Spotlight: Croissant Class – Take One

I finally took the plunge, and signed up for a croissant class at Mille Feuille‘s Laguardia Place location in Greenwich Village this December. As a huge fan of their croissants for years, this felt like the appropriate place to begin my tutelage.

The participants slowly began trickling into the back of the small storefront. Our instructor introduced himself, provided aprons for everyone and started class. We began by shaping our croissants, as they needed to proof before baking. Typically baking croissants is a three-day process, but this has been condensed considerably for this three-hour course! Our instructor walked us through the basic shapes and techniques, and provided constructive criticism to improve our individual trays of treats. After we had worked our way through the dough provided, rolling as carefully as possible, he popped them into the proofing drawer.

From there, he demonstrated the butter-layering process. I am embarrassed to say I had no idea how much butter was added to these delightful breads. After beating our slabs of butter into rectangular shapes, we slowly began the rolling, folding and re-rolling process. It was quite the lower arm work-out, and I was thankful to be moving around, as the air-conditioning made the room chilly. Our instructor would later inform us that it needed to be relatively cold in the room to ensure the butter did not begin to melt, which would ruin the croissants. They do recommend bringing an extra sweater in the event it is too cold!

After the croissants were done proofing, we slathered them in egg wash, re-arranged them on our trays for optimal baking, and then he placed them into the oven. He used a few of the leftover slivers as “appetizers,” and they were a delicious way to create a natural break for the class. I only wish they had provided the hot drink (described online), but unfortunately one was never offered.

Finally, he showed us how to make the dough and how to test if the gluten has been activated. A pro tip: if the gluten has been activated, croissant dough can be used as pizza dough instead!

All in all, the session was very informative, and I left the bakery with over 15 croissants and my own butter-layered dough for baking my next versions at home.

I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about how croissants are made or to hone their baking skills. Next up will be the macaron class!

Until next time,
SugarSource

Best of NYC: Commerce Coconut Cake

Admittedly I am a coconut fan – it takes on a subtly crunchy, nuttier flavor when baked, and adds an extra, welcome element to a traditional vanilla cake. My go-to is the stellar version at Commerce, a gem slightly hidden in the West Village. With warm wood accents, a muted-toned mural spanning the majority of the restaurant, and a 70s-throwback bar, the restaurant welcomes diners to experience delicious dinners and delightful desserts.

The coconut cake appears at the table, a significant slice with shreds of coconut poking out of every nook and cranny. One forkful, delicately maneuvered through the layers of cake and icing, begins the adventure. The cake is light and well-balanced, and the frosting presents a heavier creamier, but not sweeter, element. There is no mistaking that this is a coconut cake, as the star flavor is present in every bite, with flakes topping every frosted layer. Accompanied by water, dessert wine, or espresso, it can hold its own.

While best shared with a companion, it is possible that this behemoth could serve as an entree on its own. It is a wonderful way to end an evening, and worth a trip for dessert alone.

Until next time,
SugarSource

Dolci di Italia – Manhattan

Sweets of Italy. While New York has a neighborhood with a concentration of Italian restaurants and pastry shops called Little Italy, there are delectable Italian desserts sprinkled throughout the city.

Gelato. Grom, first established in Torino, has at least two locations in Manhattan and is a great stand-by for gelato cravings. Though they have a variety of flavors, I would recommend the signature Crema di Grom, an eggy-based ice cream with crushed cookies and chocolate chips. A great feature of gelato places is you are encouraged to have at least two flavors in your cup, and Grom is no exception. The smallest size should satisfy your sweet tooth, and you can also order a dollop of fresh, thick whipped cream on top if you so desire.

Pumpkin Gelato,
Caffe Dante

If you are looking for more of a sit-down or café -like experience, I would recommend Caffé Dante on Macdougal Street in the West Village. The pumpkin gelato is wonderful – well-balanced, flavorful without tasting artificial, not too sweet and a great companion to a cup of Earl Grey in the afternoon.

Italian Ice. You will find little hole-in-the-wall Italian ice shops dotted throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. In Midtown Manhattan I came across Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, a walk-up window with a plethora of choices. You can select traditional Italian ices (made without dairy or eggs), dairy-based ices and ice cream flavors, and even soft-serve. My first experience on a hot June day was a simple lemon ice – pleasantly tart and satisfyingly sweet, it was a great way to break the heat. Feeling particularly bold on a different visit, I chose a peanut butter sundae. Crushed peanut butter cups layered within vanilla soft-serve, caramel and topped with a hefty flourish of whipped cream and more peanut butter cups. It was wonderful.

Peanut Butter Sundae,
Ralph’s

Pignoli. I found these small pine nut cookies at Caffé Roma on Broome Street, which has been in the same location – and within the same family – since 1891. Great eaten alone or as an addition to an afternoon cappuccino, these chewy, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth delights can be a quick sugar pick-me-up without too much guilt.

Italian Pastries. Veniero’s has been an East Village staple since 1894, and has the wide selection and quality desserts to prove it. From traditional cannolis and tiramisu to strawberry shortcakes and decadent chocolate layered mousse cakes (which come in a variety of sizes and slices), the toughest part is making your selection. The windmill cake was moist and rich with chocolate curls enrobing the entire single serving portion. In retrospect, it was probably a little large for one person to tackle, but I was up for the challenge that day.

There are many other desserts that remain – affogatos and tiramisu, and I have not come close to rendering a verdict on the best cannoli in town. The adventure continues…

Until next time,

SugarSource

Sweet Go-Tos – New York Edition

New York offers a wide variety of traditional as well as atypical confections for enjoyment. Through experimenting and many afternoons of taste-testing, I have found a few to be fail-safe when a hankering for something sweet comes along.

Mellow Days,
Cafe Angelique

Cookies: Levain Bakery is at the top of my list. A small storefront identified by the bright blue awning (and the possible gathering or line out front) on 74th St on the Upper West Side houses delectable cookies. With four flavors to choose from, you can’t go wrong though my personal favorites are the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter and the Dark Chocolate Chocolate chip. Warm and gooey, you will quickly have your hands covered in chocolate and your belly will be full of warm cookie. These are large and rich, so I would suggest sharing unless you are willing to suffer the consequences of overindulgence.

Cupcakes: Cafe Angelique. This West Village cafe has some of the best, most balanced cupcakes I’ve tasted in New York. The Mellow Days has a well-balanced, moist and springy vanilla cake topped with a mellow vanilla icing (hence the name) and a few mini marshmallows. The peppermint cupcake was refreshing and had a snap to it similar to that of a candy cane.

Ice Cream Sundae: Farmacy. This Brooklyn Heights tribute to the soda fountains of old will take you back to another time.  Homemade whoopie pies and shakes are available alongside a lengthy list of decadent sundaes. From favorites like a Warm Brownie Sundae to more daring combinations such as The Elvis (chocolate chip ice cream, peanut butter, candied bacon and a pickle slice), Farmacy has something to please anyone. My personal favorite is The Cookie Monster, an ode to the Sesame Street character, complete with a hearty sprinkling of blue sugar.

The Cookie Monster,
Farmacy

Pudding: Sugar Sweet Sunshine. Though Magnolia Bakery and Buttercup Bakeshop have delicious banana puddings, the chocolate chip pudding at Sugar Sweet Sunshine is a cut above the rest. Layers of whipped cream, broken bits of homemade chocolate chip cookies, and butterscotch pudding combine to be absolutely outstanding.

This is not an exhaustive list, by any means, as there are many other forms of dessert that have been left off this list. Perhaps for a post in the future…

Until next time,

SugarSource