This was a post we wrote last month but due to various travels, we never got around to posting it. Sorry for our absence!
After hearing the hype surrounding the Cronut, we decided we had to attempt to taste it for ourselves. Having landed in NYC in the evening and promptly passing out in our beds, we easily awoke at about 5.30am (thank you jet lag!) and off we went to Dominique Ansel in SoHo.
As we journeyed, we were reluctant to believe that the hype could be quite as big as we had heard. How wrong we were...
Arriving just after 6.30am, the queue was easily 250 people long, with those at the front (the pros) having set up camp with camping chairs and picnics. And so we joined the queue, with our hope slowly fading.
We found things to occupy the time, new hairstyles, reading, and mostly complaining that surely nothing could taste good enough to stand in line this long.
Having waited long past 8am (when the bakery opens) Samara went off to investigate our chances. She returned with news that the line was going to be at least another hour and a half, and it was highly likely they would run out before they got to us. We also found out August's new Cronut flavour was coconut, which didn't seem nearly as appealing as July's blackberry. With energy levels low, we made the executive decision to buy a few other pastries from the bakery (there no queue for all other pastries!) and leave the Cronut's until next time.
We asked what the two most popular pastries other than the Cronut were, and were recommended a Cannelé and 'Dominique’s Kouign Amann'.
The Cannelé was caramelised and crunchy on the outside, and soft and flan-like on the outside. With vanilla and a hint of Caribbean-rum it was rich and dark, and possibly a little too heavy for 9am in the morning!
The 'Dominique’s Kouign Amann' was by far our favorite. It is a effectively a caramelised croissant, with a crunchy caramel base and soft flaky pastry, it was absolutely delicious and certainly worth a visit to the bakery!
If you are interested in trying a cronut, we would recommend arriving before 6.30am, as this seems to be when the majority of people arrive, and if possible avoid arriving the day after the new flavour is released!
Lots of love,
Samara and Anna xxx
