Reward guests for braving winter weather with these five desserts that spotlight seasonal fruit, aromatic spices, and rich flavors.
Roasted Anjou pear crisp.
Photo: Renee Comet for BizBash
Well Dunn Catering in Washington, D.C., offers a roasted Anjou pear crisp. Chef Michael Payne places the pear on a caramelized puff pastry raft and pairs it with house-made Hawaiian white-honey ice cream and reduced blood-orange puree. The dish is garnished with pomegranate seeds and a sliver of honeycomb.
Photo: Renee Comet for BizBash
Chicago's Calihan Catering's moist honey ginger cake is a new twist on traditional spice cake. Pastry chef Pedro Gomez completes the dish with cider-poached apples, caramel sauce, and a "snow globe" made of sugar and filled with vanilla ice cream.
Photo: Michael Maes for BizBash
New York-based Sebastians makes a bright and tangy cranberry-orange upside-down cake. The cake is flavored with citrus and cinnamon and baked on top of a layer of sugar-coated cranberries. Pastry chef Kathleen McAllister finishes it with orange syrup, frozen orange mousse, and a cranberry-orange sugar stick.
Photo: Francine Daveta for BizBash
Toronto's Bite Catering serves its mini praline and caramel bread pudding in an espresso cup. Chefs Lara Katz and Karen Rachlin bake cubes of brioche in a sweet cream mixture, then top the puddings with caramel and crushed pecans.
Photo: David Bagosy for BizBash
Los Angeles-based Global Cuisine offers a s'mores-like chocolate Bavarian cream tart. Pastry chef Todd Dickinson tops the pastry with marshmallow meringue and chocolate shavings.
Photo: Alen Lin for BizBash
