Dessert Heaven is a series exploring cafes/shops that offer an extensive variety of desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth – from cupcakes and macarons to cheesecakes and cookies. Next up in the Dessert Heaven series is Le Gateau Bake Shop, where simplicity meets elegance in a boutique cake shop that is home to a delectable collection of cakes, cupcakes, macarons, scones, tarts and cookies.
After the first Dessert Heaven visit at Luv Cravings in March, it took quite some time to hunt for the perfect shop to check out next – and one would say that stumbling across Le Gateau was meant to be. Le Gateau Bake Shop is a cute & cozy shop specializing in custom cakes for weddings and birthdays. This little shop makes up for the lack of a seating area with its large selection of goodies and its beautiful wedding-themed decor.
It was quite difficult to pick out just a few things – the cupcakes & pastries were all too tempting!
Red Velvet Gateau, $5.75
But honestly, who can resist a classic red velvet cupcake? Moist cake made with cocoa powder and vanilla, dyed a beautiful red colour with a swirl of cream cheese buttercream and topped with coconut shavings. The frosting is very airy and resembles more of a whipped cream as opposed to a rich buttercream. Definitely a lighter alternative for those who don’t have such a big sweet tooth!
The franzipane tart features a hard almond crust with a frangipane filling made from ground almonds, with sliced almonds and raspberries on top. The crust is buttery & dense, and the tangy raspberries are a nice contrast to the nutty almond flavour. I would recommend this for an afternoon snack if you’re trying to steer away from the cake section!
Earl Grey Tea Gateau, $5.75
Calling all tea lovers! The earl grey tea gateau is made up of 6 alternating layers of sponge cake, chocolate ganache infused with earl grey tea, chantilly cream and pastry cream. Once again, the pastry cream is very light and not overly sweet. The light sponge cake gets a bit lost, but the tea flavour is definitely there and goes nicely with the bitterness of the dark chocolate ganache.
Left to Right: Vanilla Marshmallow Macaron and Lavender Macaron, $1.75 each
The gluten-free macarons at Le Gateau Bake Shop are made with great care and satisfy the requirements of what most people would call an “ideal” macaron: a smooth shell, cute ruffled feet and a soft & chewy center. The vanilla marshmallow macaron features a chewy marshmallow center which is great for those who want to avoid the dairy in the typical buttercream center. The lavender macaron incorporates a light, whipped-like buttercream center infused with lavender.
Aside from the sweets mentioned above, the owner Tanya’s personal favourite is the Carrot Spice Gateau, made with organic carrots and raisins, pineapple, walnuts, cinnamon and a delicious cream cheese filling. Overall, the goodies at Le Gateau Bake Shop are less sweet than most dessert shops in Vancouver and are very accommodating with regards to dietary restrictions such as being dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan.
Until next time – happy dessert hunting!
Address:
3458 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
Phone Number:
604-620-7975
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Website:
www.legateaubakeshop.com
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/LeGateau
Connect with Jasmine on Twitter @_jaslee.
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