Not only are these treats delicious, they’re also social media stars in their own right, writes Emma Hutton.
Does social media fan the fires of Sydney’s dessert culture, or vice versa? Any visit to a pâtisserie in Sydney is likely to include a glimpse into someone else’s photo shoot with a cult cake while it’s increasingly challenging to get through a quick look at Instagram or Facebook without coming across a post of perfectly poised and iced pastry perfection. But it’d be a pretty short-lived phenomenon if there wasn’t some substance to it, and in Sydney, now seemingly one of the world’s top destinations for snap-happy diners, the chefs more than come up with the goods. Here’s a rundown in no particular order of the city’s most essential sweet photo-finishes.
Photography Rodney Macuja
Lorraine’s strawberry & mascarpone cake
Lorraine’s strawberry & mascarpone cake
Combining the best ingredients with artistic flair is master pâtissière Lorraine Godsmark’s recipe for success. In a shop full of temptation, there’s no wrong answer, but whipped mascarpone, coconut dacquoise and strawberry conspire to make a cake that’s truly sweetness and light. (And gluten-free to boot.)
Lorraine’s, shop 5, Palings La, 320 George St, Sydney, (02) 9254 8009
Aqua S soft-serve
Aqua S soft-serve
Temper a scorching summer day with a pretty pastel Aqua S soft-serve. Dress up ocean-blue swirls of the signature sea salt flavour with caramel corn, marshmallows and fairy floss.
Aqua S, multiple locations including shop 27, Regent Place, 501 George St, Sydney; shop K3550, Macquarie Shopping Centre, cnr Herring & Waterloo rds, North Ryde, (02) 8668 5957
Bourke Street Bakery’s ginger brûlée tart
Bourke Street Bakery’s ginger brûlée tart
Surry Hills provides a wealth of choice for the would-be member of café society, but if solid brews and artisan-made treats are on the agenda (not to mention a truly local feel), Bourke Street Bakery’s original branch is a must. The ginger brûlée tart with spiced custard and raw pistachios has become a neighbourhood favourite with good reason.
Bourke Street Bakery, multiple locations, including 633 Bourke St, Surry Hills, (02) 9699 1011
Flour and Stone lamingtons
Flour and Stone lamingtons
Australia’s favourite chocolatey, coconut-covered cake adorns bakery shelves throughout the country, and deviations from the standard recipe seldom produce superior results. Flour and Stone’s take on the lamington, though, is the tastiest of exceptions: vanilla sponge soaked with panna cotta, layered with berry compote and coated with dark chocolate, and a snowy dusting of coconut flakes.
Flour and Stone, 53 Riley St, Woolloomooloo, (02) 8068 8818
Brickfields’ Persian love cake
Brickfields’ Persian love cake
Sure, you’re right on sooty old Cleveland Street, but it’s nonetheless easy to lose yourself in a world of silk and spice with one bite of Brickfields’ love cake. The soft and fragrant orange-blossom cake is made from almond meal, rosewater and yoghurt, and it’s a fine match with the bakery’s well-pulled Mecca coffee.
Brickfields, 206 Cleveland St, Chippendale, (02) 9698 7880
Black Star’s watermelon cake
Black Star’s watermelon cake
Black Star is a social media phenomenon in itself – even pictures of the queues at the original Newtown shopfront have become a familiar sight online – and it’s all about the watermelon cake, easily one of Sydney’s most beautiful desserts (you’ll find the recipe and our video on its cult status here). It comprises tiers of watermelon, almond dacquoise and rose-scented cream, with a sprinkling of Iranian pistachios and local strawberries. Have your camera up and your hashtag at the ready; this little number never lasts long.
Black Star, 277 Australia St, Newtown, and C1 85-113 Dunning Ave, Rosebery, (02) 9557 8656
Café Cre Asion’s matcha fondant
Café Cre Asion’s matcha fondant
The flavours of Japan are married with French technique at this hidden gem in the CBD. Going past the macarons isn’t easy, but the fondant, bringing together matcha-flavoured white chocolate ganache, dark chocolate glaze and macerated strawberries, provides powerful motivation.
Café Cre Asion, 21 Alberta St, Sydney, (02) 8021 1629
Messina’s Marsala-poached fig gelato
Messina’s Marsala-poached fig gelato
Sydney is home to many great gelato shops, but Messina commands the lion’s share of attention. Fruit, toasted nuts, brownie chunks, cookie crumbs, caramel and popcorn all feature in the display case. Our go-to flavour is poached figs with Marsala and hazelnut chocolate for a fix that’s somehow innovative and classic at the same time. We humbly suggest opting for a double.
Gelato Messina, multiple locations including shop ½41 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, (02) 9331 1588; 389 Crown St, Surry Hills, (02) 9332 1191
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