While I fear this isn't really a Labor Day-appropriate post, I think we can all agree that there is never an INappropriate time for a chocolate croissant. Pretty much all of life's moments are made better by a flaky, buttery, chocolatey bite of one of these.
There are a plethora of bakeries in New York from which to purchase said life-improving item, and at times the options can get overwhelming. If one is not careful, the angsting over which bakery to visit can seriously get in the way of the immediate gratification often associated with the pain au chocolat. So, the Boyfriend and I have taken some of the guesswork out of the process for you by staging a throwdown between two of the city's most venerable baking institutions. You can thank me later.
The Contenders:
In this corner on the left, we have the Manhattan Stallion, Amy's Bread! And in the right corner (?), the Butter Queen of the East, Sarabeth's!And now for a closeup:
Note stylistic differences. Sarabeth's a neat striated package of pastry, Amy's Bread, a more freeform, double-action look. Both have two lanes of chocolate, Amy's just likes to show it off.I appreciated the neatness of Sarabeth's but really liked seeing the chocolate right off the bat. As Ina Garten likes to remind us, it's nice to garnish a plate with one of the less visible flavors of the dish so your guests can eat with their eyes first, knowing what they're about to taste. I like surprises too, though, so I was torn. The Boyfriend was hungry.
First Bite goes to Sarabeth's:
Okay, so maybe this was a few bites in. And yes, I needed a manicure. We tried Sarabeth's first. Delicious. Chocolate was near the surface and appeared in the first taste, as it should. Pastry was more chewy than flaky, with an airy quality and not too sweet flavor. Chocolate was dark and rich. (Just how I like my men). Overall, a great product.First bite, Amy's Bread:
Heaven. As you can see from the picture, Amy's is much, much flakier, with the top couple of crispiest bits practically separating entirely from the softer, chewier inner layers. The top and bottom also tasted much more distinctly of butter, with a nice salty hint that was a great foil to the sweet creaminess of the chocolate, which we also felt was slightly more flavorful. Amy's left that thin layer of butter grease and pastry flakes on the roof of your mouth, which is, for me, the true croissant experience.The Verdict:
A knockout. Both the Boyfriend and I unanimously voted in favor of Amy's Bread. And yes, there was blind voting with nary a hanging, dimpled, or pregnant chad in sight (how you like that 2000 reference?). Amy's was superior in texture with the perfect balance of flaky outside, infinite layers of buttery dough, and chewy, elastic interior, whereas Sarabeth's was a bit more puffy and chewy and lacking flake. Amy's butter flavor really kicked you in the teeth, which, let's face it, aside from the chocolate, is kind of the whole point. And flavor-wise, it was rich and delicate, sweet and salty, and quite parfait, if you ask me.
Any contenders to unseat Amy's? I'm thinking Bouley Bakery might be next up, or possibly Eli's. Any others I'm missing?
Love,
The Mouse
Hungry for More? Amy's Bread just came out with a pastry and sweet-stuff cookbook so you can take some of her recipes home.
