Finally Fridays - Dessert

Want to indulge in something sweet after a long, arduous week?  In this Finally Fridays, we pay homage to the sweet tooth, as we reveal our top 5 picks for Astorian desserts. 

Cara Bella - Profiteroles with chocolate sauce, chocolate gelato and fresh raspberries
47-02 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.956.1101

Vesta - Baby Jesus Cake.  Crispy, warm cake with butterscotch sauce and fresh whipped cream
21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.545.5550

Martha's Bakery - Vanilla butter cream cupcake with M&Ms

36-21 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria.  718.545.9737

Djerdan - Keks torta, layered custard cake, a bit like Tiramisu
34-04A 31st Avenue, Astoria.  718.721.2694

Laziza - Assortment of cookies and cakes - coconut-almond cake, baklava, pistachio and date cookies
25-78 Steinway Street, Astoria.  718.777.7676

Hope these satisfy your sweet tooth - please chime in with your personal favorites.

New Middle Eastern Sweets

I'd been eyeing Al-Sham Sweets & Pastries (24-39 Steinway), the new Middle Eastern pastry shop on the corner of Steinway and 25th Ave, since it opened a couple months ago. Their dizzying window display is piled high with pyramids of phyllo-wrapped and pistachio-studded goodies. I finally stopped in last week and tried a square almond cookie on the recommendation of the woman behind the counter. The little bar, which only set me back a dollar, featured a delicious, tender cookie (with no small tad of butter, yum) topped with almond paste and a thin layer of sweet glaze. The shop features all sorts of Palestinian and Jordanian desserts, from baklava to whole cakes. I'll be back too soon for my own good, and look forward to the time when I tell my incredulous grandchildren about the good old days when I used to get dessert for a dollar.