Nostalgic flavors and seasonal ingredients come together in the newly unveiled dessert menu at Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen.
Executive chef Antoine Bailey recently introduced six decadent offerings that reflect his take on classic dessert favorites “to give you a feeling of home.” They include an Opera Cake, which Bailey admits is his favorite on the menu.
“My background in cooking is French, so this is a classic play on an opera cake reflecting that,” Bailey said, noting the layers of cake feature whipped peanut butter ganache, chocolate pearls, dark chocolate crumble and house-made brown butter ice cream.
Thematically, Bailey explains Pennydrop’s dessert lineup is meant to evoke cherished memories. For instance, the Rhubarb Panna Cotta, a showpiece of a dessert, harkens back to sitting around a campfire in the woods.
“Panna cotta is one of my specialties – it’s my go-to dessert,” Bailey said. “This take on it is like a campfire in nature.”
The panna cotta is brought to the table under a glass cloche, which is lifted to release smoke with thyme and lemon infusion, mimicking the warmth and essence of a campfire. The panna cotta is layered with mint gel and topped with matcha cake crumble to represent forest moss, as well as edible gold, fresh strawberries, microgreens and chocolate “twigs.”
Other dessert items include a Bourbon Bundt Cake, garnished with spun sugar and served alongside cardamom ice cream; New York Cheesecake with whipped cream and seasonal berry sauce; Chiffon Cake with layers of cake, strawberry mousse and strawberry gel topped with fried ice cream; and Peach Cobbler Tart, which Bailey created with sous chef Brandon Green, that incorporates peach cobbler filling, strudel and an all-spice glaze.
“I was a big fan of strudel as a kid, and my man (Green) is a big fan of peach cobbler,” Bailey explained. “We combined those with the cinnamon ice cream that ties it all together.”
Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen, located in the Pennywell Hotel in downtown St. Louis, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with live music on Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 9 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, click here.
