How to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth in LA

Usually I'm not the one to crave sweets or searching frantically for ice cream, but I think I can safely say that LA has changed me. Basking in the California sunlight always leaves me wanting unprecedented amounts of sugar, so I've come here to share some of my most frequented places.

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1. Honeymee

If you aren't for saving the bees, you should be now. As a long-time non-fan of honey, I wasn't expecting much when I stepped into my first Honeymee. I ordered the classic "Sweetie"–some soft-serve ice cream with honey glazed over it, and then my life changed as much as it did when I first discovered waterproof mascara. I would say this is the perfect dessert for people who want something cold and sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet. You could also spice things up by choosing one of Honeymee's many flavor selections, including chocolate and green tea toppings.

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2. Beard Papa's

If you enjoy cream puffs and the small things in life, you're definitely going to want to check out Beard Papa's. I've always been a bit of a skeptic about any dessert that looks like it will get messy, but my times here have always been worth it. I stick to the original vanilla cream puff, but there's also chocolate and matcha options, as well as a variety of mochi ice creams and refreshing drinks.

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3. Salt & Straw

This is one of the most popular ice cream spots in LA, so of course I had to pay it a visit. As with most places I've been to in LA, I was pleasantly surprised. The thing that sets Salt & Straw apart from its competitors is its flavor selection, ranging from what we normally see (vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough, etc) to some really out-there flavors like black olive brittle, goat cheese and honey lavender.

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4. Creamistry

Because ice cream and its regular frozen product is boring, Creamistry decided to up the ice cream experience by bringing in liquid nitrogen. The largely monochromatic ice cream parlors are lined with mixing machines where you can create your own ice cream recipe and relive your first encounter with dry ice. I'd say the ice cream is a little denser than what I normally get, but it's still great.

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5. Diddy Riese

If you love cookies, you're going to love Diddy Riese. While it has multiple specialties from sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and brownies, there's nothing I more aggressively crave than the white chocolate chip cookies. They're the perfect amount of sweet and gooey. I recently found out that Diddy Riese ships across the US. If life wasn't good before, it is now.

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6. The Dolly Llama

The Dolly Llama takes everything that's good about self-serve froyo shops and waffle cones and takes it to another level. I think the best item you can get here is definitely the bubble waffle cone, which comes with a scoop of ice cream, two toppings and a sauce, all in a warm waffle cone. The ice cream flavors are also incredible (I recommend coffee or Cookie Monster).

Feature Image via Salt and Straw.

Make to Impress (Yourself or Anyone): Lemon Ricotta Cake

What smells more divine than that rising cake mixture in the oven? With a few ingredients like eggs, butter, flour, sugar and dairy, I have found my path to heaven. One of the greatest joys of baking comes when I stand next to the vent and take a huge inhale of that hearty smell of butter and eggs, in perfect balance with the scent of lemon zest.

---if only I could do this in yoga classes when I am told to take a deep inhale!

This lemon ricotta cake recipe from NYTimes Cooking calls for readily available ingredients and no fancy techniques are needed! In contrast to its elegant simplicity is the impressive final product: when served hot, it has a gooey pudding texture; if you let it set and serve it cold, it turns more like a flan; on top of that, you can play with the decorations-berry sauce, confectioners’ sugar, more lemon zest, whipped cream, ice cream… Let the occasion and your imagination lead you! It’s a perfect dessert to impress your family and friends in this holiday season.

Serves: 12 people

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 quart whole milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 ¾ cups semolina flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 1 large or 2 small lemons, zest only
• 4 large eggs
• 1 pound (2 cups) fresh ricotta cheese, strained

How to:

Preheat the oven to 325F; butter the mold (the original recipe uses a 11-inch round cake pan; I used the batter to fill a 6.5*6.5 inch square pan and 11 holes of a 12-muffin tin)

Step1:

Bring the milk to boil over medium heat. When it starts simmering, slowly add the semolina and salt. STIR WITH A WHISK CONSTANTLY!! This is the arm workout of the day. For 2 minutes, keep stirring when it gets sticky. The point is to make the mixture smooth and prevent the bottom from getting burnt.

Step2: 

Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the sugar and butter. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl; give it a stir from time to time when it's cooling down.

Step3: 

Stir in the lemon zest, eggs (1 at a time) and ricotta. After adding each ingredient, beat until smooth. I promise your arms will have a nice workout after making this dessert.

