Recommended Desserts Toronto & GTA

Wow!! Compare to say Rahier in mid-town or DUO uptown, price point of this downtown place is really, really expensive!! That small Strawberry tart of theirs is a whopping $4.98 more than both corresponding Rahier’s and Duo’s $9 products!
Even their simple Butter Croissant costs nearly $2 more!! To me, they looked the same and since nowadays, organic flour, butter and eggs are being used by everyone…so taste wise should be comparable?! No excuse to charge that much more!
They must forgot they are still in Toronto NOT Paris! Ha! :joy: :money_mouth_face:

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Yeah I concur Charles very steep for an already prepped dessert. Roselle is pricey as well for Paris Brest but not at this level to be fair this version tasted better than Roselle.
Charles the new yardstick for pricey bakery goes to London. Not sure you saw this a whopping 25 pounds (or quids) for a cookie!

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Well! At least Grolet was voted BEST Pastry Chef on earth a few years ago.

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I’ll check it out!

I can understand that a new bakery isn’t going to have the cashflow or steady income that an established bakery would have.

I would think the rent is cheaper for Duo than rent costs downtown. Different business, different location, different business plan.

By the way, Emmer is now open for dinner from Thu to Sun. Ridiculous line (over 20 people and around the corner) outside Emmer around 12:30 pm yesterday. Also a 10 person line at Blackbird.

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Thanks for the info about the Emmer I have been meaning to try them out for a while. Blackbird (BB) I assume Kensington market location? It was OK with the dessert stuff I tried at their newer location but with St. John’s nearby their Queen St Location I can’t justify buying things at BB. The St. John’s bread is better IMO not to mention their shortbread when in stock is probably the best in the city. I covet their brioche as so so good.

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So- Emmer is expensive. I like almost everything I have tried, bread, baked goods and café menu.

The only item I would actively avoid, is the pork schnitzel sandwich on the lunch menu. The pork schnitzel should be pounded and thin. Mine seemed to be more of a fatty pork chop that included fat that should have been trimmed off. It’s possible whoever is cooking the schnitzel doesn’t know what an ideal schnitzel should be like.

The loaves are very big, and expensive. $13 for a sesame loaf. They sell half loaves if you ask, which is more manageable for my budget and consumption.

Since Emmer on Harbord and Nadège in the Annex opened, I rarely shop at BlackBird Kensington anymore. I had been a very loyal customer at BlackBird for around 5 years.

In terms of dessert at Emmer, I’ve mostly bought Viennoisserie, frangipane tart, lemon tart and pear tart. They have had coconut cream pie recently.

If you head east of the Don River, I really enjoy everything at Le Conciliabule.

My current top 3 are Emmer, Noctua in the Junction and Le Conciliabule.

I have a few others I need to check out.

I want to visit Apricot Tree in Mississauga , which will make custom order Black Forest, Malakoff, Sacher, Dobostorte, strudels. I’ll order something during the holidays.

I also want to try a Kiev Torte, at some point. Maybe from Chocolada.

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If one’s focus is on ’ desserts ’ and not bread or Viennoisse. If by chance you are up my way, you should pay this place a visit?!..excellent quality, way cheaper than Genie and operating a similar business model ( seat-down, serve artisan coffee and Viennoisse…etc

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Had an unplanned visit you the area so decided to visit Dt. John’s bakery. A pleasant surprise awaited as I saw the shortbread cookies on sale. Picked up a couple of bags as they are really good. Unfortunately they are not on their UberEATS menu so for pickup only I suppose. I will try and see if they can substitute for their ginger cookies as those are always on the UberEATS menu as the delivery option is more viable for moi

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Finally got around to try delysees Yorkville location. Have tried them at their old spots a few times and via delivery app.
Busy on both visits but good spot as there is a dearth of dessert spots around Yorkville (most of city as well imo) that stay open late
Just grabbed a dessert. Same as other spots give it a try if you like their stuff. Otherwise this corner hasn’t done well for restaurants and dessert spots so far (Sorrel, joy (tea room from Ottawa that changed their name))
p.s. on the last delivery had a cake for guests and it was frozen to the extent that everyone thought it’s ice cream cake!


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Any feedback about this spt. I have yet to find a good Kougin Amman in TO. We aren’t talking Montreal level rather SF level even.

I like everything I’ve ordered at Le Conciliabule. It’s one of my top 3 bakeries.

To be honest, not too many KAs in Canada are what I like. I tried one in Brittany in 2008, and only have had one similar version at a restaurant in Mtl that no longer exists. I don’t like the Dominique Ansel DKA much.

In TO, the best one I’ve had this year that was a traditional sweet one was at Noctua in the Junction, and the ones at Le Conciliabule would be a close second. I haven’t had any other KAs in TO recently. I like Noctua & Le Conciliabule’s versions better than Blackbird’s.

I don’t like the KA from Kouign Amann on the Plateau that much. I’d give it a B-. I liked an apple KA from Patrice in 2019 (A-)

le Conciliabule’s personal sized traditional KA

le Conciliabule’s savoury KA

Le Conciliabule’s almond croissant
image

https://leconciliabuleto.com/

There’s some discussion somewhere on HO about the 2 types of KA found in Brittany.

The croque monsieurs and quiches are also excellent at Le Conciliabule.

https://leconciliabuleto.com/lab/order-online/

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Have you tried Tasso’s Kouign Amman? They’re the best I’ve ever tried!

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Picked up the Roselle holiday cookie tin today. I think it’s priced on the very high end but ok for a once a year splurge


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Agree that Tasso and Gouter make the best Kouign Amman

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This ’ All Chocolate ’ French pasty - " DEGAS " from Rahier is currently my favourite Chocolate dessert in the GTA. Decadent, smooth and intense, comprising multiple components/variation of dark chocolate goodness in both taste and texture!

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Forgot to report I tried a buche de noel tropical at friend’s over the holidays at friend’s home sourced from nugateau
Coconut Dacquoise, Caramelized pineapple & Dragon fruit jelly, Mango passion fruit cremeux, Pineapple Coconut mousse.
As expected quite sweet. I didn’t enjoy the coconut, pineapple and dragon fruit intense flavors.
They bring these out during the holiday season so I guess one will have to wait to try them. Unfortunately didn’t take a pic.

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Had a chocolate pear tart dropped off by friends from Blackbird bakery. Not being a fan of their dessert offerings this didn’t impress much despite pears being one of my favorite things in desserts

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I’ve enjoyed some nice peas tarts from Emmer.
My first pastry purchases of the New Year was the maple pecan tart and pecan scone at Emmer, which I liked, as well as a coconut pandan cookie and vegan hojicha cookie from Rustle & Still which I also liked.

Emmer is a worth a detour for me (20 minute walk), whereas it’s the coffee that is the detour for me at Rustle & Still (also a 20 minute walk), and I sometimes get a cookie (a sidekick, maybe not worth a detour)

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Inspired by your recommendation I ended up picking up a pistachio cream puff, caramel rum croissant and a porridge bread which is quite big.
Croissant is ok (it’s no kougin aman) cream puff was decent.
Bread is decent as well. I think I will revisit earlier as most items were sold out when I went.


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