Gelatin-ed?

Even as the diet revolution is at the gates and things threaten to get ugly for tempting candy men, Aishwarya Nair doesn’t seem to care. In her secret confectionery world of luscious cupcakes and crumbly cookies inspired by Queen Marie Antoinette, indulgence is all that batters.

If you’ve heard of her upscale dessert brand Dolce, it must be through word of mouth for it has no official retail outlet or easy-to-reach cell number, not even a website or Facebook group. The only route to the Culinary Institute of America graduate’s sweet somethings is the room service number at The Leela Kempinski. Strange? Not really, considering her family owns the chain of hotels where she also serves as food and wine merchandiser. A designated Dolce space at the hotel is in the making, but until then, it’s cupcake through concierge. 

Royal Sigh-ness

It is a red velvet rendezvous that led us to Dolce’s pleasure palace and what ensued was seduction by a bright, bold cake topped with delicate swirls of cream cheese, our favourite from this kitchen. While the basic framework of the menu includes five cupcake, four cookie and ten specialty cake variations (bpb loves chocolate salted caramel and carrot-cream cheese cupcakes, Chocolate Mudslide and Cranberry Jumble cookies), Aishwarya claims she can make any dessert you dream up. “Puff pastry biscuits, éclairs, mille feuilles. Bespoke cupcake requests have included tiramisu, lavender mint and s’mores,” she says.

At Rs 120 + taxes for a regular cupcake (bite sized options available too), Dolce’s possessions are pricey, but reader, these are easily the freshest, yummiest sweets we’ve eaten in the city.

Perfect Pairings

What Aishwarya really considers her strong point though, is pairing dessert with fine wine, so an order at Dolce usually comes with vino recommendations. “Sip Brachetto di Acqui (sparkling fruity Italian red) with my Divine chocolate cups or pair Krug champagne with a vanilla peach cupcake,” she advises.
But if Marie came to visit – that historically hungry hedonist – Aishwarya would prepare something far more ostentatious.  “I would acquire a vintage Cristal or Romanee Conti, retain half the bottle (to drink along with the pastry later) and reduce the rest to create a seriously aromatic and ambrosial ganache sandwiched in a classic macaroon. Et voila!”

bpb got her to share this recipe fit for royalty.

For Ganache: 100 gms of good quality white chocolate. melted and cooled (I use Valrhona with at least 30% cacao); 2 tbsps unsalted butter; 1  tbsp sour cream; 1/2 tbsp (Tahitian) vanilla extract; 1/2 tbsp lemon zest; 2 tbsps Cristal champagne Reduction (reduced from a 1/2 a cup).

For macaroon shells: ¾ cup ground almonds; 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar; ½ cup egg whites, ¾ cup sugar; 3 ½ tbsp water; powdered colouring.
 
Preparation: Sift the powdered sugar and mix with ground almonds. Set aside. Heat sugar with water at up to 230 F. Beat half of the egg whites and pour the sugar syrup on it while continuing to beat them. Stop when mixture is lukewarm (around 115 F). Add the other half of unbeaten egg whites and colouring to this mixture. Next, add powdered sugar/ground almonds. With a pastry bag, pipe the shells (around an inch in diameter) on the baking sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Place in a 300 F oven for around 12 minutes.

Getting there: Dolce By the Leela, call 66911234 and ask room service to connect you to Dolce, Rs 120 for standard cupcake, pick up at The Leela Kempinski hotel, Andheri (E),  minimum order of Rs 2,000 for home delivery.