With Father’s Day (21 June) just around the corner and durian season also kicking off now, desserts spiked with the decadent pongy fruit are popping up everywhere. We’ve compiled a list of the more interesting ones to consider buying for pop.

— with additional reporting by Florence Fong

We love the classic pandan-infused kueh salat from Mrs Kueh, a spin-off kueh biz by chef Jeremy Nguee, who also owns gourmet local food pop-up store Dream Shop. He recently introduced this luxe gula melaka custard version of salat with pulut hitam-speckled glutinous rice, served with a 200g of pure Mao Shan Wang puree (no sweetener or other flavouring added) that you’re supposed to dollop on each piece of kueh. While the smooth gula melaka custard is rather light on its own, the flavours are amped up instantly with the addition of the super addictive, heady MSW flesh. Photogenic and fun to eat, too.

Pre-order at least three days in advance via takeaway or delivery (free with minimum spend of $120; otherwise it costs $20) here: www.MRSKUEH.com

Photo: Mrs Kueh

FlouRice was started by a home baker during the circuit breaker. One of her signature creations is the Basque burnt cheesecake, which seems to be all the rage with people looking for comfort foods during the pandemic. While her classic Original Melt Burnt Cheesecake ($58 for seven inches) is quite good — it boasts an excellent silky, melt-in-the-mouth texture though it could use more tang — the Premium Mao Shan Wang Melt Burnt Cheesecake is more complex-tasting. It stars a thick layer of fresh bittersweet MSW puree at its base, along with an Oreo cookie crust.

Pre-order at least three days in advance via delivery ($10 island-wide delivery fee). Whatsapp 8112-1565 or email order [at] flourice.com.sg

Photo: FlouRice

The king of fruit takes on the Japanese daifuku — essentially a chewy mochi with filling. This new home-based biz offers these rotund munchkins, made fresh on the day of delivery, stuffed with Mao Shan Wang puree mixed with cream. Another thorny offering to consider: their Durian Sago ($8.80).

Photo: sweetnessthatlingers

One-Michelin-starred mod Peranakan restaurant Candlenut has always been known for its elegant nonya kueh and contemporary desserts like buah keluak ice cream. They’ve just launched a simple but enticing-looking number: this cake, featuring vanilla sponge baked with coconut milk, then layered with creamy Mao Shan Wang puree blended with gula melaka and topped with freshly grated coconut.

Order via takeaway or delivery (free with minimum spend of $150; otherwise it costs $15) here.

Photo: Candlenut

Goodwood Park is back with its famous line-up of sweets from The Deli in its 2020 edition of the Durian Fiesta. While it’s known for its classic offerings like the Mao Shan Wang Mousse Cake and Durian Puffs, this year sees a few brand new offerings, like this D24 Summer Dream – a beautiful confection of sponge cake layered with D24 durian pulp. Crowning it is jelly with blueberries, grapes and edible flowers suspended within. This fluffy sponge cake with creamy durian and refreshing jelly is a fairly light dessert that’s not too jelak.

Pre-order five days in advance via takeaway or delivery (free with minimum spend of $120; otherwise it costs $15 per location) here: http://festivepromotions.goodwoodparkhotel.com/. Or call 6737-7411.

Photo: Goodwood Park Hotel

For this Father’s Day, The Pine Garden has come up with a rather unusual combination: the Kopi O Cat Mountain King Durian Cake. It comprises vanilla sponge cake layered with Mao Shan Wang puree mixed with fresh cream. A little syringe of Kopi O syrup is also provided, for you to ‘inject’ into the cake. We actually preferred the cake without the bitter coffee which also made the sponge soggy, so skip the syrup or use sparingly. For an extra $18, you can add the actual fruit with seeds and all into the middle of the cake for a hidden surprise — you’ll get about three pieces.

Pre-order via takeaway or delivery (free with minimum spend of $280; otherwise it costs $18 per location) here: https://www.pgcake.com/. Apply promo code SGUNITED at checkout for $8 off delivery fees; only valid for orders placed by 30 June 2020.

Photo: The Pine Garden