My favourite desserts: Here are the best desserts I’ve ever tasted

I’ve reviewed everything from fancy patisseries to light fluffy macarons and meringues, but sometimes it’s the simplest of sponges which does it for me. 

During my schooldays in Barnsley, I used to love sponge and custard, actually anything with custard.

So much so I have fond memories of eating unlimited custard with my Dad at Toby Carvery. 

I love school puddings especially sticky toffee, treacle pudding and lemon drizzle cake. 

While we’re at it, a good home made rice pudding, apple pie  or a simple apple crumble hits the spot too. 

The best birthday cake that my mum has ever made me was a giant treacle pudding with custard. 

People always predict that nowadays my tastebuds will have changed being a food reviewer having tasted everything from chocolate kebabs to desserts encrusted with real gold. I think however that my love of tasty value for money simple grub is why I appeal to the masses. 

Costco for example used to do some banging desserts too. These are often the ones you see at parties and in cafes. They’re Lemon Drizzle, Toffee Pudding and the Apple Pie, all amazing just in too big a size for me. I end up scranning it all. 

One of my first reviews of a dessert bar was back in my home “tarn” of Barnsley – Dolly’s Desserts. 

I tried my first ever waffle fries and mint bubble waffle inside the Market Kitchen. 

I couldn’t believe that this taste of sweet heaven was in my local market. Dolly’s Desserts has since rocketed in business to a base at Glassworks. 

Dolly’s was a lockdown success story similar to the Leeds-based The Savvy Baker which currently has a pop up shop at White Rose Shopping Centre. The kids and I love their brownies. 

I’ve also enjoyed baked Brownies and Guinness Cake I had delivered from a local baker Carney’s Creations. 

A recent unusual “first” dessert I had was at my mother-in-law Panni’s art exhibition opening, it was a Chinese Egg Custard Tart from Ying’s Bakery in Sheffield. I ended up taking the leftover tarts and scanning them all. My wife did the same with the Mochi balls. 

One of my favourite types of desserts of all-time is the “pick me up” that is Tiramisu. 

This coffee flavoured Italian recipe has been recreated many times with each chef giving it their own twist. 

Memorable ones I’ve devoured include Pizza Pieces in Bradford, which is an underground pizzeria in the city centre near Broadway. You get a great portion for the price and it has that beautiful coffee taste to it. My wife also makes a cracking one and she added a dash of Bailey’s Tiramisu from Christmas which was gorgeous. 

I’m not big on ice creams alone but places which have impressed me are Dixon’s Ices in Huddersfield and the Gelateria at Farmer Copley’s in Pontefract. 

A blob of gelato from Copley’s and some home-made crumble using the blackberries and raspberries we’d also picked that day at the farm was spot on. 

You can’t beat locally sourced produce and home made puddings. 

This brings me on to my best dessert so far because good things including sweet treats come to those who wait. 

My wife ordered me a Ferrero Roche cheesecake and cupcakes for my birthday made inside the lovely home of one aspiring baker in Yorkshire Asma Labiad. 

Asma Bakes from home in Wakefield and started @Asmas_Cake on social media to showcase her bakes in between her school catering job and her kids. Not only do they look incredible but they taste it too. They’re the most moist flavoursome cakes I’ve ever had.