The acclaimed pastry chef responsible for the addicting madeleines at Daniel Boulud’s crown jewel in NYC has a new namesake bakery. Seven weeks ago Dominique Ansel was in Daniel’s kitchen serving those famous shell shaped pastries up like hotcakes and yesterday he opened up his own bakery and is doing parisian pastries his way. The madeleines he’s making here are just as good, but a fair warning—no take away allowed. They need to be warm, fresh and eaten within three minutes of serving!
Dominique Ansel has been opening bakeries and pastry shops since he was 16, first with Fauchon in Paris and eventually at Daniel in NYC.
His flavors are very simple…you won’t find bacon as an ingredient, but you’ll find chocolate with five different types of textures. The DKA bread (Dominique’s Kouign Amman) is a must taste. Dominique arrives at 3am daily to bake this flaky bread with caramelized layers (crunchy on the outside, tender and airy on the inside). The Gâteau Battu Slice is unique—try it with the homemade jam and butter. Something like brioche meeting pound cake in one delicate bite.
Bunny Cake is probably the cutest thing on the menu, a mini carrot cake loaf topped with spiced frosting and lopsided white chocolate ears, but the gently brûléed Cotton-Soft Cheesecake steals the show. Ricotta is the secret ingredient that keeps this pastry so light you can devour the entire thing in one bite.
The Mini-Me Cake showcases what the bakery is already famous for (and they’ve only been open for one day!). Perfection in the bite of a baby meringue the size of a thimble. The decadent gluten free chocolate cake is covered in these light little kisses, but you can also buy them in bulk and use them to decorate your home baked cupcakes, throw a few peppermint flavored drops into hot chocolate, or pop them in your mouth like the addicting candy they are.
Come with an empty stomach and a serious sweet tooth. Bourgeoisie welcome.
