascarpone cheesecake. Rich and creamy but not at all dense, every heavenly bite is like a soft, smooth, sweet cloud.

 

Best Classic Cheesecake: New York cheesecake at Hiroki ($4/slice)
The humble Tangletown bakery is famed for Asian-tinged desserts. But its version of this classic, with an intensely cream cheesy middle and perfect graham cracker crust, is even more irresistible.

 

Most Grownup Pudding: Malt pot de crème at Restaurant Zoë ($9)
Malt—this year’s “it” flavor in desserts—gives this smooth dessert an earthy, roasted flavor. Partnered with bite-size peanut butter brownies, it’s a sophisticated version of two childhood favorites.

Photographs by Danielle Leavell
Food styling by Tyler Rebman