The $90,000 dessert includes a hunk of fondant chocolate caked covered in edible 24K gold topped with gold-dipped strawberries and a sauce of passion fruit and raspberry infused-Cristal champagne. Oh, and that's an antique ruby and diamond ring where a maraschino cherry might normally sit; it costs $85,055.The Big Easy now has a dessert custom made for The Too Rich. It's a chunk of chocolate fondant cake covered in edible 24-karat gold and drizzled in a sauce made from Cristal champagne infused with raspberries and passion fruit.
And it's only $90,000.
Yes, you read that right: $90,000.
Windsor Court Hotel pastry chef Shun Li in New Orleans created the dessert, which also is embellished with strawberries dipped in edible gold leaf and contains a candy-bar layer of crunchy chocolate mingled with gold.
But the kicker - and the reason for its sky-high price - is that it's topped with an antique 3.95-carat ruby ring surrounded by diamonds that also have oodles of carats. (Just to be clear: "karat" is for gold; "carat" is for jewels.) The ring is meant to be worn, not eaten.
"The cost of the dessert without the ring is $445," Windsor spokesperson Jess Brown says. "The chef created the dessert in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday, which fell on April 21."
The ring comes from M.S. Rau Antiques, a New Orleans fixture for more than 100 years. Here is how the online catalog describes the ring: "A dramatic oval ruby displays a brilliant crimson hue in this classic ring. The exceptional stone boasts a remarkable depth of color and clarity. Weighing 3.95 carats, this stunning gem is surrounded by diamonds totaling 1.95 carats. The dazzling stones are set in 18k white gold."
Rau Marketing Director Lori Paige says that, if someone buys the cake iced with a ruby and diamond ring, the store is ready to supply the Windsor with another equally striking piece of jewelry to be the gem equivalent of a maraschino cherry.
"We could even custom design a piece for the hotel," Paige says.
She describes the Windsor Court Hotel as being "on the same plane as a Ritz Carlton." The celebrities who've stayed there include an actual Windsor, Prince Charles.
"I saw Kathy Bates [who won an Oscar for her star role in 'Misery'], Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel. Presidents Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford have all stayed there," Paige says. "So has Beyoncé. Maybe Jay-Z will buy the dessert for her."
Not all of Rau's rings are as "modestly" priced as the ruby. A multi-colored, lightning-ridge black opal ring would be a $480,000 cake topping. The orangey-pink heart-shaped diamond surrounded by what looks like grass-green garnet lips would boost the cake's price by $2.9 million.
When asked if people who would forgo the ring to spend $445 on a pastry are the dim bulbs on life's Christmas tree, Paige offers a thoughtful response.
"When I think of the clientele the Windsor serves, I believe they look at the dessert as a sensory experience, something they will enjoy and remember, an experience they can't duplicate any where else," she replies.
Think of them in the same category as wine lovers who would pay thousands to sip from a 240-year-old bottle of Thomas Jefferson's wine; the historic experience matters more than the taste buds.
Chef Shun Li looks at the dessert as temporary work of art.
"I knew that a chocolate cake draped in gold would serve to accentuate the brilliant red of the gemstone, truly making it a dazzling dessert well-suited for royalty," he says.
Contact Lynda Edwards at ledwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6391.