This adorable little penguin religieuse ($7) from Dominique Ansel is almost too cute to eat. But make sure you do, because he is divine! This little guy is all bundled up for winter with his earmuffs and scarf made of marshmallow. His eyes, beak and wings are crafted from white and dark chocolate. The choux pastry is filled with Mexican hot chocolate cream with a hint of chili.
French
Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant from Épicerie Boulud
Colored croissants are not as common in the US as they are in Europe. This beautiful, striking Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant ($4) from Daniel Boulud takes 3 days to make. It is unique in the fact that the layers are so precise, you could count them, and the outside is crunchy, with a sweet, buttery inside. But be fair warned: this croissant is not for the faint of heart. It is sinfully rich and decadent. The brains behind this candy-striped creation is Francois Brunet, who is in charge of the bread and viennoiserie at all of Boulud’s restaurants across the city.
Chocolate & Passion Fruit Combined at Maison Kayser
It took me a solid few minutes to decide which treat to purchase from Maison Kayser. Known as one of France’s best bakers, Eric Kayser has over 80 locations of his patiserrie/boulangerie/cafe around the world. I feel privileged to be able to sample some of his creations with three of them now in New York…