Forever Magical
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Sweet Treats

Over the years there have been many delectable treats that have accompanied mealtime or served as a mid-afternoon pick me up at the Disney theme parks. Among those I miss I the most is the Bengal Freeze. This frozen citrus delight was non-dairy as I recall and I believe the flavor choices were lemon or orange or a swirl. It was served in Disneyland’s Adventureland and frequently had a long line. It was so popular with one Disneyland Annual Passholder that he would drive the 40 minutes or so from his house on hot summer days just to enjoy it. It was on one of those hot summer days that he made his long trek to the Park only to discover the delicious dessert was no longer available. I have not seen a similar item offered anywhere else. I must admit that on some hot days my taste buds still crave the Bengal Freeze.

So in memory of the Bengal Freeze I’ve developed a list of some of my favorite items at Disneyland and Walt Disney World for satisfying my sweet tooth.

In Walt Disney World at Ohana, our amazing meal of skewered, flame-broiled meats was capped with a dessert that I was a bit nervous to try. It was a beautiful piece of fresh Hawaiian pineapple accompanied by warm caramel sauce. The pineapple was juicy and just a bit tart while the caramel was gooey and sweet making this a messy but fabulous combination of taste sensations.

In Adventureland at Disneyland guests can visit Aladdin’s Oasis and hear the wonderful story of Aladdin and Jasmine. The children are invited to sit on large cushions on the floor near the stage while their parents sit at tables scattered about the rest of the Oasis. However, Aladdin’s Oasis was not always a storytelling location. Initially it was dining experience with a dinner show. I was not fortunate enough to see the show (I was in college in Texas) but my family experienced it several times. They kept raving to me about the evening’s highlight - a chocolate lamp filled with a chocolate raspberry mousse. During one of my college breaks I met up with my family in Dallas and we all flew to New Orleans. My family surprised me by bringing along a chocolate lamp they had purchased the evening before, froze and brought with them on the plane from California. While the rest of the passengers were snacking on honey-roasted peanuts I was enjoying Aladdin’s lamp of chocolate.

Citricos at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian hotel offers chocolate ravioli with licorice ice cream. I’d been waiting years for this dessert. I first read of it during my trip to WDW in 1991. If you love licorice definitely give this dessert a try. The chocolate raviolis were delicate. It really was ravioli but instead of thin pasta filled with cheese it was a thin layer of dark chocolate filled with a semi-sweet chocolate mousse. The fragrance of the ice cream filled the air and definitely didn’t disappoint my tastebuds.

At Disneyland’s Center Street tucked away near the Lost and Found area is a small ice cream window. It isn’t always open but when it is you are guaranteed a special treat. For just under $5 you can order an ice cream cookie sandwich. Unlike the ones available from the carts these are made when you order. The fresh tollhouse cookies are soft and moist. Guests can choose from several flavors of ice cream to fill it including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mocha almond fudge. When put together the sandwich is about 3 inches tall, almost too big to eat.

At Walt Disney Studios’ Brown Derby be sure to save some room for the Earful Tower Sundae containing several scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauces, with two chocolate cookie ears and a hard chocolate derby. Or you may prefer the Grapefruit Cake, which is a Brown Derby original. It is a light yellow cake with fresh grapefruit flavored cream cheese icing and was created as part of the grapefruit diet craze that swept Hollywood. The grapefruit is strong but is nicely balanced by the sweet cake and icing.

While waiting for Illuminations the sweet tooth once again made itself known. So we visited Boulangerie Patisserie in France. We picked up several filled pastries and champagne. We watched the sunset and sipped champagne as we awaited the nighttime entertainment.

When Goofy’s Kitchen first opened as part of their overwhelming dessert buffet were Chip N Dale Brownies. Since I only had these once I’m not exactly sure what they were but they were tasty. I remember it as a brownie with a semi-crunchy topper that had a hazelnut or peanut flavor. It was subtle but a wonderful compliment to the rich brownie underneath. Unfortunately the next time we visited Goofy’s the brownies were gone and no one was able to answer my questions about them.

If your sweet tooth starts calling out to you early in the morning I doubt there is anything on earth sweeter than Auntie Kaui's Tonga Toast. This banana stuffed sourdough bread is rolled in cinnamon-sugar and served with choice of ham, bacon, or sausage at the Kona Café in the Polynesian Resort during breakfast hours. My husband and I each ordered one but after a couple of bites we wish we’d have shared one. I have never tasted anything so overwhelming sweet. We eventually peeled the item open and just ate half of it. The bananas with the single slice of sourdough bread covered in the cinnamon-sugar worked for me. If you enjoy coffee I believe this would be the perfect companion to a cup of their fresh Kona.

My favorite dessert within the Disney theme parks is the warm chocolate soufflé at Hook’s Pointe in the Disneyland Hotel. It is a semi-sweet chocolate soufflé. As your fork pierces the outer layer thick chocolate syrup begins to flow from its core like a volcano. This combination of texture is the first thing I enjoy. Placed on top of the soufflé is thin white chocolate disc that melts over the soufflé. This adds a contrasting color and taste. Accompanying the soufflé is a small scoop of pistachio ice cream. It is not green like you’d find at the local ice cream shop and is in a hard cookie cup which tastes similar to a fortune cookie.

Disney, Mickey Mouse and sweet treats - what more do you need? Are you hungry yet?

-- Rebekah Moseley (June 28, 2000)