England: the birthplace of Shakespeare, The Beatles, and croquet. Coincidentally, it’s also home to some of the most mouthwatering desserts. London especially is filled with the most exciting new trend – dessert bars. You can come to these dessert bars after work and indulge in the most creative and filling sweet treats. So we decided to do some research and find the most over-the-top desserts that are hailed as favorites by locals, critics, and tourists alike. Check out these ten drool-worthy sweets.
1. Congo Bar
Photo courtesy of @dilacheesebites on Instagram
At Outsider Tart, you can get this glorious Congo Bar that’s basically an enormous slab of cookie dough that’s filled with tons of chocolate-covered peanuts. If you can’t make it there, make these cookie dough-stuffed pretzels instead.
2. Banoffee Pie
Photo courtesy of @bonnierfakta on Instagram
Banoffee Pie is an extremely popular dessert in England that originated from The Hungry Monk Restaurant. The pie consists of a beautiful marriage of banana and coffee (hence the name) mixed with cream and chocolate all on top of crumbled biscuits and butter.
3. Knickerbocker Glory
Photo courtesy of @hu13kitchenandbar on Instagram
This ice cream sundae has been a favorite in England’s ice cream parlours since the 1930s. This treat includes a fruity base of strawberries, grapes, and melon, layered with multiple scoops of vanilla and strawberry ice cream, then topped with strawberry sauce, peach sauce, whipped cream, wafers, and a cherry on top. Variations can include jelly in between layers, more fruit, and sliced almonds on top.
4. Brownie-wich with Nitrogen Ice Cream
Photo courtesy of @pjoyce on Instagram
At Chin Chin Labs, they serve nitrogen ice cream with new and creative flavors every day. A must-try is their brownie-wich – a ginormous scoop of nitrogen butter caramel ice cream wedged between two brownie cookies with your choice of unique toppings like grilled white chocolate or homemade honeycomb.
5. Chocolate Cake
Photo courtesy of @choccywoccyshop on Instagram
Choccywoccydoodah is a chocolate-lovers dream. It’s an art-based chocolaterie that designs the most extravagant chocolate cakes for customers to enjoy in stores or for order for special occasions. In stores, customers can try anything from chocolate fondue to chocolate marshmallow pyramid cakes. For special occasions, they create gigantic chocolate cakes with intricate designs.
6. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Photo courtesy of @nattiediaries on Instagram
Don’t let the name fool you, this dessert from Spuntino is anything but your ordinary PB&J. This dessert consists of two layers of “bread,” AKA creamy slabs of peanut butter ice cream with chunky cherry jam in the middle, complete with crushed peanuts for an added crunch.
7. Duffin
Photo courtesy of @idas_bageri on Instagram
At Bea’s Cake Boutique, you can get the duffin – the doughnut muffin hybrid. You could stop there and I would surely be satisfied, but these perfect little creations are then stuffed with raspberry jam AND Nutella and are then coated with caster sugar.
8. Hazelnut Rocher
Photo courtesy of @basementsate on Instagram
At Basement State, a late night dessert bar in London, you can get the beloved Hazelnut Rocher. Enjoy a hazelnut praline brownie and espuma in a milk chocolate sphere, with dark granduja, caramelized hazelnut, chocolate caviar, and caramelia pearls.
9. Great Balls of Fire Sundae
Photo courtesy of @afters.original on Instagram
Afters is home to some of the most creative sundaes, shakes, and smoothies in London. Trying the Great Balls of Fire sundae is a must – nine scoops of ice cream topped with fruit cocktail and your choice of sauces and toppings, lit with a sparkler.
10. The Signature Slice
Photo courtesy of @kookybakes on Instagram
People travel miles to get the signature slice from Kooky Bakes. The slice begins with a pretzel base and is topped with white and dark chocolate, coconut, and pecans all bound together by dulce de leche.