3 hours Ago By Emma Breheny, Tomas Telegramma
Valentine’s Day in Melbourne falls when it’s the season of blushing plums, crimson raspberries and deep-red strawberries – a happy marriage for dessert fans. Seek out one of these very on-theme desserts to sink a spoon into with your best friend, soulmate, sister, work wife or any other “Valentine” in your life. Some require a booking and a bigger budget; others are perfect for low-key celebrations organised on the day.
Plan-ahead treats Raspberry and vanilla soft serve, Supernormal, $16 Just this once, it’s worth sidestepping Supernormal ’s signature peanut butter parfait for this towering, two-tone soft serve. The colourful coil of ice cream is a contrast of tangy raspberry and sweet vanilla bean. Expect it to come drizzled with raspberry sauce, decorated with caramelised white chocolate and freeze-dried raspberries, and served in an old-school sundae glass.
180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, supernormal.net.au Chocolate fudge cake with raspberry cream, Moonhouse (part of a set menu) Oysters, duck pancakes, fried rice with prawns, and the prettiest slice of chocolate cake we ever did see: moody southside hangout Moonhouse isn’t holding back on its $80 Valentine’s menu.
Seven dishes of Chinese-inspired fare are included, with this super-frilly, super-retro dessert arguably the main event. 282 Carlisle Street, Balaclava, moonhouse.com.
au Vanilla cake with strawberries, Bistra, $18 Anyone who’s visited Bistra knows that charm is built into the place. Narrow and tightly packed, it’s mastered the art of lighting, the tables are dressed with heavy linen and dishes lean towards the old-school. Throw this strawberry sponge cake into the mix – featuring thyme-infused custard and strawberries macerated in Saison vermouth – and Valentine’s Day is made.
157 Elgin Street, Carlton, bistracarlton.com.au Jelly tip, Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor, $16 Anyone who grew up in New Zealand will appreciate this nod to its beloved popsicle of jelly, vanilla ice cream and chocolate.
The version at Maggie’s brings in bold Davidson’s plum, yuzu cheesecake and a crumb, and it’s all yours as an add-on to the $70 Valentine’s set menu, or you can dine a la carte. 98 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, maggiesbar.com.
au White chocolate, raspberry and pistachio tart, Morning Market, $50 If you’re on dinner duties for your number-one this year, outsource dessert to the pros at Morning Market . Buttery shortcrust pastry is filled with layers of pistachio praline and a luscious white chocolate and pistachio custard, with a blanket of pistachios and fresh raspberries on top. It serves two “generously”.
(Pre-order online for collection between February 12 and 16.) 59 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy; 579 High Street, Prahran; morning.market Coeur a la creme, Carnation Canteen, $18 There’s an air of effortless romance at Fitzroy’s Carnation Canteen , but this simple French dessert takes it up notch.
Chef-owner Audrey Shaw’s coeur a la creme (literally “heart with cream”) features ricotta and creme fraiche, loosely shaped like a heart and plated atop mariposa blood plum. 165 Gore Street, Fitzroy, carnationcanteen.com Spontaneous sweets Heart-shaped gelato pops, Piccolina, $10 If your Valentine loves gelato as much as they love you, show some heart with Piccolina’s cute love-heart-shaped gelato pops.
Dipped in couverture Belgian milk chocolate, they come in two flavours: classic vanilla, and strawberries and cream. Order online for pick-up at all locations, or find in-store while stocks last. Multiple locations, piccolinagelateria.
com.au Fudge and peanut sundae, Sundae School Ice Creamery, $15.50 Sticky, nutty and fudgy, this dessert might be approaching sundae perfection.
Ribbons of chocolate fudge sauce mingle with vanilla bean ice cream (three scoops!) and peanuts coated in browned butter bring a more adult, savoury edge. But whipped cream and a cherry on top dial up the fun. 344 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North, instagram.
com/sundaeschoolicecreamery/ Pastries and cakes Splitting a haul of pastries with your housemates, siblings or best friends is a guaranteed way to feel loved up. Melbourne bakeries are leaning in, creating special items such as a dark chocolate and strawberry Danish at Bloomwood ( 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne ), finished with its signature mascarpone flower. Monforte ( 585A Canning Street, Carlton North ) is baking hearts, with a heart-shaped vanilla sponge layered with strawberry compote and fig leaf mascarpone cream ($35, to share).
And Lune has created a very pink cruffin ($10.50) with strawberry cremeux, strawberry-rose jam, strawberry powder and more pink things in one elegant package ( pre-order from Armadale or Fitzroy). Read next: Victoria’s 10 best waterfront restaurants for great food with a beautiful view Thirty-plus retro dessert recipes to revisit Eleven new and underrated ice cream spots around Melbourne.
