As we rush headlong into the social season where parties and gatherings run into each other in the diary, savvy foodies are picking up on a custom popular in Europe - ordering delicate, sophisticated desserts from a local patisserie. Beautifully boxed, they make an impressive gift when you're invited to friends for lunch or dinner and, at this time of year when we're too busy to be prepping anything too elaborate, why not let one of Auckland's top patisseries, which we think are proving good enough to rival those in Paris, lend a hand.
Our picks:
Vaniye For its exquisite violetta, the perfectly layered "1000 leaves" millefeuille, or the impressive Exotique (pictured above) made of coconut mousse, mango, passionfruit, banana coulis and praline crunch, $30-$50.
1/7 Windsor St, Parnell, ph (09) 09 307 0839 or vaniye.com
Milse For its gelato cakes and bombe alaska.
The Pavillions, 27 Tyler St, Britomart, ph (09) 215 8996 or britomart.org/milse
Heart of Flavour For its coconut and passionfruit mousse cake or crepes suzettes that come with cute pots of rich buttery orange and cointreau sauce
4 Roxburgh St, Newmarket, ph (09) 520 1048 or heartofflavour.co.nz
