What I Got: Strawberry Tart, Black Sesame Brioche, Yuja Madeleines, Teddy Bear Duo, Yuja Sunrise, Strawberry Charlotte

Price: $$$-$$$$

Location: NYC

Review:

If you are going to go to one dessert shop in NYC, make it Lysée. Lysée’s high-end desserts are creative, beautiful, and delicious. These desserts are without a doubt some of the best I have ever eaten. They are on the pricey side, but they are worth it. To me, these desserts are priceless. You cannot find desserts more artful and incredible than these. This was my second visit to Lysée. I consider myself truly lucky for each dessert I get to try.

Strawberry Tart – The Strawberry tart is Lysée’s spring and summer seasonal tart with honey cream, Harry’s Berries strawberries and jam, and an almond cream tart shell. It is an incredibly refreshing and light dessert that is perfect for warm weather. The tart looks gorgeous and tastes even better than it looks (which hardly seems possible, but it is). The strawberries are the ripest strawberries I have ever eaten. They are juicy with a perfect hint of tartness to balance the amazing sweetness. The jam is fresh and packed with fresh strawberry flavor. The honey cream is sweet, creamy, and smooth. It melds with the strawberries and jam beautifully. The tart shell is buttery and nutty. This tart is the best strawberry dessert I have ever eaten. The strawberries and jam are so fresh, and the honey cream is heavenly. Words cannot describe how delicious it is. I nearly shouted, “This is so good!” when I ate it. You must try it!

Black Sesame Brioche – The Black Sesame Brioche is a brioche filled with black sesame cream and topped with black sesame crumble. The brioche is as fluffy and airy as it can get. The black sesame cream is cool, creamy, and light. It has an amazing nutty, earthy flavor unique to black sesame. The black sesame crumble adds more delicious black sesame flavor and some crunchy texture. The black sesame flavor paired with the gorgeous, more neutral flavored brioche creates a wonderful dessert. If you like black sesame, you cannot go wrong. If you don’t, this may change your mind.

Yuja Madeleines – The Yuja Madeleines are yuja flavored madeleines with a yuja glaze. They are so tender and moist they will melt in your mouth. The yuja flavor comes through with its lovely, unique citrusy and bitter flavors. The glaze adds sweetness and boosts the yuja flavor. Lysée’s madeleines are always top-notch, and this one is no exception. The flavor and texture is incredible. It more than satisfied my love of yuja and madeleines.

Teddy Bear Duo – The Teddy Bear duo includes two teddy bear madeleines: one milk chocolate madeleine with milk chocolate-hazelnut spread covered in milk chocolate and one Dulcey chocolate madeleine with maple covered in Dulcey chocolate. The milk chocolate madeleine has the perfect amount of sweet milk chocolate flavor. There is a hint of nutty hazelnut and a subtle crunch within the madeleine that gives it a fun texture. The Dulcey chocolate madeleine has a sweet, biscuity flavor. Dulcey chocolate is a blond chocolate made with cocoa butter. It is unique because the chocolate is only made by Valrhona Chocolate which makes this madeleine extra special. The maple compliments the Dulcey chocolate nicely. The chocolate covering each madeleine melts in your mouth beautifully and brings out the unique flavor of each chocolate. The madeleines are adorable and delicious. They are a wonderful treat that will please anyone.

Yuja Sunrise – The Yuja sunrise is a seasonal drink made with yuja juice and sencha green tea topped with sparkling water. It is refreshing and has the perfect amount of sweetness. The yuja flavor comes through perfectly to create a balanced fruit and tea drink. There is candied yuja rind on the bottom that brings forward the amazing sweet, citrusy, bitter flavor. This is a great light and refreshing drink for the summer! It compliments any of the fruity desserts at Lysée.

Strawberry Charlotte – The Strawberry Charlotte includes Harry’s Berries strawberries and jam, wild strawberries from Malaga Spain, vanilla cream, and lady fingers. It was a Mother’s Day special that could be preordered for Mother’s Day weekend (it may be available again next year). It serves 4-6 people. It is a beautiful and delicious dessert that makes an amazing Mother’s Day gift. The strawberries and jam are incredibly sweet and fresh. The wild strawberries are interesting with their more subtle and refreshing strawberry flavor. The vanilla cream is a light, smooth whipped cream. It is sweet and milky in flavor and compliments the strawberries. The lady fingers are tender, moist, and encrusted in sugar. They make the perfect base for the dessert. There is a buttery, crisp layer of shortbread at the bottom that is wonderful as well. I always trust Lysée to make desserts that are above and beyond in both presentation and flavor. This Strawberry Charlotte is no exception. You can taste that every ingredient is the best quality, and every part of the dessert is carefully and expertly crafted. Separately, each component of the dessert is delicious and together they become even more delicious. It was a delight to eat.