by Lindsay Wong
Most of us have a sweet tooth and look forward to indulging in it after our main meals. Some businesses are taking desserts to a whole new level, creating sweets that are not only picture-perfect for Instagram feeds, but also come with a hefty price tag. Since leisure travel is pretty much dead this year, why not travel with your eyes (and palate) with these outrageously expensive desserts around the world?
Beyond Gourmet Jelly Beans – $500
At least the price is for an entire jar. The jelly beans are kept in a crystal jar and each bean is coated in edible 24-carat gold leaf. They come in exotic flavours like Thai Lemongrass Curry and Indian Mango Chutney, and are free from artificial colours or flavours.
24-Carat Popsicle – $1,000
The Marquis Los Cabos resort in Mexico serves a 24-carat popsicle, which is filled with gold flakes and local tequila and served on a plate with chocolate gold coins to give it an exquisite look. The popsicle is cheaper than getting the tequila itself as it costs $1,500 a bottle.
Golden Phoenix Cupcake – $1,000
At Bloomsbury’s Cupcakes in Dubai, you can indulge in a rich chocolate cupcake covered by 23-carat edible gold. It is made using Amedei Porcelana chocolate and Ugandan vanilla beans, topped with chocolate frosting and edible gold dust, and served alongside chocolate-covered strawberries and a golden spoon to complete its luxurious design.
The Bear Extraordinaire – $1,500
This pricey ice cream, served at the Baccarat Hotel New York, is created with imported vanilla beans from Madagascar. It is covered with a chocolate shell and smeared with cocoa butter, then placed atop black truffle crumble. This is made up of 64% Manjari dark chocolate and Valrhona Gold cocoa nibs. The dessert is further glamorised with hibiscus champagne sauce, citrus meringue, and decorated with fondant butterflies, spun sugar, and gold and silver leafing.
Krispy Kreme’s Luxe Doughnut – $1,685
Krispy Kreme’s made a one-off Luxe doughnut to raise funds for The Children’s Trust in 2014. The doughnut is covered with 24-carat gold leaf and has a white chocolate lotus. It is stuffed with Dom Perignon champagne jelly and even includes a few edible diamonds. To enhance the dining experience, it is also served with a cocktail of Dom Perignon 2002, Courvoisier Cognac and passionfruit and raspberry syrup.
The World’s Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae – $3,330
This is essentially a banana split by Three Twins Ice Cream, with syrups made from extremely rare dessert wines, including a 1960 vintage port, a Chateau D’Yquem, and a German Trockenbeerenauslese. To add to the grandeur, it’s served with an antique spoon and you’ll be serenaded by a cellist. Sadly, the company closed down this year.
The following desserts are crazy expensive mostly because of non-edible bits added to the dishes.
The Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence – $14,500
The Fortress Resort’s dessert has an elaborate design with impressive imagery of a handcrafted, carved chocolate of a stilt fisherman, which is served with an 80-carat Aquamarine stone. Essentially, the dessert is a traditional sponge cake with Irish cream and fruit. The base is a pomegranate and mango compote and Dom Perignon champagne sabayon.
The Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel Chocolate Pudding – $34,000
At the Lindeth Hower Country House Hotel in England, chef Marc Guibert made it his mission to come up with the world’s most expensive chocolate pudding. His concoction includes a replica of a Faberge egg, exquisite chocolate, edible gold, and a non-edible two-carat diamond. It also comes with edible gold leaf, four types of Belgian chocolate and gold and champagne caviar.
Strawberries Arnaud – $9.85 million
This plate of strawberries served at Arnaud’s restaurant in New Orleans takes first place on the list of the world’s most expensive desserts. It costs a whopping $9.85 million, mostly because of the luxurious box placed at the base of the plate which houses a 10.06-carat blue diamond engagement ring created by MS Rau Antiques. The dessert itself consists of regular strawberries, 24-carat gold flake toppings, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and a range of champagnes and liquors.
All prices in USD.
