Shangri-La Hotel's Giant Gingerbread Carousel and Festive High Tea

Overview

We all know by now that pastry chef Anna Polyviou doesn't do things by halves — and will use any excuse to create something OTT and sugar-filled. Last year, she created a four-metre gingerbread train. This festive season, she proves this once again, but with a massive gingerbread carousel.

The merry-go-round combines 750 kilos of gingerbread, 300 kilos of lollies and 100 kilos of icing. Yep, this gives sugar high a whole new meaning. On the carousel, you'll spot vintage horses, rotating bauble towers, giant striped candy canes, sparkling reindeer, colourful lights and a jolly Santa sitting on top of a chimney, too. You'll find this fantastical creation in the Lobby Lounge of the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney.

That's not the only festive thing happening there throughout the silly season. The Lobby Lounge will also be home to a festive high tea. Designed by Polyviou, this feast will feature three tiers of decadent bites for $65 a head (and $35 for kids).

You'll start with savoury bites like honey-glazed ham sandwiches, roast turkey croquettes and rolls with poached crayfish and slaw. Then, you'll move on to the sweet treats — scones, mango lamington trifle, golden honeycomb macarons and Santa's Cherry Pie with chocolate crémeux, cherry jam and pistachio chantilly. Plus, you can opt to sip glasses of bubbly for an additional cost — 'tis the season, after all.

And, if those sugar cravings aren't yet curbed, be sure to check out the festive candy store in The Lobby Lounge, too. The perfect spot to pick up gifts for the sweet tooths in your life, the pop-up sells mini gingerbread houses ($65), Christmas puddings ($48), fruit mince tarts ($14 for six), caramelised Christmas logs ($65) and berry trifles ($95).

The gingerbread carousel and pop-up store are open every day from Friday, November 29, 2019 to Sunday, January 5, 2019, from 7am. And the festive high tea is available daily from 11am–1pm, 1.30–3.30pm and 4–6pm. You can make a reservation for the high tea here.