Cupcakes and doughnuts (and macarons and cronuts) have been usurped: it seems the newest belle of the dessert ball is the éclair, and the oblong cream puffs are taking up display-case space at Toronto’s bakeries. Éclairs have already appeared at the Tempered Room in Parkdale, and now Queen West’s Nügateau sells nothing but. The choux pastry creations, made on-site daily by Le Cordon Bleu–trained Atul Palghadmal (Jelly Modern Donuts, Brick Street Bakery), are filled with white chocolate–based cream flavoured with fruit, tea and nut pastes, then finished with colourful glazes and toppings like bruléed meringue, edible gold shortbread and (in true Toronto fashion) candied bacon. A rotating assortment of both regular and luxe éclairs are available by the piece, or in boxes of two, four and six. In the works: savoury ones including lobster- and foie gras–filled numbers.
The regular lineup includes (clockwise from left to right): mango passion fruit and cardamom, maple bacon, raspberry, lemon meringue and yuzu, classic (made with 64 per cent dark chocolate), Persian pistachio, Brazilian coconut. $4.50 each.
Palghadmal, piping out some choux.
That gingerbread éclair up front is one of Palghadmal’s seasonal creations.
717 Queen St. W., 647-748-7001, nugateau.com, @nugateau
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