How to get a ‘Wow!’ dessert for your holiday dinner from La Brea Bakery, Eataly L.A. and Porto’s Bakery & Cafe

You’ve got the turkey to roast, the centerpieces to pick up and a million side dishes to deal with; do you really have hours to spend baking a gorgeous pie or layer cake?

Sometimes it’s best to leave it to the pros and for a big holiday dinner you need a lot of choices for a dazzling dessert that will be artistically decorated and delicious. We turned to three of Southern California’s most trusted bakeries for advice on what to consider and how to order. So don’t even bother to fake it. Sweets from La Brea Bakery, Eataly L.A.’s La Pasticceria & Venchi, and Porto’s Bakery & Cafe are always welcome, so you won’t even have to hide the box.

La Brea Bakery

Long a go-to for the freshest breads and pastries, La Brea Bakery has lots of choices for dessert to finish your dinner party with a flourish. Henk Drakulich, division vice president of La Brea Bakery, has made his customers a freshness promise: Everything  you see is baked on site. That goes for the panettone too, a beautiful holiday bread filled with dried fruit that’s served at the end of meals in Italy.

“The ones you buy in Costco or Trader Joe are ordered in  August and they get shipped over on a slow boat from Italy and yeah, they have a lot of preservatives in them,” he said. Those are good, but La Brea’s ($24, available starting Friday, Nov. 29) are great he says. They’re made fresh using Nancy Silverton’s original sourdough starter and would be great for anyone hosting or bringing a treat to a holiday potluck.

Whether you’re in New York, LA or Rome, the bakery you choose is a status symbol he says. “You bring it to a friend’s house and that, that reflects on your friendship, how well you think of them. So we know people take that to heart here and we hope they think of us when they consider panettone for the holidays,” Drakulich said. Another tip from the chef: Get two and save the second one to make french toast with the next morning.

Drakulich has also been very busy making pies. La Brea offers Traditional Pumpkin ($20), Pecan Bourbon ($24) and a very special Apple Streusel ($22) which he says is  his favorite. He revealed its secret: Let the apples sit in sugar, pour out the liquid, mixing it with cornstarch, mix it all together, pop it in the crust and bake it slowly. “It’s almost like a tarte Tatin,” he said. “The apples get really caramelized and they have an amazing flavor.”

Another way to end the meal would be to present decoratively iced gingerbread boys and girls ($2 each) or holiday sugar cookies ($2.75 each) all lined up on a tray. “We will  always have some here in our case, but if you’re going to want more than a half dozen we suggest ordering.”

When to order: Sunday, Dec. 22 for Christmas Eve and Sunday, Dec. 29 for New Year’s Eve.  La Brea Bakery Café, 468 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, 323-939-6813, labreabakery.com.

Porto’s Bakery & Cafe

Most of us think of Porto’s as Cuban coffee and guava cream cheese pastries. But the popular restaurant was actually started as a cake baking business in Cuba by Rosa, the matriarch of the family. “That’s what made her famous, baking cakes for weddings, quinceañeras and big birthday parties,” said Tony Salazar, vice president at Porto’s. “Cakes are something that we definitely put our heart into,” he said.

At holiday time last year Porto’s stepped up its game, upgrading the seasonal decorations on its signature cakes. “We started putting sprigs of rosemary on the cakes, chocolate ribbons, cranberries, it’s really natural. I think it’s so warm and it really makes you feel like it’s Christmas,” Salazar said.

Order early. But if you don’t, call around to the other Porto’s locations that might be able to help if they have more in stock. Keep the cakes refrigerated and they are ready to serve right out of the icebox, no warming up necessary. Porto’s will offer 9-inch round layer cakes that feed 12-15 for $28.50 in bright red strawberry, vibrant yellow mango and tiramisu flavors. The foundation of each one is Rosa’s original sponge cake recipe and each has its special ingredients such as strawberry curd, fresh mangoes, or mascarpone cream cheese and lady fingers in the tiramisu.

Other fancy choices include a 10-inch tres leches cake for $23.50 and the Parisian, a 9-inch cake for $29 with chocolate sponge layers filled with whipped Belgian chocolate ganache. “It’s an amazing flavor of chocolate, but it’s so light and delicate that you want to have more and more,” Salazar says.

Porto’s also offers a traditional European style Yule Log ($35) in two versions. The bakery started making the original 20 years ago as a rolled chocolate mousse cake with raspberry, coated with ganache and decorated to resemble a fire log. But 10 years ago the bakers began making a second version that’s very popular in Europe, according to Salazar. “We do an almond spongecake and mocha buttercream with caramel sugar bits inside and coffee mascarpone. “That has become our most popular one,” Salazar said.

Another tradition at Porto’s is its signature yellow box. For the last five years it has taken on a different look for the holidays. Porto’s closes on Black Friday and the seasonal boxes will appear the next day. “We’re very fortunate in that  when the box is on the table, it sometimes gets just as much recognition and attention as the cake itself,” says Corporate Marketing Manager Jennifer Wells. “Your guests will be impressed with where you got it because with Porto’s the family’s there, the tradition is there, and then you have the taste.”

When to order: All Porto’s locations take “preorders” in person and by telephone. Preorders for Christmas begin Saturday, Dec. 7 and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Walk-in sales for holiday cakes begin Dec. 13. (For pastry, Porto’s recommends preordering through the bakeries and online at Porto’s Bake at Home.) Locations: 3614 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, 818-846-9100; 7640 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714-367-2030; 8233 Firestone Blvd., Downey, 562-862-8888; 315 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 818-956-5996; 584 S. Sunset Ave., West Covina, 626-214-3490; portosbakery.com. 

Eataly L.A.

Love Italian food? Then you’ve got to finish your fancy supper with elegant sweets from Eataly. The patisserie section has loads of traditional treats. “Each region — and even each town — of Italy has their own traditions when it comes to holiday desserts. Some prefer torta, or cake, while others create batches of biscotti or cookies to celebrate the season,” said Eataly USA Head Pastry Chef Katia Delogu in an email.

The cake selection includes too many to describe here but if it’s seasonal fruit flavors you’re looking for, Chantilly Ai Frutta di Bosco ($28)  is a classic orange-soaked sponge cake layered with Chantilly cream and fresh fruits. “Pears are also in season during the winter, which we use in our Pere e Frangipane tarte (pear and almond frangipane tarte $28),” Delogu said.

Want something decadent? Ask for the Sette Viele ($35) with seven layers of chocolate sponge cake, hazelnut crunch, dark chocolate mousse and hazelnut with chocolate glaze. For something on the lighter side, choose Torta Amalfi ($28),  a lemon and almond tart with a torched top, or Torta alla Fruta ($28) filled with seasonal fruit and edible flowers.

And don’t forget the panettone. “Literally ‘big bread,’ this treat is hardly ever made at home because of the time-intensive process — it takes at least 30 hours to rise!” Delogu said. “We work with many artisanal bakers that still craft panettoni in their original bakeries to have the authentic Italian treat in our marketplace.”

Eataly will also offer classics such as Tiramisu della Nonna made with ladyfingers, espresso and mascarpone cream ($38) and pasticcini, a selection of easily transportable individual pastries that come in a 24-pack for $39.80. They’re traditionally served with espresso or sparkling wine. “The best part is that you can choose an assortment of these handmade treats for a little bite of everything—from chocolate to pastry-cream filled,” Delogu said. “Plus, the box looks beautiful on the table!”

When to order: Last day to order for Christmas is Monday, Dec. 23,  last day to pick up is Tuesday, Dec. 24. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 213-310-8000, eataly.com.

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