Ann Arbor needs a cronut bakery
A cronut - crossaint and donut hybrid - from the Dominique Ansel Bakery in Manhattan.
Photo by Flickr user ccho.
Don't know what a cronut is? Think it sounds like a mythical creature from Game of Thrones? Allow me to clue you into the pastry phenomenon that haunts my dreams.
To put it simply, a cronut is a croissant and doughnut hybrid. Dreamed up by pastry chef Dominique Ansel and rolled out for the first time at his eponymous Soho bakery in May, this confection has inspired rabid devotion.
Photo by Flickr user MjaMes1408
That's right, friends. You don't actually have to stand in line for a cronut in New York. There's a thriving business in cronut resale on Craigslist, where the confections — which sell for $5 apiece at the Dominique Ansel Bakery — are being scalped for $35 to $50 each.
They're that good.
I love a good doughnut, and I would travel some distance for a well-executed croissant (though luckily, in Ann Arbor, I don't need to), but the idea of a doughnut-croissant hybrid sends my senses reeling. I need to try this.
I could make my own cronuts, I suppose. One of my favorite food blogs, Food52, recently published a recipe.
"Puff pastry sounds daunting to make from scratch, but it's really a matter of mixing together a basic yeasted dough, slathering it with butter and then folding it up like a letter a bunch of times, rolling and chilling between each fold."
Yeah, that doesn't sound like a lot of work.
Instead, I implore you, bakers of Ann Arbor: please make us a croissant-donut hybrid. We can't call it a cronut — that's been trademarked. Katy Loy at Pastry Peddler — what about a Doughssant? Miyoko Honma — brilliant Cafe Japon baker — surely you want to tackle the Croissanut? Scott Newell at Big City Small World, friends at Zingerman's Bakehouse ... please?
Don't make me drive to New York.
Jessica Webster leads the Food & Grocery section for AnnArbor.com, a part of the MLive Media Group. Reach her at JessicaWebster@annarbor.com. You also can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Neil
Mon, Aug 26, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
Thanks Jessica... appreciate all who came out. Update -> http://uncleneilsbread.com/fried-croissants/
Neil
Sat, Aug 24, 2013 : 11:49 p.m.
I will have a product similar to the product formerly known as Prince, I mean similar to the product formally known as Cronuts, at the Sunday Artisan Market - 11am to 4pm. http://uncleneilsbread.com
Jessica Webster
Sun, Aug 25, 2013 : 12:55 a.m.
Oooooh! I will try to stop by tomorrow!
Tizz
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:25 a.m.
Let us know when/where they are available within a 20 mile radius of Ann Arbor
jns131
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 3:24 a.m.
Ypsilanti near Depot town is always in the market for something new. Or on Michigan. But then again there is that Insomnia Cookie place. Who knows what new things are going to crop up for hungry students.
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 12:55 a.m.
Couldn't you just make a sandwich out of a doughnut and a croissant?
Urban Sombrero
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 5:09 a.m.
A very good friend of mine, who lives in the far Eastern part of Pennsylvania, posted about these on Facebook recently. She, and her two daughters, took a day off of work to make a pilgrimage to NYC to this particular bakery to try these. She raved about them. That being said: I'm not a sweet eater, at all, so they sound incredibly gross to me. Like, seriously barfworthy. That said, I would be willing to bet that the rest of my family would jump through hoops to try one. And, they'd love them if they got the chance to eat one.
Nicholas Urfe
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 2:51 a.m.
Looks like the cardiovascular unit at umich will need to expand.
jns131
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 3:24 a.m.
You must have seen the price for a dozen insomnia cookies. Now that is insane for a dozen?
mady
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 5:37 p.m.
not on my watch, Nick. The day I pay $5 for a single pastry of ANY kind, they can haul my butt off to the loony bin!
Brad
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 10:29 p.m.
Well that sounds tasty. I'd trade the icing for a sugar/cinnamon coating like on a Fragel. A Frossantnut?
Vivienne Armentrout
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 8:40 p.m.
What I'd like to see are genuine eclairs and Napoleons - with real custard fillings. The earlier incarnation of the Jefferson Market had them. Any pointers?
jns131
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 3:26 a.m.
Greek Town is the only place to get those and when I am there? I do get one. But I did see a bakery on 4th a while back that sold them and they were not half bad. Skip the donut shops. They are not traditional. Unless you go to Hamtramick.
seldon
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 10:30 p.m.
Pretty sure Zingerman's Bakehouse does the eclairs. Call ahead, though, they don't always have them.
treetowncartel
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 9 p.m.
Dom Bakeries on Washtenaw has pretty good eclairs, custard or cream filled.
treetowncartel
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 7:58 p.m.
Just add a "W" and call it a Crownut
Hmm
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 7:55 p.m.
Decadently delicious. I'm with you Jessica bring this tasty treat here please!
Rabid Wolverine
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 7:48 p.m.
Perhaps they might not want to so as to not get in trouble for copying someone else work that is trademarked? http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/07/09/cronut-contender-crookie-has-been-invented/
Boo Radley
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 1:48 a.m.
Didn't Jessica say that already?
Rabid Wolverine
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 : 7:51 p.m.
http://ny.eater.com/archives/2013/06/attack_campaigns_bullying_and_sabotage.php A bit more. As long as you don't call it a Cronut, you're all good to make/sell your own.