Ever wondered what $25,000 would taste like in sundae form? Wonder no more, because Serendipity-3, an ultra luxurious dessert cafe in New York City, has made that mad dream into reality and “decadent” doesn’t even begin to describe it. The “Frrozen Haute Chocolate” sundae has everything a truly expensive dessert deserves: edible gold, rare truffles, and a hidden treasure at the very bottom of the goblet. It’s even in the Guinness Book Of World Records for holding the honor of being the most expensive dessert ever made. Sure, you could use that 25 grand to buy a car or put a downpayment on a house, or…you could blow it all on a sundae unlike anything else in the world.
In order to make this extravagant sundae, a goblet is the first order of business. An ordinary bowl just wouldn’t do for this luxurious treat. Next, sheets of edible gold are layered on to give the sundae that nice expensive flavor. Once the goblet is ready, the frozen hot chocolate mix is added. Serendipity’s famous hot chocolate mix, which is a blend of fourteen different cocoas, acts as the base. Then fourteen additional cocoas are added, “The rarest and most expensive cocoas in the world,” according to Serendipity chef Joe Calderone, then the combined 28 cocoas are blended with ice and milk to create a chocolate explosion. It’s all topped with whipped cream and edible gold dust. For added effect, and not to mention cost, a rare truffle, La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier (which sells for $2,600 a pound), is added on top. No common spoon is good enough for this indulgent dessert, so the restaurant gives out a golden spoon bestowed with white and chocolate diamonds worth $15,000. The kicker? You actually get to take the spoon home with you, as a souvenir of sorts. That’s not the only souvenir you’ll get out of this $25,000 experience. Make sure to get to the very bottom of the sundae so you’ll find the 18-karat gold bracelet with 1-karat of white diamonds that was hidden at the base of the goblet.
Stephen Bruce, the owner, says the decision to attempt the extraordinarily decadent dessert was because they wanted to do something big to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the restaurant’s opening. “We were in our fiftieth year, so we decided to do something exciting as far as desserts. And this is it,” Bruce said. Though they had some idea of what they wanted to do for the occasion, having made an outrageously expensive dessert in the past, it still took some time to come to a decision about the little details. “It took us a long time to experiment with all the ingredients and flavors, and more than three months were needed just to design the golden spoon,” Bruce told Reuters. It seems like taking the time to get it all just right is paying off!
This isn’t the first time Serendipity has pushed the boundaries with their pricey desserts. In fact, before the Frrozen Haute Chocolate came along, the most expensive dessert in the world was a $1,000 sundae that came from the shop. It was called Golden Opulence and the name was very fitting. Like the Haute Chocolate, it was also coated in edible gold. It’s almost like the owner just has a thing for gold. It also features candied fruits from around the world, truffles, and a sugar flower at the very top for added effect.
The Golden Opulence sundae is one of the main staples on Serendipity’s menu, so if you ever have a grand burning a hole in your pocket, you could indulge yourself at a moment’s notice. If you want to try the Frrozen Haute Chocolate, you’ll have to call ahead of time to place your order. Those super pricey ingredients aren’t the type you just leave lying around.
