Oct 31

Top 10 Most Expensive Desserts in the World

Sure it’s great to have a nice hearty meal, but what’s a nice meal without the perfect dessert to end the night? There’s nothing better than being able to enjoy something sweet and tasty: cake, cookies, pie, pudding, or anything else- as long as it has sugar in it. When you indulge in sweet desserts, you might worry about a costly dental bill in your future… but, how about the price of the dessert itself?

There aren’t many people who can afford to, or who would want to, spend thousands of dollars on a dessert. However, if you are insanely rich (or just insane?), here is a list of ten desserts you should order. The rest of us will sit here watering out of our mouths and eyes from the hefty price tags.

Who’d have ever thought a sweet tooth could be so expensive:

1. Diamond Fruitcake $1.65 million

Japanese diamond fruitcake most expensive desserts

For many of us, Christmas is all about spending time with family, enjoying a nice meal, and of course spending money on gifts for everyone. But, would you be daring enough to dish about $1.65 million for cake? Even better…could you afford it without having a nice overdraft fee in your bank account? Probably not; however, one pastry chef in Tokyo decided that his cake was worth this exorbitant amount of money. The chef decided to auction off the cake on Christmas Day at an exhibit entitled Diamonds: Nature’s Miracle. The chef took about 6 months to design the cake and an entire month to finish it and have it ready to be sold. 223 small diamonds are located throughout the exterior of the cake. Except for the diamonds, the rest of the cake is fully edible. This seems like a nice gift for your wife. “Here honey, have your cake and eat it too, just watch for all the diamonds”. But what woman doesn’t like diamonds, even if they are half-way covered in icing and not set in gold?

2. Strawberries Arnaud $1.4 million

strawberries arnaud expensive desserts

As we’ve all heard, things are not always what they seem, and this saying applies to the Strawberries Arnaud perfectly. If you go to Arnaud’s restaurant in New Orleans’ French Quarter, you see nothing more than a bowl of strawberries topped with cream and mint. Yet, somehow they are worth $1.4 million? Look a bit harder and you’ll find a one-of-a-kind 4.7-carat pink diamond once belonging to Sir Ernest Cassel, an English royal finance advisor. Not only do you get delicious strawberries and a nice ring, the dessert comes with white-glove servers who provide wine out of a wine set worth $24,850, and of course there’s live jazz music. I mean, who would eat a $1.4 million dessert without music in the background? In any case, I say stick to your own strawberries and cream and a 25 cent plastic ring. She’ll never know the difference.

3. Platinum Cake $130,000

platinum cake most expensive desserts

Created by a Japanese pastry chef named Nobue Ikara, the Platinum Cake rings in at the tiny price of $130,000, and is any platinum lover’s dream. The cake is decorated with plain white frosting and then draped with everything platinum, including chains, necklaces, pins, pendants, and even foils made of platinum that are edible. Ikara crafted the cake in dedication to many women, including Rinko Kikuchi, as well as in order to persuade more women to wear platinum. The cake was showcased by Platinum Guild International, a company encouraging more and more people to buy platinum jewelry, despite the record high rates for precious metals these days. The cake hasn’t been sold and the company has no idea whether it will be sold or not, but they do know it is worth more than many can afford. But, at least you get the chance to have your platinum cake, eat it, and wear it too. What a steal!

4. Frrrozen Haute Chocolate $25,000

frrrozen haute chocolate hot chocolate most expensive desserts

Another Serendipity 3 dessert, the Frrozen Haute Chocolate is definitely a drink that no one will ever forget. At the price of $25,000, you can enjoy the frozen drink with the consistency of a slushy that contains a variety of cocoas from over 14 countries, milk, and of course 5 grams of 24-carat. To top it off, there’s a dollop of whipped cream and La Madeline au Truffle shavings. To ensure your money’s worth, the “Haute” cold dessert comes in a goblet that is banded with gold and decorated with diamonds: 1 carat of them, along with a take-home golden spoon. In 2007 the dessert was named the most expensive dessert in the world and was put into the Guinness World Records, but the price-tag has since been surpassed. In any case, would you want to pay $25,000 for slushy hot cocoa?

5. The Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence $14,500

fortress stilt fisherman indulgence most expensive desserts

They say food presentation is very important, and when it comes to the Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence, there is no doubt. In Sri Lanka, stilt fishing has become a very popular tradition that has been around for decades. The dessert pays special tribute to this pastime by portraying a stilt fishing scene made of delicious ingredients, including chocolate, exotic fruit, and Irish cream. The dish is served with a mango and pomegranate compote. It portrays a fisherman, carved out of chocolate, hanging onto the stilt. Underneath the fisherman is a perfectly placed 80 carat aquamarine. It sits on a tiny sliver of chocolate to fully represent the fisherman’s stilt. Those who order the dessert get to keep the jewel, but as of now, no one has forked out the money. The Fortress was first unveiled at the Wine3 Fisherman Stilt restaurant in Sri Lanka.

