The Chanel of Comfort Food – Ritz Carlton’s Classic Desserts Redefined
BY ELENA MANCINI
Forget the orchid petal garnished lavender-chamomile sorbet, the Ritz has introduced a new dessert menu that will make you want to forsake your New Year’s Resolution. Break out your “only this once” excuse and transgress! The taste rewards are worth it.
Ritz-Molten Chocolate Cake
With its recently launched new dessert line, Classic Desserts Redefined, The Ritz-Carlton is restoring the classics of American and continental patisserie to their natural glory by bringing them into the fold of their haute culinary repertoire, and proposing a concept that will goes down as easily as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold wintry night: dessert as the new comfort food. Not that it would take any effort to convince anyone with a sweet tooth of the healing powers of decadent chocolate or cheese cake, but comfort food in recent years has generally been associated with the hearty joys of meatloaf or Thanksgiving dinner, not necessarily a gorgeous hunk of double fudge cake or bread butter pudding. And from the look and the tastes of this new menu, the idea is bound to be a winner.
At a pre-launch tasting event held at the Ritz Carlton Manhattan last week, Culinary and Corporate Chef for the Ritz Carlton Hotel, George Mcneill introduced the concept and the inspiration behind Classic Desserts Redefined to a room full of editors and food and hospitality industry VIPs. The idea to re-propose these classic favorites, he explained came from a desire to counter the seeming constant flow of grim economic news that characterized most of 2009. The new desserts are now being debuted at all Ritz Carlton domestic properties. Lay-man friendly versions of the recipes have been collected in a book that will made available to Ritz Carlton guests.
Upon arriving at the pre-launch event hosted at an exquisitely appointed suite of the 21st floor, I was greeted by courteous and attentive staff members, who promptly checked my coat. Within seconds, I was outfitted with a flute of Taittinger and a linen napkin.
The desserts were so sumptuous in both taste and appearance, that my inner fashion-critic felt egregiously underdressed for the occasion. Clad in Diesel jeans and a Land’s End top, I felt a bit tentative at first about consuming the food equivalents of Chanel and Valentino. But it wasn’t long after I’d begun the sweet sampling adventure and indulging in the glorious decadence of the likes creme brulee and molten chocolate cake, that I was able to put my coyness and fashion stepchild feelings aside. With each delicious spoonful of the dessert sampling adventure, fashion uneasiness drifted further and further away, until I blissfully abandoned myself to the terry cloth and shaggy slipper-like feelings that those desserts were conjuring up.
Arranged on a regally decorated table were many elegant specimens of the 13 desserts from the Classic Desserts Menu, along with an original chocolate sculpture centerpiece designed by Executive Pastry Chef Sebastien Thieffine. Other stations included champagne cocktails and specialty coffees and coffee liqueurs. I only managed to graze my way through the five listed below. Those not sampled for lack of stomach real estate and natural insulin include Tiramisu’, Bread Butter Pudding, New York Cheese Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Double Fudge Cake, Plum Tart and more.
The chocolate molten cake was perfectly moist, smooth, spongy and not to rich. The mildly tart raspberry sauce offset the sweetness. This would be the first dessert I’d reach for when having a bout of winter blues.
Ritz-Carrot Cake
The Carrot Cake was less sinful, but tasty and honest to goodness satisfying. The flavor had a nice balance between sweetness and spice. Tiny chunks of pineapple in the cake made for an interesting addition. The cream cheese icing with a ribbon of caramel was subtle and not cloyingly sweet. If I were to substitute a meal for any dessert, hands down this carrot cake would be the one I’d reach for.
Ritz-Tarte Tatin
The Tarte Tatin was elegant and straightforward….a perfect light dessert.
Ritz-Key Lime Pie
The Key Lime Pie had the requisite tartness and was deliciously refreshing. The graham cracker crust had the perfect thickness and not overly buttery.
The pastry chefs knocked it completely out of the park with the creme brulee. Since it was my hands-down favorite, I’ve the published the Ritz’s easy to follow recipe here as a separate post. The cream had a distinctive flavor profile, perfectly supple and with a lingering vanilla satin finish.