Step4:   

Batter in the mold of your choice! Bake for about an hour, until it's golden and fairly set (to test: gently shake the mold and the mixture shouldn't be running around). Take it out when it has cooled down a little bit and decorate!

What I really love about this recipe is that it can be as fancy or down to earth as you like. Eat directly from the muffin tin like my roommates and I did on a cold winter night, or cut it into slices, pair with a nice scoop of ice cream next to it, and finish with a pinch of mint leaves. Find your sweet spot(s) on that scale and enjoy!

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Purveyors of Sweetness: Lolli & Pops

This past year, my roommate got me hooked on the idea of a chocolate bar. Seems simple, like the Hershey Chocolate bars you would see before buying your groceries or the chocolate bar from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory right? It's not quite that plain anymore. I was soon introduced to the elevated chocolate bar, a dessert trend that has taken over the world. Not only were these chocolate bars sold in shops, people were also making them at home. My roommate herself melted dark chocolate and added her own selection of flavors ranging from dried cranberries to almonds.

For her graduation, I knew that I had to get her some chocolate, but from where? In the French Market on Clinton St, I found Lolli & Pops. There, I found a wide selection of chocolate bars and chose the flavors strawberry champagne, dark espresso, and brownie cake. Of course, being the kind roommate she is, she shared them with me. As we sat on the kitchen floor, we were both amazed at the richness of the chocolate. Each bar had a different texture depending on the flavor and you could taste the accented notes against the chocolate as well. My personal favorite was the dark espresso. The taste of coffee was not overwhelming and just added a layer of deep intensity that fit the dark chocolate base perfectly.

Lolli & Pops doesn't just focus on chocolate. They specialize in a range of classic sweets to international candies. Many of their stores are designed as old candy stores, so when you walk in, you're transported to the past. Some locations, like the one in Glendale, CA, also sell ice cream sundaes and floats! If you're unable to physically go to a store, they also have a website. They're also able to send gift boxes around the country, so if you're looking to give someone a sweet gift, this is the perfect place to start!

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Valentine's Day: Chicago Desserts

Valentine's Day is steadily approaching! If you don't want to do the standard box of chocolates or you can't cook to save your life, check out our dessert list compiled by our bloggers down below to satisfy that sweet tooth! Whether you go with your S.O. or your friends, I promise you won't be disappointed.

❤️ Bombobar: Plump bombolini's, home-made gelato, and over-the-top hot chocolate? Bombobar's cute walk up window is a great place to stop by in the Fulton Market District if you're looking for a dessert to complete your Valentine's Day meal.

❤️ Jeni's Ice Cream: My favorite ice-cream spot in all of Chicago- Jeni's in Wicker Park offers a variety of unique flavors like Brambleberry Crisp and Pink Grapefruit Buttermilk Frozen Yogurt to the classics like Milkiest Chocolate and Ndali Estate Vanilla Bean. Don't forget to get the ice-cream in one of their home-made waffle cones.

❤️ Mindy's Hot Chocolate: Another favorite in Wicker Park, the hot chocolate will warm you and your date right up. House-made marshmallows melt in your mouth, and if you're looking for that extra kick, Mindy's can spike your favorite chocolate with a shot of brandy, cognac, or rum. Check out MODA's review of Mindy's here!

❤️ Firecakes: If you're looking to satisfy your sweet tooth with donuts, Firecakes in River North is your classic Chicago donut joint! One of our bloggers suggested getting the ice-cream donut sandwich, and my personal tip is getting the mint ice-cream for the inside. 

❤️ More Cupcakes: Recommended by one of our bloggers, More Cupcakes, located in River North, will satisfy that cupcake craving. The interior is chic and modern, and if you're looking for something to take back home, this would be the perfect dessert.

❤️ Pierrot Gourmet: If you're trying to impress your date, Pierrot Gourmet in the Peninsula Hotel in River North is the place to go! Their wide variety of pastries will cater to a multitude of taste buds, and one of our bloggers, Angie Kan, suggested the apple cobbler!

❤️ Honey Dessert: If you're looking for a fun dessert that's perfect to share, Honey Dessert's shaved ice in Chinatown is what you should look for. It's even recommended by our EIC, Ashley Xu.

Hopefully this guide has helped you find some inspiration. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day from the Blog! 

Featured image courtesy of Juliet Lee