One of the country’s most renowned pastry chefs Anna Polyviou stirred up a recent episode of MasterChef Australia with one of the most curious desserts the reality show has seen, sparking contestants with a challenge to recreate her playful Firecracker dessert. The intricate, cartoon-themed chocolate dessert was an instant hit with viewers, playing on Polyviou’s penchant for interactive sweet treats with a colourful cylinder containing roasted milk chocolate, peanut grue, raspberry marshmallow, peanut butter cremeaux, raspberry cold set brulee, chocolate souffle sponge, raspberry gel, and roasted milk chocolate mousse, all in a chocolate shell covered with comic-book like panels and then lit with an actual sparkler as a tail.
Sounds like something you need to try, right? Right. Luckily for all of us, Polyviou’s residency at Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel has given her some space for a dessert pop-up dedicated to the dessert, allowing the public to head along and try the firecracker for themselves.
“It’s about self-expression and I love desserts that explode or pop, like the lollies you bought at the local milk bar as a child”, explained Polyviou. “It’s nice to have a dessert that you enjoy eating, but it’s the whole experience you remember, and this includes the dessert and the surrounds which make people feel good”.
The firecracker dessert is now available at a special dessert pop-up at The Lobby Lounge in Shangri-La Hotel, priced at $25 each. The pop-up will be operating right up until 31st May (opening hours below).
Anna Polyviou’s Firecracker Pop-Up
Address: 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks
Contact: (02) 9250 6000
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-11pm; Sat 8am-12am; Sun 8am-10pm
Images supplied and credited to Nikki To.
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