How sweet it is to be a unique dessert

There’s no denying people hold a sweet spot for dessert.

Enveloped in a cloud of cake flour and sugar dust, San Diego pastry chefs are pushing boundaries with creative sweet treats such as mint caviar and pop rock crumbs. To help send glucose levels into overdrive, here’s a look at some of the more unusual and exciting desserts to splurge on around the county.

Tequila Flan

A flan with tequila and cheese? You heard it here folks. Popular new Encinitas locale Death By Tequila is drawing eyes and taste buds with a tequila flan made with lime and topped with manchego cheese.

569 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, 760.782.2240, deathbytequila.com

Watermelon Granita

Vegetarians and vegans rejoice, you can have caviar too. Try out this unique and refreshing frozen dessert from Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile that includes mint compressed melon, lime meringue, and mint caviar.

Pendry Hotel, 425 Fifth Ave., downtown, 619.738.7300, pendryhotels.com/san-diego/dining/provisional

Chocolate Futomaki

JRDN brings sushi to the dessert plate with this wild twist on the Japanese favorite, crafted with chocolate-date cake, candied kumquats, hazelnut, Asian pear and green tea.

723 Felspar St., Pacific Beach, 858.270.2323, t23hotel.com/jrdn

Nasturtium + Sorrel

The brainchild of Executive Pastry Chef Ginger Niles, this intriguing edible delight available at The MED is one surprise after another with local nasturtiums and sorrel custard cream, vanilla and citrus pop rock crumbs, lemon poppy seed tuile, crispy milk foam, freeze-dried manuka honey chunks and Earl Grey tea ice cream, all topped with nasturtium leaves.

1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, 855.818.6887, lavalencia.com/dining/the-med.aspx

“Dough”

Ever considerer putting mushrooms in your dessert? These superfood riffs containing chaga (powdered mushrooms) on traditional cookie dough should be next on your list of must-try unusual desserts. The Goji Berry “Dough” from OH! Juice is made with cashews, oats, maple syrup, goji berries, cacao nibs, maca root, chaga, vanilla bean and Himalayan sea salt. The Granola Cookie “Dough” contains chaga alongside cashews, oats, maple Syrup, OH! granola, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, coconut, oil, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, maca, and Himalayan Pink Salt.

Encinitas: 90 N. Coast Hwy. 101 Suite 212, Encinitas, 760.237.8977; Carlsbad: 5631 Palmer Way, 760.542.7761, ohjuicecleanse.com

Saganaki glyko

You may not be able to pronounce it, but there’s no doubt you’ll enjoy this unique Greek treat from Mezé Greek Fusion. The dessert is a pan-seared kasseri cheese flambéed tableside in Grand Marnier and finished with sesame seeds, dried figs, Greek honey and fresh orange.

345 Sixth Ave., downtown, 619.550.1600, gaslampmeze.com

Green Apple Cotton Candy

Pisco Rotisserie & Cevicheria believes that cotton candy isn’t just for kids at a carnivals and baseball games. Bury your face in this fluffy green treat dusted with cocoa powder and get the camera ready.

Liberty Station: 2401 Truxton Rd., #102, 619.222.3111; Carlsbad: 5970 Avenida Encinas, 760.438.1212, piscorotisserie.com

Elvis in Alaska

Combining The King’s favorites of peanut butter, chocolate, banana and bacon, Viejas Casino and Resort’s Locale Kitchen & Lounge conjures up a unique twist on the Baked Alaska, which instead of sponge cake uses house-made banana walnut bread, bananas, chocolate and peanut butter ice-cream. After the flambé, it is topped with spiced candied bacon. That’s one hunk of burning love.

5000 Willows Rd., Alpine, 619.445.5400, viejas.com

Elote

A sweet riff on a traditional corn elote, the “corn” in this dessert from Campfire is actually a molded white chocolate shell. Diners smash the exterior and discover a stuffing of passion fruit, roasted corn and blueberry compote.

2725 State St., Carlsbad, 760.637.5121, thisiscampfire.com