3 Ways Vegas Pastry Chefs Celebrate the Holidays

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• The front of a gingerbread replica of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas. Photo: Susan Stapleton
• The back of a gingerbread replica of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas, including the golf course. Photo: Susan Stapleton
• A gingerbread replica of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas. Photo: Susan Stapleton
• A side view of a gingerbread replica of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas. Photo: Susan Stapleton
• Flora Aghababyan, master cake artist at Wynn. Photo: Alex Karvounis

The holidays mean going overboard on sweets, and the resorts of Las Vegas have found ways of showcasing their pastry prowess in the form of resort replicas, pirate ships and Santa Claus himself. Here's a look at three of the more decadent renditions of pastry porn.

Flora Aghababyan, master cake artist at Wynn, spent 21 days creating gingerbread replicas of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas. The creation uses 7,500 gingerbread tiles, rolled fondant and sugar. It weighs more than 225 pounds. Be sure to check out the replication of the golf course in the back of the gingerbread version. Find it inside the Buffet at Wynn.

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• Treasure Island's gingerbread replica of the pirate ship.
• Another view of the gingerbread pirate ship.
• A marzipan Santa rides the gingerbread pirate ship.

Treasure Island's executive pastry chef Debra Mitchell and her team spent 40 hours creating a complete replica of the resort's pirate ships and Sirens Cove fashioned from gingerbread cookies.

The team made 60 pounds of gingerbread dough topped with icing created with powdered sugar, egg white and fresh lemon. The water and windows are made with 20 pounds of isomalt, while the Santa, reindeer and snowmen figures are made of marzipan.

The ship, base and decor weighs approximately 40 pounds. The ship itself measures 36 inches in length, 15 inches wide and 29 inches tall. The scene will be on display for the next three to four weeks near the registration desk.

Santa Claus arrived at Jean Philippe Pâtisserie at the Bellagio in the form of a five-foot chocolate Santa created by the pastry team. The Santa is made from 230 pounds of dark chocolate, 50 pounds of fondant and clad in a glistening suit fashioned with sugar icing. Surrounding Santa's chair are presents in all shapes and sizes topped with festive fondant bows. Every element in this intricate display was hand detailed using cacao butter and pure gold powder.
· All Coverage of Wynn Las Vegas [~ELV~]
· All Coverage of Treasure Island [~ELV~]
· All Coverage of Jean Philippe Pâtisserie [~ELV~]