It is no secret that one of Sioux Falls’ main attractions is its charming downtown shops and restaurants. In the last few years, the area has grown in terms of size and visitors, and adding to this bustling atmosphere comes newcomer bakery, Prairie Cocoa and Confections.

The trendy dessert bar opened Wednesday, April 21, in the 8th and Railroad Center featuring some amazing items. Keyes Clemmer, the executive pastry chef and CFO, helps create these masterpieces ranging from flavorful hot chocolates and non-alcoholic mocktails to delicious cheesecake and cookies.

“Our line features extremely whimsical items and then more serious, gourmet items, so there’s a little bit of something for everyone,” Clemmer said in an interview with Keloland News.

To put this statement to the test, I decided to take a trip downtown to try their pastry creations. Upon walking into the store, I noticed that it was a clean and welcoming environment with two tables in the front and a seating area in the back. The middle of the store housed the dessert cases full of tasty treats. After browsing the selection, I decided to try four confections: the Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake, the Mocha Mousse, the hot chocolate cake and the Big Blue Sioux cake.

First up was the Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake costing $9. I had high hopes for this dessert and was not disappointed as I tasted the light and creamy cheesecake with a cookie crust. The Nutella ganache and the Ferrero Roche chocolate on the top were the perfect addition to the already 10/10 dessert.

Next was the Mocha Mousse costing a little less at $8. As a chocolate fanatic, I was looking forward to this dessert the most. Once again, I was certainly not disappointed at the rich and creamy mousse topped with chocolate ganache.

The hot chocolate cake was next and was the most expensive dessert at $10. It featured multiple layers of chocolate cake with chocolate and marshmallow frosting in between. The cake tasted just like its name and was topped with chocolate ganache and mini marshmallows, which earned it first place in my book.

Finally, I tried the colorful Big Blue Sioux cake. This dessert definitely earned the award for best presentation with blue and purple layers of cake, detailed icing designs and a mermaid tail to top it off. However, the vanilla flavor was a little too plain for me but would be a great option for kids or even picky eaters. It was also the least expensive item I tried, costing $6 a slice.

Overall, I was very impressed with the presentation and flavor that each of the Prairie Cocoa and Confections desserts had to offer. Although they were a bit on the pricey side, I think they are well worth it if you are in the downtown area and want to splurge on a high-quality treat.