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Food + Drink

The Sweet Spot: London’s Best Sweet Treats

From cookies and cupcakes to babka and ice cream sandwiches, Alexandra Dudley rounds up some of the best sweet treats in London.

Ice cream sandwiches at Happy Endings

Happy Endings took the London dessert scene on a wild and delicious ride when they launched their ice cream sandwiches in 2014. News of The Malty One (a malted milk parfait sandwiched between two oaty biscuits and half-dipped in creamy milk chocolate) spread like wildfire through the city, and before long they were stocked throughout London’s best restaurants and delis. Their ice cream sandwiches feel reminiscent of sweet childhood summers, the twinkling ring-a-ling of the ice cream van, and the sugary buzz as your tongue fought a war with the sun in a bid to enjoy every last drip of creamy joy before it melted down to your elbow. Wrapped in gingham parchment paper, the range offers a nostalgic nod to childhood flavours, elevated with grown-up ingredients. Milk It, (a take on milk and cookies) is made with fresh milk ice cream, two 70% chocolate chip cookies and Maldon sea salt, whilst Monumental, (an ode to mint-choc-chip) is made with fresh mint Stracciatella ice cream, rich chocolate biscuits and Original Beans 70% chocolate.

Cupcakes at Violet

Sea-salted caramel, vanilla and rhubarb, and double chocolate espresso are some of the cupcake flavours that you might find on the counter at Violet. Sitting like proud ballerinas under a plume of featherlight buttercream, they play a principal role at the Californian inspired bakery. The cupcakes at Violet are made with the best possible ingredients and follow the tune of the seasons. Buttercream icing is made by whipping up butter and sugar before gently folding in fresh fruit purees, homemade flower cordials, freshly brewed espresso, or dark caramel made with sea salt. The dedication to ingredients means that each cupcake tastes as good as it looks, the sponge boasting the perfect balance of bounce and crumb. There is something infinitely tender about buying oneself or a loved one a cupcake, and before even taking a bite, it’s clear that a lot of love goes into the cupcakes here.

Chocolate Rye Cookie at E5

Don’t be duped by the modest size of this cookie. It may look small but its flavour is mighty. A smooth, slightly crackled, sweet shell encases an almost fudgy chocolatey cookie dough, finished with a pinch of sea salt. It’s a favourite for a reason and is a staple on the counter, best enjoyed with a creamy flat-white. E5 bakehouse pride themselves on their commitment to sourcing the best and most sustainable ingredients. Stoneground flour is freshly milled whilst chocolate comes from Original Beans, a Dutch company building climate-positive supply chains, encompassing the protection of endangered wildlife and tripling farmer incomes.

The almond croissant at Pophams

Almond croissants can be a divisive subject. Some argue that they aren’t a proper pastry (being a re-hash of yesterday’s stale croissants), whilst others argue that they are too sweet. But a good almond croissant is a saviour (especially on a hangover), sitting gleefully somewhere between a breakfast and a pudding. An almond croissant should be weighty, slightly flattened under the load of rich almond frangipane (not cream), and a heft of sugary flaked almonds. Whilst they shouldn’t be burnt, the best ones have crisp edges, perhaps a snappable bit of slightly leaked frangipane, now chewy, golden and deeply caramelised from catching in the oven. Of all the almond croissants in London, the one at Pophams is the best (perhaps owing to their excellent pastry in the first place). Made with yesterday’s croissants, the Pophams almond croissant follows authentic assemble but has an added hint of cinnamon mixed into the frangipane giving it a more complex flavour. The Pophams almond croissant is only available on weekends so set your alarms and be prepared to get in line.

The vegan brownie at Lily Vanilli

Plant-based options can often be disappointing, even at the best of bakeries. Too frequently they are treated as an afterthought, ending up too sweet or too dry. But things are different at Lily Vanilli, whose vegan chocolate brownies have been known to sell out before 11.00am on weekends. A dense chocolatey square with an enviably papery thin sugar crust, this is a brownie that means business. Made with Guittard artisanal chocolate, golden molasses sugar and organic flour, it is no wonder that these brownies have won awards. Even if you aren’t vegan this is a brownie investing in. You can pre-order them by the box for collection too.

The Lime Tart by Cedric Grolet At The Berkeley

A feast for the eyes as well as the appetite, it’s no wonder that the sweet treats at Cédric Grolet At The Berkeley are some of the most insta-papped cakes in town. Anyone who’s fallen down the delicious hole of his Tiktok videos will know the meticulous detail that goes into crafting each creation. Kilos of fruit are transformed into jams and gels, or infused into silky ganache before being sculpted into porcelain-like chocolate shells and dipped in naturally coloured syrups and glazes until they resemble a near direct replica of the fruit they once were. Only this time, they are even more delicious, layered with textures and flavours and of course, they are now cake. A true artist, Cédric Grolet is the master of elevated patisserie. A must-try is the signature Lime Tart, a lime financier made using a sweet dough with lime marmalade, lime segments, candied lime, lime gel, lime ganache and a vibrant green white chocolate crust to finish.

Babka from The Good Egg

Made from buttery rich brioche dough, twisted with silky chocolate ganache and topped with sugar syrup, The Good Egg chocolate babka is best enjoyed still slightly warm from the oven. If time allows, it’s worth making the trip to their Stoke Newington branch where you can order a slice from the freshly baked loaves, invitingly stretched out in their coffee hatch widow. Be warned that the temptation to order an entire loaf is high. But if carrying around a loaf of babka all day seems too tiresome or too tempting, the good news is that The Good Egg can deliver their babka anywhere in London. Coming in classic chocolate, cinnamon, or pecan pie, don’t let it lie later than the day of delivery (if you can resist). In the unlikely event of leftovers, the babka can be frozen before being toasted and slathered in butter, or made into babka French toast.

The white chocolate miso cookie at Creme

Anyone who has baked Nigella Lawson’s brownies will know that a pinch of salt works wonders when paired with chocolate. Miso might seem like an odd ingredient for a cookie but similarly to the salt-chocolate magic, it brings a pleasing umami element when paired with sugar. Made in the absence of bitter cocoa powder, purely from milk, sugar and cocoa butter, white chocolate can often be tooth-achingly sweet but Crème have the balance just right. The Yin and Yang of salty miso and creamy white chocolate brings an almost caramel-like flavour to this soft-centred chunky cookie. Crème have stores all over town and can deliver their cookies by post too.

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