#FtLionAwards 2019 – Best Dessert of the Year?
After the #FtLionAwards 2019 Best Seafood of the Year (proudly sponsored by non alcoholic distribution company Azanti, which promotes a #soberlifestyle), we continue with Best Dessert of the Year.
And we want you to participate because not only do you have the chance of voting for your favourite on our Instagram and Facebook pages, but you’ll also be entered into our prize draw with the chance of winning a special box of six premium beverages by Azanti.
So we want you to either: 1) vote for the following nominees, or 2) let us know both your favourite dish and the place you had it, all on our Facebook and/or Instagram pages.
DUSK
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Now, there’s a credible answer to the question of why DUSK in Essex has had three desserts nominated this year: Michelin-experienced Sous Chef, David Dosoo, who’s worked under none other than Gordan Ramsey.
Starting with this peculiarly named Baba whose large cylindrical sponge cake was positively saturated in a subtly sweet-cum-citrusy, cold watery syrup, and rested on a bed of warm diced fruits that contrasted perfectly. Also balancing on top of the sponge was half a slice of a caramelised banana that had been blowtorched to give it a crunchy sugary top. In addition, there was also a quinelle of chantilly cream that was as smooth as you’d want and sprinkled with tonka bean shaving. On the other side, a wafer thin passionfruit-chocolate sugar tuile filled with a light mousse-textured foam that was just as light as its chantilly cream cousin. A wonderful combination!
DUSK
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And Lemon Tart was described by one Lion as the best he’d ever had! With a pastry base that was as exquisitely thin as you’d ever want, the setting of the lemon tart, the level of its acidity and the ultra-thin sugar coating achieved on top was just something to behold. This was topped with a scoop of smooth raspberry sorbet which itself rested on a wedge of something that appeared to be almost banana-like in taste. That’s not all. There was also a compot of two types of fruits topped with what appeared to be dried-out shards of skin, which managed to add notes of sweet and sharpness to the whole thing. In addition, there were two lines of meringue squeezed out in lines on opposite ends of the plate, which were, again, attractively blowtorched, before being covered in slithers of citrus.
DUSK
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A superbly conceived and crafted Chocolate Fantasy this, which comprised of: a lusciously smooth chocolate mousse topped with an even smoother scoop of raspberry sorbet sprinkled in nuts; a stunningly good smooth jaffa cake ice cream, all full with tasty little bits of biscuit and orange chocolate; a dainty Nutella-filled donught that rested in a smooth milk chocolate puddle; and a Chocomosa, or crispy samosa, filled with liquid chocolate. All four elements were presented on a bed of chocolate soil, and all four were superbly done making this a fun-filled event.
QUILON
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With a drink and seafood dish already up for consideration, Quilon presented this trio of Baked Yoghurt bowls, with each one differing ever so slightly in texture on account of the fruits used.
The white lychee bake was the softest of the lot. With an almost malai-like consistency (malai being the layer of fat collected off the top of heated non-homogenized whole milk in the Indian subcontinent), the lychee came through faintly. As for the mango, then this was sweet, with the green variety used no doubt, and extremely good. Finally, there’s a reason why we’d never heard of a palm jaggery baked yoghurt before – it was invented by the chef himself! And what a light-bulb moment it must have been too, because this stole the show, with its gentle toffee flavour and ultra smooth consistency. Unreal!
THE MANTL
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With a starter and main in the running, The Mantl in Knightsbridge concluded with this classic Turkish Kadayif. Presented cold, this particular version is essentially made up of long strands of vermicelli that appear to have been rotated continously to create a large mound, before being positively saturated in a lightly sweetened milky broth, and topped with plenty of crushed pistachio. Surprisingly, this was a light and deliciously soothing dessert, with the quality of the milk so good that it could easily be had as a whole pint all on its own.
