The most beautiful Christmas desserts in New York City

Now that Christmas is getting even closer, another one of the marvelous elements of New York City at the holiday season is the arrival of the most beautiful Christmas desserts. Every year, the best bakers dazzle us anew with their holiday creations: show-stopping gingerbread houses, Christmas cakes, bûches de nöel and more appear across New York City. Whether you’re presenting one as a host or hostess gift or making it the centerpiece of your holiday party, here’s where to go for world-class Christmas desserts. Order off the menu or work with the bakers on a bespoke creation. Either way, it’s guaranteed to be a sweet holiday. 

the most beautiful Christmas desserts in New York

1. William Poll

Located on the Upper East Side, luxury caterer William Poll first opened its doors in 1921. At this time of year, they’re most famous for their gingerbread houses, which run $1,000 each and more.

The Large Gingerbread House ($1,000) is custom-made and features candy canes, gum drops, lights, and a music box. Want something even more spectacular? The Gingerbread Barn ($1,100) is also made to order and features a music box, lights, a chocolate horse and cow, and miniature candy bales of hay.

2. Maison Kayser

Every Christmas Maison Kayser makes truly mouth-watering bûches de nöel . This year’s options – available from December 10-26 – are the classic Bûche Kayser (dark chocolate mousse and crème brulée); Bûche Fruits Rouge (red fruits and blueberries); Bûche Chataignes (chestnut with orange confit); and Bûche Noisettes & Yuzu (hazelnut biscuit and citrus center).

These Bûches serve 6-8 ($42). They also come in individual sizes ($6.75).

3. Dominique Ansel

New York’s best-known French pâtissier concocts three different flavors of bûches de noel each year. 

bûches de noel 2019

This year, from December 14-24, we can choose between an apple cinnamon gingerbread bûche; a double-chocolate caramel bûche topped with a chocolate eskimo and mini-meringue penguins; and a chestnut bûche de noël with chestnut mousse, orange vanilla bavaroise, and candied chestnuts from Aubenas, France. This one is topped with a chocolate Santa holding a marshmallow bag of treats.

Each bûche serves 6-8 ($48), and must be ordered 48 hours in advance online or ordered in person at the retail bakeries. Good luck choosing just one . . . 

gingerbread pinecone cake 2019

You know how when you watch those holiday baking shows, and sometimes a particular cake sounds so good and looks so pretty that you really truly wish that you could buy one and taste it for yourself? That’s the sensation that washed over us when we read the description for Dominique Ansel’s Gingerbread Pinecone Cake.

This stunner is made with ginger mousse, speculoos ganache, and a soft spiced cake, glazed in chocolate, and finished with a beautiful singular Gingerbread Pinecone on top,  made with 60-70 hand-cut tiny chocolate petals, and a flurry of powdered sugar to finish ($55).

Christmas morning cereal

FYI, Ansel’s famous Christmas Morning Cereal is shipping nationally for the first time this year. So even if you don’t live in NYC, you can taste the magic for breakfast if you order in time. It’s made with Valrhona Caramelia (caramelized milk chocolate)-covered crispy puffed rice, smoked cinnamon Mini Me’s (miniature meringues), and candied hazelnuts.

4. Bien Cuit

Available for in-store pickup only, this year French bakery Bien Cuit is offering a classic bûche de noel made of flourless almond cake swirled with chocolate bergamot mousse and topped with chocolate glaze. It serves 8-12 ($65).

Those looking for additional traditional European holiday treats will also find loaves of Stollen, a traditional Christmas bread of nuts, spices, and candied fruit, drenched in butter and coated with powdered sugar. One loaf serves 8-12 ($24).

5. Financier

Financial District bakery Financier has an adorable Santa cake that will bring smiles to kids of all ages. Vanilla biscuit, Cream cheese filling, Butter cream, covered in fondant. It serves 12-14 people ($85).

The bakery is offering several variations on the Yule Log this year. In addition to tradional Chocolate, there’s a Grand Marnier bûche de noel made with a vanilla roulade biscuit, Grand Marnier mousseline, syrup, and butter cream. There’s also a Praline version; a Coffee version; and a modern L’Etoile version made with pistachio cream and raspberry mousse. Each is available in small ($39) and large ($50).

6. Laduree

The Upper East Side French bakery Laduree is offering gorgeous individual-sized buches ($8.50) this year for local pick-ups. The Atoca is made of Maple syrup with cranberries, buckwheat flour, finished with chantilly cream.

The Mademoiselle features ladyfinger sponge, crisp almond wafer, a red fruit compote, an almond cream and a vanilla – mascarpone mousse. La Favorite is pistachio macaron base, a buttercream infused with roasted Iranian pistachios, and delicately flaked praline.

In addition, there are wildly romantic rose red and pink pastries that would be lovely additions to any holiday table. The Marie Antoinette cake ($58) is made of macaron biscuit, rose buttercream, almond paste, raspberry jam, lychees, and fresh raspberries. For smaller bites, the individual ispahan desserts ($8) are made of macaron biscuit, rose petal cream, raspberries, and lychees.

7. Balthazar Bakery

This year, Balthazar Bakery’s SoHo location is offering a classic buche de noel ($75). In addition, you’ll find Dresden Stollen ($29), fruitcake ($34), holiday petit fours ($38), croquembouche ($70); holiday date loaves ($12) and more.

If you’re feeling particularly Dickensian, you can even order a fresh-baked mince pie ($42). All are available for pre-order online and in-shop pickup.

8. Eclair Bakery

Eclair Bakery in Midtown is offering four beautiful buches de noel this year. The Ruby (vanilla and white chocolate mousse, vanilla sponge and raspberry compote). The Trio (three chocolate mousse, chocolate sponge). The Wendy, (milk chocolate mousse, creme brûlée, and chocolate sponge). And the Crunchy (dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut crunch, chocolate sponge). They are available in two sizes, 6” (serves 6-8, $32) and 10” (serves 10-12, $44). They can be ordered online and picked up in-store.

Oh, and they also have inventive, stunning and delicious sweet and savory eclairs. 

9. Colson patisserie

At its two locations in Park Slope and Industry City, Brooklyn, you’ll find four different Bûches de Noël at Colson Patisserie. They must be ordered 48 hours in advance, and are available for pick up or delivery in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The Opera Bûche ($45) is made of coffee buttercream and layers of espresso-soaked almond genoise and chocolate ganache. The Devil’s Food Bûche de Noël ($45) features chocolate mousse with super dark Devil’s Food Cake topped with crunchy Valrhona caramel pearls and chocolate glaze. The boozy Black Forest Bûche is chocolate sponge filled with Morello cherries and covered with Kirschwasser whipped cream on a shortbread base.

The Lemon Meringue Bûche is crafted with caramel, almond genoise, lemon curd and caramel buttercream topped with toasted meringue. Strawberry White Chocolate Bûche, super light strawberry mousse, a gluten-free lady-finger cake, and a core of strawberry gelee are finished with a hint of white chocolate.

10. Milk Bar

Peppermint Bark Cake from Milk Bar ($50) is only available to you if you’ve been nice and not naughty. Get this: dark chocolate cake infused with a peppermint soak, sprinkled with crunchy cocoa crumbs, layered with silky fudge and creamy peppermint frosting and topped off with crushed peppermint pieces. If that doesn’t cause you to straighten up and fly right, there’s just no hope.

the most beautiful Christmas desserts in New York

That’s it! Those are our top picks for the best Bûches de Noël, gingerbread houses, Christmas cakes and other special desserts in New York this holiday season. What’s at the top of your list? Enjoy the holidays! 

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