Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts at Doughnut Plant

Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts at Doughnut Plant are also delicious. The cake Apple Cinnamon doughnut had a really nice subtle apple flavor with bits of apples baked into the dough. The glaze also contained bits of two kinds of apples.

Doughnut Plant. 279 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

Beignets at Resto

Having dined on a somewhat extensive selection of Resto's Belgian fare, I hardly had room for dessert. But the perfection coaxed from all things fried throughout our dinner courses rendered me unable to deny the beignets that I saw listed on the dessert menu. 

When the beignets arrived, I was not disappointed. They came lightly fried in a charming little paper bag, dusted with sugar as opposed to confectioner's sugar. Presentation aside, they were hot and airy inside with a toothsome crust. The sugar dusting added a little sweetness. The dipping sauces were, clockwise from the left, a berry compote (blueberry), a caramel sauce and a chocolate sauce. Surprisingly the blueberry compote might have been my least favorite. The creamy caramel sauce and the rich chocolate sauce were all but finished when I was done with the beignets.

If you aren't sure about Belgian food, though you need not have any worries because Resto delivers, there is a bar where you can sit and enjoy a drink with an order of these delicious beignets. Try the seasonal Apple & Cinnamon made with Hudson Valley Apple Vodka and cinnamon infused simple syrup.

Resto. 111 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016

http://www.restonyc.com/

Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts at Doughnut Plant

I am the kind of girl who spends every Autumn in a frenzied attempt to consume all that is seasonal. I'm a sucker for almost every kind of pumpkin or apple flavored treat I can get my hands on and, luckily for me, they are very easy to find this year in NYC. Just imagine my delight upon seeing that a beloved doughnut purveyor had incorporated a flavor that was ever so Fall.

As with most Doughnut Plant creations, you can choose between the denser cake doughnut or the airier yeast doughnut. I generally tend to prefer the cake doughnut varieties but I could not resist how big and fluffy and, frankly, attractive the Spiced Pumpkin yeast doughnut looked sitting there on display in front of me. 

The lighter and chewier yeast doughnut maintained a nice pumpkin flavor that was complimented by the spiced glaze (I love cinnamon). A sprinkling of crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds gave it a little texture. I left happily swimming in Fall feel-good sentiments about my favorite season of the year.

Doughnut Plant. 279 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

Gelato at Eataly

Brave waiting in the line for the gelato at Eataly because it is nearly perfect. I tried the nocciola (hazelnut) and the pistachio and found that the flavors were spot on and the texture was just right. It was the best gelato I have tasted since I was in Italy in early 2008. 

The only issue to note is that they only make a certain amount of each flavor daily and the crowds ensure that the most desirable flavors are often gone by the afternoon.

Eataly, 200 Fifth ave New York, NY 10010

Toasted Marshmallow Shake

At Stand, they make their shakes out of gelato instead of ice cream. This substitution gives the shakes a uniquely creamy and rich texture, making them more satisfying than your average milk shake. 

Stand acquires their gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato, an acclaimed gelato maker in the Lower East Side, which is probably a better choice than any misguided attempt to make a house variety. As a side note: despite certain press, their burgers are over-seasoned and regrettably textured in a very unpleasing manner. 

The Toasted Marshmallow Gelato Shake, however, was incredibly delightful. It was rich and smooth and dizzyingly sweet, though somehow not overpoweringly so. A generous swirl of whipped cream on top adds little to the dessert/beverage, but the toasted marshmallow sitting atop the whipped cream is a cute and novel topping that made me a little nostalgic for my childhood days when I would toast marshmallows with my siblings over a campfire in the summer.

Stand4, 24 East 12th Street, NY, NY 10003