From couture cakes to petit choux, there is an increasing number of delights now available in Dubai, courtesy of celebrity cake artists and pastry chefs.
Whether you're looking to treat yourself, add panache to your next party or give a gift to a loved one, here are some sweet shops to enjoy.
The Cake Boutique, Beth Lauren
British cake artist Beth Lauren, who has studied fashion and illustration, prides herself on creating “edible art”. Think sugar pineapples and palm leaf prints; buttercream flowers that start out as bows and end up looking like candles; and even a tiered concoction in the colours of the UAE flag for Emirati Women’s Day. In August, Lauren launched The Cake Boutique, a made to order online shop in Dubai. It was launched in partnership with the Waldorf Astoria DIFC, with orders available for collection at the hotel as well as home delivery.
The boutique offers seven types of cakes, including vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free options. Choose from 24 carrot gold; cheeky monkey; white chocolate and raspberry; sugar-free berries; pistachio and raspberry; Lotus Biscoff and cocoa.
Simple as these flavours may sound, Lauren puts a great deal of thought, love and creativity into each. The vegan-friendly Lotus Biscoff cake, for example, is crafted with a cinnamon-flavoured sponge topped with lotus ganache pressed between each moist sponge layer and an ivory whipped lotus plant-based buttercream, which is fused with a velvet lotus sauce and crunchy biscuit pieces.
The cakes range from Dh360 for the small white chocolate and raspberry cake (suitable for 10 people), to Dh975 for the large sugar-free berries cake (suitable for 24 people).
More information is available at thecakeboutiquedifc.com
Margaux, Alexandre Dufeu
Pastry chef Alexandre Dufeu made his foray into the UAE after an enviable, decade-long stint working under Alain Ducasse, the Michelin Guide’s second-most decorated chef.
Last Thursday, Dufeu opened Margaux, a patisserie named as “a love letter” to the charming French village the chef calls home. Located off Jumeirah Mina A’Salam’s lobby, Margaux comes across as super-welcoming with its flattering mirrors and soft lighting, and also offers online shopping and home delivery.
On the menu are a batch of Parisian treats: from delicate millefeuille and decadent fruit tarts, to marble and button cakes, chocolate eclairs and pistachio flan. The petit choux are available individually or in swish-looking gift boxes, priced from Dh145 for three pieces to Dh295 for seven pieces.
Dufeu says Margaux is his way of bringing the requisite dessert-fuelled stroll one embarks upon in Paris to Dubai.
More information is available an 058 601 7474
Little Venice Cake Company, Mich Turner
From Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace to Prince William at Expo 2020 Dubai, the British royals are regular patrons of the “couture cakes” whipped up by British food scientist Mich Turner, as are celebrities such as Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Gordon Ramsay, David Beckham and Emma Thompson. When the long-anticipated Atlantis The Royal opens its doors (the grand opening is in November, we’re told), it will house along its gilded corridors Turner’s Little Venice Cake Company.
Chef de cuisine Aizhan Tazhigulova will run the day-to-day operations at the new spot, which is fitted out with a show kitchen, consultation room (accessible by invitation only) and an atelier, and is designed by New York studio Jeffrey Beers.
The menu offers up everything from loaded brownies and cupcakes, to tea loaf cakes, layer cakes and other teatime treats in addition to Turner’s famed theatrical creations. Turner’s desserts include vanilla cake with strawberry jam; salted caramel and chocolate cake; puppy pinata, and the Queen Elizabeth date cake baked with medjool dates, fresh apple, lemon and ginger.
The atelier will offer a curated collection of bone china from Royal Crown Derby and William Edwards; silverware from Thomas Lyte; Tregothnan Estate teas; chocolates and truffles from Prestat; plus Turner’s books and craft baking kits.
More information is available at atlantis.com
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What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali
Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km
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SPECS
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)
Saturday
Brescia v Torino (6pm)
Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)
Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sunday
Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)
Udinese v SPAL (6pm)
Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)
Lazio v Lecce (6pm)
Parma v Roma (9pm)
Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
