The Monster ($5.75) is described on the Las Delicias Patisserie website as the ‘perfect combination between a chocolate babka, a baker’s muffin and a melt-away cake in all its monstrous glory’. Being a huge fan of the chocolate babka, I was excited to try this interesting creation.
Like nothing I’ve ever had before, the Monster was a delight from the first bite to the very end. I had to try very hard not to eat it all in one sitting. The pastry itself is pillowy-soft and the semi-sweet chocolate adds a richness which really does take you to another place. For me, it was back to my mother’s kitchen, where she would have me by her side as a child, helping her bake.
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I first came to know Las Delicias Patisserie on my birthday a couple of months ago. My work colleagues had very generously bought me one of the Spinach Tarts and the Plum Galette from the Union Square Greenmarket. We all agreed that both were delicious, and you could literally taste the high quality of ingredients used. Las Delicias owner Deborah Brenner, originally from Argentina, has been living in New York City for more than 20 years and also lived in Europe. She was in the banking world for many years but always loved to cook. She wanted people to be able to reconnect the idea of food and pleasure, not just quantity, and so she created Las Delicias Patisserie.
Deborah wanted to make a product that not only takes you places, but also makes you feel good. Las Delicias tries to respect all the different factors of production: land, animals and labor. Many of the ingredients are locally sourced, and there is a gluten-free line, inspired by her husband who has celiac disease. There are also products free of nuts, soy, dairy, artificial flavours or GMO ingredients.
Since I work in Union Square where the Greenmarket is located (how convenient!) I can’t wait to work my way through the rest of the product line. Las Delicias can also be found at boutique hotels and other Greenmarkets around the city, as well as selected retailers.
Las Delicias Patisserie: Union Square West & 17th St, New York, NY 10003 (every Monday, Wednesday & Friday).
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