5 desserts that remind us of the best of autumn

Autumn is here, that time of year when, more than ever, we look for comforting sensations, such as enjoying the warmth of a welcoming room, of the last rays of afternoon sun or an interesting after-dinner conversation in good company and enjoying a sweet treat with colours, flavours and textures that bring to mind the surrounding landscape.

In fact, desserts and autumn are the perfect combination. Figs, chestnuts and quince expertly combined with mandarin, chocolate or coffee are some of the sweetest suggestions from the chefs of Costa Brava Hotels de Luxe. Taste them and, why not, get ideas to mix these flavours at home. 

Cheesecake with rosemary ice cream and seasonal figs

Figs are one of the greatest fruits of autumn and their taste and texture make any recipe a small luxury. In any case, they end up being the stars of a dish that combines them with cheesecake and the refreshing touch of rosemary ice cream.  You will find these desserts by Chef Aida Ferrés in the seasonal menu of the Restaurant Aiguablava of the Hotel Aigua Blava. Delicious!

Nixtamalized banana with chocolate and peanut

Javi Martínez and Quim Brugat, Chef and Pastry Chef respectively of the Castell Peralada Restaurant, say that this creation of theirs “is a very sweet dish, of warm flavours that remind one of autumn. The technique of nixtamalization gives the banana two textures, a crunchy surface and a creamy centre. It is accompanied by a cream of fried, salted peanuts, which is creamy and captivating. Together with the toffee and chocolate it reminds us of the famous chocolate bar Snickers”.

Chocolate with coffee, chestnut and mandarin

The Restaurant Norat of the Hotel Spa Terraza gives centre stage to another autumn classic, the chestnut. Chefs Antoni Gotanegra and Ricard Olivés explain that they have “been inspired by traditional products such as the chestnut and mandarin, with a hint of coffee to boost all the flavours”. The dish has a coffee sponge cake, with a cream of chocolate and mandarin on the bottom, chestnut in syrup and the refreshing touch of natural mandarin on top. It is accompanied with chestnut ice cream and coffee foam.

Girona apple timbale with plums, quince and nut medley crumble

This dish, the work of Enric Herce, Chef at the restaurant Aurum of the Hotel Cala del Pi, reminds us of an autumn afternoon snack from our childhood. Herce himself says that “It is a dessert made with Girona apples in which we find the classic flavour of the most traditional oven-baked apple, enriched with some Grenache-soaked plums and jellied quince, all topped with a crumble made with all the typical ingredients of the Catalan “music” nut medley desserts. Tradition plus tradition.” 

Fig, sabayon cream, peanut and frozen yoghurt

We end as we began, with the fig as the star. In this dessert proposed by Yuri Hovius from the Drac Restaurant, the highlight is a covering of figs picked straight from the trees planted on the same property as the Hotel Castell d’Empordà. Autumn and the most genuine Empordan territory merge together marvellously to give us this dish that melts in our mouths.