6. Macaroons Haute Couture $7,414

pierre herme macaroons macrons most expensive desserts

Macaroons aren’t too hard to find in today’s world. They are simply two meringue puffs that are held together with butter cream. They are most popular in France, and you can usually find them for a reasonable price for such a tasty dessert. However, French pastry chef, Pierre Herme, has cooked up a new and more expensive type of macaroons. The price tag at $7,414 definitely makes these macaroons not as attractive to everyone as the original recipe. Herme says that he offers a large variety of ingredients that have elevated the costs. A customer is able to choose ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, fleur de sel, red wine, peanut butter, and anything else you can think of putting between your two meringue puffs. Not all of the macaroons are this expensive, but if you choose the right ingredients, be prepared to dish out $7,000.

7. The Sultan’s Golden Cake $1,000

Sultans golden cake most expensive desserts

If you’ve ever wanted to try an edible brick of gold, this dessert is definitely for you. It’s available at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel located in Istanbul, for the hefty price of $1,000. The cake is made of figs, pears, apricot, and quince that are then put into a Jamaican Rum and soaked for two years. To finish, the cake is topped with French Polynesia vanilla bean, caramel, black truffles, and a 24 carat gold leaf. It is said that the cake takes about 72-hours to make. Once it is ready to be served, it is placed inside a sterling silver cake box with a golden seal. However, the cake is usually only made per request: usually for a wedding, celebration, or for a sultan himself.

8. The Brownie Extraordinaire $1,000

brownie extraordinaire most expensive desserts

You  can try this dessert next time you’re on the East Coast of the U.S.- if you’re willing to dish out $1,000. The Brownie Extraordinaire is sold at Brule, a restaurant in the Tropicana Resort located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. But, this isn’t just any brownie. It’s made out of dark chocolate that is then covered with Italian hazelnuts and served with a scoop of ice cream. Along with the sweet dessert, customers are also given a very rare and highly expensive port wine, Quinta do Novel Nicional, from Portugal. The wine is poured and served in a St. Louis Crystal atomizer. Although a brownie may not seem like a very lavish dessert, adding the rare glass of wine most definitely spices things up. And, if you’re a really big spender, you can choose to spend $15,000 on a Valentine’s Day package at Tropicana Resorts, which includes a hotel stay, romantic dinners, and of course the Brownie Extraordinaire.

9. Golden Opulence Sundae $1,000

Golden Opulence Sundae most expensive desserts 272x400

Made of the best of the best, the Golden Opulence Sundae, provided by New York City restaurant Serendipity 3, will add $1000 to your bill. The sundae was created in order to celebrate Serendipity’s 50th Anniversary- otherwise known as the golden anniversary. The restaurant says that they only sell about one of these sundaes a month, but any sale is better than none, right? Known as the world’s most expensive sundae, the Golden Opulence is made with 5 scoops of Tahitian Vanilla Bean ice cream mixed with Madagascar vanilla and Venezuelan Chuao chocolate and topped off with a leaf covered in 23K edible gold. There are also other ingredients, including gold dragets, Paris candied fruits, marzipan cherries, and truffles. To top it all off, one of the world’s most expensive chocolates (Amedei Porcelana) is drizzled over the top and a Ron Ben-Israel sugar flower is properly placed. On top of the sundae you’ll also find a small glass bowl of Grand Passion Caviar, sweetened with orange, passion fruit, and Armagnac, which gives off a shiny golden color. You even get to eat the sundae in style: an 18K gold spoon is provided to eat your delicious treat out of a Harcourt crystal goblet.

10. Noka Chocolate, Vintage Collection $854 per pound

Noka Chocolate Most Expensive Desserts 533x400

Probably the simplest dessert on the list, the Vintage Collection provided by Noka Chooclate comes in at an expensive $854 per pound. The chocolate that is sold by this company is well known for being delicious and one of the finest made in the entire world. Noka uses all different types of cocoa from places such as Ecuador, Venezuela, Cote d’Ivoire, and Trinidad. The chocolates that are provided in the Vintage Collection are all of the dark variety, each of them made with at least 75% cocoa. If you’re new to such high class chocolate, Noka even provides flavor profiles as well as tasting guidelines. Each box is packaged in the classic Noka design.

