It has been quite some time since I provided my initial recommendations for Chicago’s sweets landscape. With a recent visit to the city, I gave some new establishments (at least new to me!) a try.
Donuts
As we walked around Chicago, we noticed several Stan’s Donuts locations. After a particularly long stroll one Saturday afternoon, we decided to try a few treats for an afternoon snack, as we had not heard of this bakery before. I chose a standard – Chocolate Sprinkled Glazed – and was pleasantly surprised by the texture and taste of the icing. On the surface it appeared to be a basic offering, but the quality of the ingredients really showed, resulting in a delightful bite each time.
From Yelp recommendations, we also elected to try the Peanut Butter Banana Pocket, which was dripping in a thick coat of icing. I must say, this one did disappoint. For all of the flavors incorporated into the pocket, nothing in particular stood out. The peanut butter and banana seemed to rarely meet, and the experience was underwhelming.
I will absolutely revisit Stan’s again, electing for the simpler (and to me, more satisfying) selections.
Pie
Bang Bang Pie & Biscuit came highly recommended from several sources as a must-try in Chicago. With the changing leaves and dropping temperatures, it feels like the perfect weather for a biscuit and a slice of pie, so we decided to check it out last weekend.
We visited the location near the Blue Line California stop. The flow of the establishment itself was confusing. Despite having two doors, the staff insisted that the line proceed outside, instead of inside, the establishment on the blustery Sunday afternoon. You could hear a few murmurs of frustration as the queue shifted to accommodate the request.
Once finally at the counter, we ordered a slice of apple and a slice of the chocolate chess to try something new. The apple was nice – not too heavy on the cinnamon or goopy like some fruit pies are, and overall hit the spot for those looking for a classic. At $6 a slice, however, it is not going to be a regular indulgence.
The chocolate chess, on the other hand, was disappointing. A layer between the rich but grainy dark chocolate filling and the crust possessed a strange, gummy texture. Described as brownie-like by the cashier, it unfortunately did not resemble this treat.
Based on the overall experience and expense, I may opt to bake my own instead! The chocolate chip cookies did look pretty good though (and were the size, roughly, of a dinner plate) so I may give this place one more chance.
Cupcakes
After discovering many of the places I had previously tried have since closed, I jumped at the chance to try a new establishment. The Cupcake Counter looked like a small, family-operated bakery and I stopped in to try a seasonal selection – the pumpkin chocolate chip cupcake.
Opting to enjoy the treat at home, I was disappointed to discover the default was to place the frosted cupcake into a paper snack bag, which was sure to impact the presentation. The employee said boxes were available for an additional $0.85, a disappointing and seemingly unnecessary upcharge for a cupcake establishment. Opening the box when I arrived home, I discovered the cupcake had been placed sideways in the box.
The pumpkin cake didn’t have much flavor. While moist, it was quite heavy and dense. The pumpkin frosting had a great cinnamon richness, but did not pair together well with the cake itself, competing with one another instead.
Overall the customer service experience and the taste of the cupcake itself ensure Cupcake Counter will remain off of my recommendations list.
Until next time,
SugarSource
To quickly cool, we pop these into the freezer. They are ready for guests to enjoy within the hour, and last for 1-2 weeks (though we have found they are long-gone before then).
In honor of Mardi Gras, I attempted to bake a traditional King Cake. I modified a recipe from Nola.com, which seemed to be an appropriate source for such an endeavor.
Once the dough has chilled for two hours, punch the surface down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. First shape the dough directly with your hands – you are looking to achieve a rough rectangle. Then, using a floured rolling pin, slowly roll the dough to a rough 24″ by 12″ size. Continue to run your fingers or a spatula underneath the dough to ensure it isn’t sticking to the surface.
After the cake has had the chance to cool completely – I left for a few hours with the clean dish towel draped over the top – mix 2 cups of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk (again, I used the KitchenAid stand mixer for expediency). Slowly and cautiously add additional liquid as needed – you do not want it to be too liquidy. Drizzle the icing over the cake. My first icing unfortunately had too much milk, so I used it more as a glaze with my pastry brush. You can either dye the icing in the traditional yellow, green and purple of Mardi Gras, or coat the icing in colored sugars. I chose the sugars, which I like both aesthetically as well as texturally, and 
Los Angeles is known for wonderful weather, sunshine, juice cleanses…but not necessarily delicious (and not nutritious) baked goods. That was partially why I was so surprised to discover the absolute deliciousness of the Mocha Chip Cookie at 
After initially taking 
After placing our order, we clinked our glasses – in a truly luxurious move, we chose to accompany our afternoon tea with champagne – and continued to take in our surroundings. Before we knew it, our individual pots of tea arrived with cards confirming our selections, followed closely by a three-tiered golden tray. The table provided a reflection of our miniature sandwiches – traditional crustless cucumber, lox (for a nod to the Big Apple), egg salad, turkey and cranberry, chicken salad and an itty bitty roast beef baguette. They were quite filling for being so small!
The desserts, the true highlight, were delightful. The miniature key lime tart was sweet, the meringue spongy and the filling had a bite to it. The fruit tart was tiny, and the berries made a strong statement. I am not a fan of cheesecake, generally speaking, but was happy to sample the Plaza’s version (though unfortunately it did not convert me completely). The tiny black and white eclair was quickly forgotten, while the intensely chocolately orange triangle was the highlight, flavor-wise. The most stunning execution was the white chocolate and cranberry cake, which made up for the lack of strong fruit notes with the beauty of the assembled package, while the pistachio macaron turned into my second to-go item.
SugarSource 