Just Desserts: To My Dearest Becomes Dongsi Shitiao’s Destination for Ornate Sweets
As you slide your knife into the top of the Dear Jasmine mousse, it quickly becomes as much of a treat for your eyes as your tastebuds. That’s because the RMB 56 dessert is topped with a gooey orb that oozes sweet yellowy goodness over the sides whenever the mousse is cut. And while that golden little oval looks like a yolk, it’s actually a carefully designed mixture of mango and osmanthus that is even more fragrant than you’d imagine.
Indeed, from scent to sight to taste, To My Dearest’s European-style desserts are deliberately crafted to entice as many senses as possible. Aside from the yolk, each serving of Dear Jasmine mousse is also comprised of caramel, peanut and (fittingly) jasmine tea. Together they give the mousse a creamy yet firm texture that is elegantly moistened by the yolk once split.
Other highlights include a fluffier Lady Rose (RMB 49), made with rose mousse, lychee pulp, and a middle layer of raspberry filling, all topped with a crimson rose petal. And while those ingredients combine for a heady aroma, the tart raspberry core is what truly seals the deal in terms of flavor for this mousse.
Patrons with more bitter inclinations will likely prefer the RMB 18 “Chubbiness & Messiness” rum ball. Even the most meager of utensil prods lets loose the boozy amber rum filling in this dessert. But patrons should resist the urge to quickly slurp up that overflowing centre, and take time to appreciate the dessert’s subtler ingredients like raisin, fig, chocolate, almonds and a heavy dusting of dark tart coco powder.
Such conscientiousness is a given for much of To My Dearest’s clientele, who look to the cafe for highly refined, elegantly creative sweets. The venue’s minimalist decor, spiral staircase and posh terrace will also satisfy such sensibilities, almost as much as the French chocolate, Japanese milk and other upper echelon imports that the staff insist on using in their kitchen. In other words: customers looking for wide slices of wholesome homemade cakes and pies won’t get their fix with To My Dearest’s bite sized portions and subtle flavors, but those craving sophisticated sweets at a fairly reasonable price – especially in the culinary barren Dongsi Shitiao stretch – are sure to swoon over this burgeoning cafe’s ornate morsels.
To My Dearest
Daily 11am-9pm. 96 Dongsi Shitiao, Dongcheng District (6401 9980)
东城区东四十条96号
This article first appeared in our magazine. Read the rest of the Beijinger July/August issue here.
More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
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Photo: To My Dearest