Oct 29

Top 10 Most Expensive Foods in the World

Matsutake Mushrooms – $1000/pound

The matsutake, or mattake, mushroom is expensive because of its rarity. While its historical prevalence meant it was nearly synonymous with autumn in Japan, the introduction of an insect that kills the trees under which the mushroom grows has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of matsutake mushrooms. A method for farming the matsutake has yet to be developed, which means the lack of trees from which to harvest these mushrooms naturally is a serious problem for the species.

World’s most expensive bagel

The World’s Most Expensive Bagel – $1000

This bagel, created by Executive Chef Frank Tujague for New York’s Westin Hotel, is topped with white truffle cream cheese and goji berry infused Riesling jelly with golden leaves. The bagel’s price is justified when you consider that white truffles happen to be the second most expensive food by weight, eclipsed only by caviar. The underground fungus grows only under specific oak trees in Alba, Italy. Their pheromone-like odor is considered to be an aphrodisiac and is the reason dogs and female pigs are used to hunt the precious truffle.

the Zillion Dollar Frittata

The Zillion Dollar Frittata – $1000

This absurdly expensive breakfast item consists of a mixture of eggs, lobster and 10 ounces of sevruga caviar (which costs the restaurant $65 per ounce). On the menu next to the expensive omelet there is a challenge that reads, “Norma dares you to expense this.”

Wagyu Steak – $2800

World’s most expensive steaks

While Wagyu cattle are raised both in and outside Japan, the Kobe varietal which is raised specifically in the Hyogo prefecture is the most elite. Employing the most traditional production methods, Kobe beef comes from cows that are allegedly fed only beer and massaged by hand to ensure a tenderness and marbling beyond compare. These dishes can be out of range for the average restaurateur, carrying an unhealthy load of fat and a price tag to match. For your next after-work social, you might try taking your associates to New York City’s Craftsteak, where a full Wagyu rib eye was served up to a private party for $2800.

Samundari Khazana, the World’s Most Expensive Curry – $3200

World's Most Expensive Curry

To celebrate the DVD release of Slumdog Millionaire, Bombay Brassiere packed this curry platter full of the most expensive ingredients they could find. Devon crab and white truffle and a half tomato filled with Beluga caviar and dressed with gold leaf are just the start of this lavish dish. A Scottish lobster, also coated with gold, four abalone and four shelled and hollowed quails’ eggs filled with even more caviar round out the dish.

Domenico Crolla’s “Pizza Royale 007″ – $4200

pizza pie

The 12 inch pizza pie is densely packed with an assortment of some of the world’s most expensive food ingredients, such as lobster marinated in cognac, caviar soaked in champagne, sunblush tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon, venison medallions, prosciutto, and vintage balsamic vinegar. In addition to all these fine ingredients, it’s topped with a significant amount of edible 24-carat gold flakes.

World's most expensive watermelon
(via Los Angeles Times)

Dansuke Watermelon – $6,100

In a country where watermelons are rare game, they can be a costly commodity. That’s how a 17-pound Japanese watermelon became the most expensive watermelon in the world. Densuke watermelons, a type of black watermelon grown only on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, are usually given as gifts due to their extraordinary rarity. There were only sixty-five of the fruits among the first harvest this season. They are harder and crisper than the watermelons we Americans are used to and, according to Tohma Agricultural Cooperative’s spokesman, they “have a different level of sweetness.”

World's Most Expensive Cantaloupes

Yubari Melons – $22,872

Another type of expensive melon, the world’s most expensive cantaloupes are a pair of Yubari melons and were the first auction of the 2008 season. They had previously been judged the best pair and were purchased by the owner of a nearby seafood lunchbox and souvenir business. It had some competition—100 melons grown by farmers from Yubari were also judged.

Almas Caviar – $25,000

Almas caviar comes from Iran making it extremely rare and extremely expensive. The only known outlet is the Caviar House & Prunier in London England’s Picadilly that sells a kilo of the expensive Almas caviar in a 24-karat gold tin for £16,000, or about $25,000. Coincidentally, it is also where you can find the most expensive meal in Britain. The Caviar House also sells a £800 tin for those on a smaller budget.

World’s most expensive truffle

Italian White Alba Truffle – $160,406

Expensive truffles are notoriously pricey because they are difficult to cultivate. This makes them a true delicacy which some have called the king of all fungi. The Associate Press reported that a real estate investor and his wife from Hong Kong have paid €125,000 ($160,406 USD) for a gigantic Italian White Alba truffle which is reportedly the world’s most expensive ever. The most expensive truffle weighs in 1.51 kilograms (3.3 lbs).