Chef Dominique Ansel and his team are bringing some French and New York flavour across the pond, with the opening of his eponymous bakery, Dominique Ansel Bakery London, in late summer/early autumn 2016. “We are grateful for the chance to share a little bit of what we do with our guests in London, and we aim to do nothing less than our very best for them,” says Dominique. “It’s always exciting to meet everyone and challenge ourselves with new creations.”
Located on Elizabeth Street in Belgravia, close to Victoria, Dominique’s first Europe-based bakery will carry a menu of signature pastries from his original shop as well as a new line of London-only items. “Although I grew up in France, so close to London, I didn’t have a chance to visit until I was much older. When I did, I immediately fell in love with the blend of cultures and the spirit of the city,” says Dominique. “With each new place we go, our team draws a huge amount of inspiration. London not only gives us access to the ingredients across all of Europe, it will also be a chance for us to learn quite a bit along the way.”
While the new London exclusives are yet to be announced, Dominique is thrilled to bring some of his most celebrated and long-awaited creations, including:
- The Cronut – Perhaps the first “viral” pastry in the world, news of this singular item traversed the globe and led to record-breaking lines for this croissant-donut hybrid pastry named one of the “Best Inventions of 2013” by TIME magazine. The Cronut is a trademarked brand of Dominique Ansel Bakery in countries around the world, including the UK and is only available in its locations.
- DKA – The #1 best-seller in the NYC shop. “Dominique’s Kouign Amann” is an original recipe based on a traditional pastry from the Brittany region of France. Dough is layered with butter and sugar, then baked, creating a caramelised crunchy crust on the outside and a flaky, tender crumb within (think caramelised croissant).
- The Cookie Shot – A warm chocolate chip cookie, shaped like a shot glass and filled to order with ice-cold milk infused with Tahitian vanilla bean.
- Frozen S’mores – Inspired by the American campfire favourite, this cool treat features Tahitian vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate wafer crisps, enrobed in a honey marshmallow that is torched-to-order, and served on a smoked willow wood branch.