Sweet takeaways

Pantler 198 Telok Ayer Street Tel 6221-6223 pantler.com.sg

OUT of a rabid oversupply of log cakes, Pantler's Buche de Noel Chocolate and Orange (S$75/kg) stands out with a wickedly decadent combination of orange, chocolate and crunchy praline. There is complexity in its intense sweetness that helps prevent your palate from going into sugar shock: syrup-steeped chocolate sponge is rolled with orange scented cream while bits of orange confit offer gummi bear-like chewiness. Almond roca-like candy bits add contrast and a coating of sticky chewy chocolate completes this minimalist designed confection. It's going to be really hard to stay away from this. Also good is the dark chocolate Christmas pound cake (S$28/350g)- a slightly boozy, caramelly butter cake studded with griotte cherries soaked in kirsch. It's got a higher cake-to-fruit ratio which we like, plus the moist, tender crumb.

Available till Dec 30, by reservations only. Orders via 6221-6223 or contact@pantler.com.sg or at the store.

Tarte 1 Scotts Road, #01-12 Shaw Centre Tel 6235-3225 www.tarte.com.sg

LES AMIS pastry chef Cheryl Koh shows off her baking chops again with Tarte's Christmas Gift Box (S$88 nett) - an ensemble of sweet treats that look good and taste even better.

The highlight is of course an addictive apple crumble tart, which has just the right balance of apple to crunchy crust, and just enough cinnamon to give it flavour without being overpowering. Also part of the box is a crunchy sugar-coated stollen with rum-soaked raisins, lemon and orange peel, shortbread cookies, fruit and nut chocolates, and a jar of freshly-made jam.

Available till Dec 25, with three days advance notice. Orders via 6235-3225 or tarte@lesamis.com.sg.

Swissotel Merchant Court 20 Merchant Road Tel 6337-2288 www.swissotel.com

FOR something lighter than the usual decadent logcake, go for the Swissotel Merchant Court's twin combination of swiss roll logcakes (S$41), which are a combination of fluffy and just the right amount of sweet. The two flavours available are red velvet with chocolate mousse, and pandan with coconut cream, each one individually encased in a clear Christmas ball ornament which you can later fill with other goodies and even hang on your tree.

Available for orders till 12pm on Dec 23, and for collection till Dec 25. Call 6239-1848/1847 or e-mail emc.reservations@swissotel.com.

Clinton St Baking Company 31 Purvis Street Tel 6684-4845 clintonstreetbaking.com.sg

THREE-MONTH old Clinton St Baking Company has launched two homemade pies for the holiday season - a pumpkin butterscotch pie (S$60 for 1kg, S$9.50/slice) with a smooth not-too-sweet filling of pumpkin puree and butterscotch spiced with ginger and cinnamon, and a maple bourbon pecan pie (S$64 for 1kg, S$10.50/slice) made with Grade A Canadian maple syrup, bourbon, plus chopped and whole pecans to give you a mouthful of crunch. Available till Dec 30. Whole pies must be ordered one day in advance via 6684-4845 or orders@clintonstreetbaking.com.sg.

Hashida Garo 333A Mandarin Gallery, Orchard Road #04-16 Tel 6235-2283 www.garo.com.sg

SUSHI chef Kenjiro Hashida's dessert-making skills are well proven at his spinoff cafe/dessert bar. His elegant, Japanese-inspired macarons in flavours such as yuzu, hojicha and miso will look pretty at the Christmas table and are melt-in-the-mouth good too. But the star would be his signature mochi filled with Valrhona chocolate and strawberry - yielding, tender mochi skin enveloping a smooth mixture of chocolate and red bean, and chunky bits of strawberry.

A box of six macarons costs S$21 while a box of six mochi costs S$24.

Available instore.

Do.Main 226 Tanjong Katong Road Tel 6348-1406 www.do-mainbakery.com

IF you're looking for a traditional version of the stollen, then check out the one from Do.Main - the French bakery and cafe at Tanjong Katong. Their Christmas fruit bread is baked with a combination of fruits both sweet and sour, crunchy nuts, as well as marzipan. While the bread itself is dense with a bit of bite, it's not too hard that you'll lose your two front teeth. The stollen is priced at S$20 for 250g and S$35 for 500g.

Available till the end of the month. Orders to be made in advance via 6348-1406 or www.do-mainbakery.com.

Selfish Gene Cafe 40 Craig Road Tel 6423-1324 www.selfishgenecafe.com

GENE Mok's newest addition to his repertoire is a flower cake with intricately-piped flowers that you might think are store-bought on first glance. But in fact, they are individually made with their own Swiss meringue buttercream. For the festive season, he is offering a lemon lavender cake (S$50+) made with a lavender-scented sponge (made with real lavender flowers), lemon buttercream, and French lemon curd. Fans of lemon-flavoured sweets will probably enjoy this dessert for its sour kick.

More designs and flavours will be added after the festive season.

Available for orders till noon, Dec 21, and for pick-up till 4pm, Dec 24. Orders to be made three days in advance via info@selfishgenecafe.com.

jaime@sph.com.sg @JaimeEeBT rachloi@sph.com.sg @RachelLoiBT