In the wake of Starbucks’ protests, #TrumpCups, and the political mess America has gotten itself into, we finally have something to be excited about – flowering marshmallows.
Thanks to mad pastry genius, Dominique Ansel, who introduced us to Cronuts in 2013, you can now grow a tiny, white flower of a marshmallow in what Ansel calls “Blossoming Hot Chocolate.”
Flowering marshmallows for your hot chocolate by @DominiqueAnsel pic.twitter.com/as28fwpLpt
— Emma Cooke (@PetiteBlondine) November 16, 2016
Ansel’s magical hot chocolate is topped with a beautiful marshmallow flower that’s held closed by a small, thin ring of white chocolate. Once the marshmallow is dropped into your mug of warm, chocolatey goodness, the white chocolate ring melts, and voila! A flower appears.
Ansel is the chef and owner of SoHo’s Dominique Ansel Bakery. Since Ansel’s opening in 2011, the bakery has won multiple awards including Time Out New York ‘s “Best New Bakery of 2012,” and Metromix ‘s “Best Bakery of 2012.”
According to AM New York , this sweet treat was created in celebration of Ansel’s five-year anniversary.
Following his first dessert masterpiece – the cronut – Chef Ansel won the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Pastry Chef” of the nation and was one of Crain ‘s “40 Under 40.”
According to Ansel’s website, the Cronut Pastry took two months and more than 10 recipes to perfect. Made with a laminated dough, similar to that of a croissant, the Cronut Pastry is first proofed and then fried in grapeseed oil at a specific temperature. Once cooked, the pastry is flavored in three ways – it is rolled in sugar, filled with cream, and topped with glaze.
Each month, Ansel features a different flavor.
Previous Cronut Pastry flavors include:
2013
- May – Rose Vanilla
- June – Lemon Maple
- July – Blackberry Lime
- August – Coconut
- September – Fig Mascarpone
- October – Apple Crème Fraiche
- November – Salted Dulce de Leche
- December – Valrhona Chocolate Champagne
2014
- January – Peanut Butter Rum Caramel
- February – Raspberry Lychee
- March – Milk and Honey (with a hint of lavender)
- April – Passion Fruit Caramelia
- May – Blueberry Lemon Verbena
- June – Strawberry balsamic and Mascarpone
- July – Morello Cherry with Toasted Almond Cream
- August – Yellow Peach Black Tea
- September – Bosc pear and Sage
- October – Pumpkin Chai
- November – Caribbean Rum Raisin
- December – Valrhona Dark Chocolate Raspberry Chambord
2015
- January – Caramelized Malt Valrhona Milk chocolate with Maldo Salt
- February – Cherry Blossom Sour Cherry
- March – Matcha Golden Pineapple
- April – Strawberry Rhubarb and Thyme
- May – Sweet Clementine Ricotta
- June – Key Lime Young Coconut
- July – Rum Caramelized Banana Brown Sugar
- August – Peach and Bourbon
- September – Bergamot and Earl Grey
- October – Horchata Caramel
- November – Toffee Coffee
- December – Gingerbread Pear
2016
- January – Gianduja Blood Orange
- February – Milk Chocolate Cassis
- March – Raspberry Coconut
- April – Burnt Vanilla Smoked Caramel
- May – Brown Sugar Rhubarb with Lemon Thyme Sugar
- June – Blueberry Elderflower with Lime Sugar
- July – Apricot with Toasted Almond
- August – Black Cherry Valrhona Milk Chocolate
- September – Pear Honey Cream Cheese
- October – Banoffee
- November – Maple Pecan with Salted Sugar
This December, Ansel’s is featuring a White Chocolate Peppermint and Cherry Cronut Pastry. But, you better arrive early; according to Ansel’s website, lines can start as early as one hour before they open.
“As a rule of thumb, if you arrive prior to 7:30 a.m. on a week day, you have a great chance of getting the Cronut Pastry,” the site reads. Weekends tend to be a bit busier. Plus, there’s a two-Cronut-per-person limit for in-store purchases.
On March 14, 2014, Ansel wowed New York yet again with the debut of his one-of-a-kind, chocolate-chip-cookie-and-organic-milk “shots.”
Ansel’s website describes the shots as a “moist, soft chocolate chip cookie shaped as a shot glass.”
Guests can enjoy their shots at the bakery with cold, Vanilla Milk or purchase a gift set of six Cookie Shots to take home.
Today, Ansel’s enchanted bakery is listed as one of the Best Bakeries in the U.S. by Daily Meal.
[Featured Image by warrengoldswain/Thinkstock]
