Hot Chocolate at Grom

The Cioccolata Calda "Fondente" at Grom is their dark hot chocolate blended with Venezuelen "Ocumare" plantation chocolate. Grom says they make it the traditional Italian way, using chocolate of fine quality from single source chocolate producers. Only a small amount of fresh milk and cane sugar are added, nothing artificial. It is extremely dense and full of flavor. The texture is completely smooth but quite rich and as thick as any good hot chocolate you'll find in the city. Do not skip the scoop of freshly whipped cream that comes with it and melts slowly as you savor every sip.

Grom. 233 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.

(212) 206-1738

http://www.grom.it/ita/

Doughnut Plant's New Location: The Chelsea Hotel on Monday

Doughnut Plant is set to open a new location at the Chelsea Hotel on Monday, February 14th, 2011. Sweetness just in time for Valentine's Day! I'm especially excited because I am a fan of pretty much everything that has ever graced Doughnut Plant's menu and a Chelsea location is considerably closer to my apartment than the original location. 

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

& the Chelsea Hotel: 220 West 23rd Street. (212) 675-9100. 

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

The City Bakery - Hot Chocolate Festival

If you crave hot choco the same way that I do, make your way to The City Bakery this month.

City Bakery's 19th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival calendar: The City Bakery Hot Chocolate Festival

City Bakery. 3 West 18th Street. New York, NY 10011.

(212) 366-1414

http://www.thecitybakery.com/

Lobster Tail at Ferrara Bakery & Cafe

The Lobster Tail at Ferrara Bakery & Cafe in Little Italy has been a classic for years. And it's pretty to look at, with a liberal dusting of sugar and perpetual flaky layers of pastry. Oh, and it's jam packed with Bavarian Cream.

Ferrara Bakery & Cafe. 195 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013.

(212) 226-6150

http://www.ferraracafe.com/nyc/

Sant Ambroeus Signature Chocolate Cake

After brunching at Morandi and enjoying a semi-dessert of Ricotta Fritters (bottom photo) with pine nuts, rolled in sugar and dried fruit, I found myself wandering the West Village in search of yet another sweet fix. I ended up following my heart into the cozy little espresso bar/restaurant that is Sant Ambroeus. A bunch of scattered tables in the dining room - I hear they serve real food in addition to sweets but I wouldn't know anything about that - and a bright case full of cakes and cookies beckoned like some holy light from the side of the counter. I ordered a cappuccino out of habit; any espresso bar transports me back to the time I spent in Italy a few years ago and I order coffee on auto-pilot even if I am already over my daily caffeine limit. Then I sat back sipping my cappuccino to await my Sant Ambroeus cake (top photo).

When it arrived, I was struck by the attention to detail that went into the decoration. Inside, I was elated to find a rich chocolate mousse atop a thin layer of sponge cake with a creamy chocolate center and the occasional cocoa nib strewn throughout. There was a tiny drop of fudgey chocolate sauce on top. And with that, my sugar craving was finally sated. 

Sant Ambroeus. 259 West 4th St, New York, NY.

(212) 604-9254

http://www.santambroeus.com/new/frameset.php

Chocolate Cake at The Chocolate Room

Please excuse my photo quality. Photo quality isn't relevant to the delicious morsel I'm going to blog about here, anyway. It is so exceptional that I would leave my Manhattan home, following my severe chocoholism, to venture into the largely unfamiliar territory that is Brooklyn. The Chocolate Cake at The Chocolate Room in Park Slope is three layers of moist, dark chocolate cake that is smooth in texture and consistently satisfying. It is not overly dense, nor is it too light. It's that tender happy medium that is sometimes hard to find in a cake this rich. The frosting is creamy and ganache-esque, which takes the dessert over the top. The best part about the frosting is that it is layered into the cake as well. The more the merrier.

The Chocolate Room. 86 5th Avenue, New York, NY 11217.

http://www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com/

Zen Butter Ice Cream at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

I'm one of what appears to be a rare breed of people (over the age of 12) who find themselves able to eat ice cream all year round. Through sub-freezing temperatures and snow storms, ice cream still sounds like a fine idea. The other night I stopped at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and shivered through a scoop of Zen Butter with toasted sesame seeds. The smooth buttery flavor must have kept me warm. 

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. 65 Bayard Street, New York, NY 10013.

http://www.chinatownicecreamfactory.com/