The 100 best dishes and drinks in Los Angeles 2014: Desserts

Ube upside down pie at Crème Caramel LA

We're flat-out obsessed with everything at this Sherman Oaks bakery, but their classic ube upside down pie—sweet purple yam covered in a brûlée graham cracker crust—is heaven on earth. $5. - Erin Kuschner

Stumptown coffee ice cream & Compartes love nuts at Salt & Straw

This Portland import can't go wrong with any of their flavors and we love how hyperlocal they get with ingredients, especially the smooth Stumptown coffee ice cream with bits of Compartes love nuts sprinkled in. $4.25. - Erin Kuschner

Key lime cheesecake at Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill

On a thin layer of sweet graham cracker crust and topped with whipped coconut cream, this lighter-than-air dessert is an American anomaly in the Indonesian restaurant, but who's complaining? $11. - Erin Kuschner

Grapefruit pie at Salt's Cure

Forget everything you thought you knew about Key lime pie; in fact, forget Key lime pie at all (well, except for the one that also made this list). For the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a to-die-for graham cracker crust, we recommend a slice—or three—of the grapefruit pie from Salt's Cure. $9. - Jakob N. Layman

Liegeois at Nespresso

Sure, the Nespresso boutique on Beverly Drive looks more like an Apple store, but order a liegeois at the counter and you'll forget how bourgie this glorified coffee shop is. Bold espresso is poured over a huge scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and topped with rich chocolate shavings, indulging both your inner child and sophisticated adult self all at once. $6. - Erin Kuschner

Rice pudding at Alimento

We couldn't stop thinking about our rice pudding experience at Alimento, a perfect end to a near-perfect meal. The jar of rice in condensed milk comes with some sour cherries and a sprinkling of nuts mixed in, and it's light enough that you won't need to be rolled out of the restaurant. $6. - Erin Kuschner

Salted Caramel Chip ice cream at McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

There were a lot of ice cream imports that arrived in LA this year, but the one we were most excited about was McConnell's, the Santa Barbara-based ice creamery that set up shop at Grand Central Market. Their salted caramel chip flavor is the kind of decadent treat you gorge on after a breakup, or when you're bored, or when you're happy, or just whenever. $4.25 for one scoop. - Erin Kuschner

Chocolate chip banana bread pudding at République

This seasonal dish comes and goes on the menu, but we wish it would stay year-round. Not only is the bread pudding itself a dense, moist pan of decadent gooeyness, but the slivers of banana and chocolate chips scattered throughout add a final touch of "I can die happy now." $11. - Erin Kuschner

Miso donuts at Hinoki & the Bird

We first tried these donuts at a food festival and were instantly hooked. The powdered balls of dough are pillowy and light, and drizzled in a luxurious honey caramel sauce. Swoon. $9. - Erin Kuschner

Croissant crack pudding at Bird N Hand

All of the comfort food factors are in this addictive pudding, with layers of hot, doughy croissant pieces softened by condensed milk and bound by chocolate chips. It's something you might have come up with in your own kitchen; the pudding, in fact, comes in a tinfoil bowl that screams potluck. But who cares? It's incredible. $5.50. - Erin Kuschner

Chocolate soufflé at The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel

The iconic pink palace knows how to whip up another icon—a decadent chocolate soufflé that takes 25 minutes to make. Break into the mouth-watering hard chocolate shell guarding the steaming, fluffy chocolate heaven that lies beneath. Served with vanilla bean whipped cream and melted molten chocolate sauce on the side, one bite will have you forgetting its hefty price point. $19. - Ramona Saviss

Konafah at Bowery Bungalow

Soledad goat cheese and ricotta pack this honey-infused creation, a sweet dessert made with phyllo dough that resembles baklava—but better. $8. - Erin Kuschner

Deep fried fluffer-nutter at Black Market Liquor Bar

Ordering the fried fluffer-nutter at Black Market Liquor Bar is necessary. Peanut butter, marshmallow and banana are spread between two pieces of bread, deep-fried and drizzled in chocolate, resulting in a dessert that borders on pure perfection. $8. - Erin Kuschner

The Honeymee at Honeymee

Proof that you don't need ten ingredients to create something amazing, The Honeymee at Honeymee, an ice cream shop in Koreatown, has two ingredients: true milk ice cream and pure honeycomb. It's a dream on a hot summer afternoon, but we'll order one any day of the year. $4.75. - Erin Kuschner

Affogato at The Nice Guy

Desserts at The Nice Guy are killer—Chef John-Carlos Kuramoto knows what he's doing when it comes to sweets—but this caffeinated cup is the best. Fresh espresso is poured over salted vanilla ice cream, then dusted with brown butter breadcrumbs for a to-die-for finish. $9. - Erin Kuschner

Peach crumb at Holy Cow

The peach crumb at Holy Cow is like fall in your mouth. A piping hot ramekin is filled with baked sweet peaches and a brown sugar and oat crumb topping—we'll have another, please and thank you. $7. - Erin Kuschner