Thierry’s fromage blanc Bûche de Noël; Photo Credit: Leila Kwok
The best part of the holiday season is that calories don’t count (at least that’s what I tell myself)! After all, it’s the time of year for cookies exchanges, annual fruit cake, and decadent seasonal desserts in restaurants and pâtisseries around town. It’s enough to make anyone lose the Grinch spirit!
Here are five places in town that are decking their ovens with sheer deliciousness:
1. The Vancouver Christmas Market (now until December 24, 2017 at Jack Poole Plaza) is one of the most magical places to be this December, with a 30-foot walk-in Christmas tree, tens of thousands of lights, a Christmas carousel, and all sorts of ornaments and artisan crafts to purchase. You can gorge on Bratwurst with sauerkraut on a bun, spätzle, gulasch, and kartoffelpuffer (German potato pancakes)–all washed down with glühwein. Sweets-wise, there is plenty to choose from, including Transylvanian Bakery chimney cakes, candied apples, stollen, apricot-filled dougnuts, and, of course, gingerbread.
Sourced from the Vancouver Christmas Market website
2. It isn’t Christmas without a visit to Thierry Café (1059 Alberni Street), especially for one of his sumptuous and inventive Bûches de Noël. This year, you can choose between a chestnut version with hazelnut sponge, chestnut bavaroise, candied chestnuts, chestnut cream, and chocolate ganache; a blood orange version with blood orange and yuzu mousse, blood orange and yuzu gelée, white chocolate mousse, and crunchy pearls; another rendition with pecan bavaroise, pecan sponge, coconut pecan crunch, and a coconut chocolate shell; and, finally, one with fromage blanc mousse, lemon curd, raspberry gelée, and a sablé base. They’re available for advance order until December 22nd, with pick-up on December 23rd and 24th after 9 am. Other seasonal creations include a kugelhopf with brioche, candied orange peel, raisins, and almonds; holiday macarons (cranberry, gingerbread, and stollen); spiced tarts with winter fruit filling; and pistachio cake with pistachio jaconde, pistachio ganache, pistachio buttercream, and mixed candied nuts.
Spiced tarts; Photo Credit: Leila Kwok
3. YEW seafood + bar (Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, 791 West Georgia Street) always does the holidays (and its baking) beautifully. This year, their Christmas menus (December 24th dinner and 25th brunch buffet) feature a whimsical Santa’s Belly, a combination of silky mousse and orange confit atop a gingerbread sablé cookie. The Christmas Day brunch buffet will offer a wide array of goodies from the bakeshop, like Christmas wreath tarts, Christmas cookies, and, of course, Gerhard’s stollen. Their famous stollen can also be purchased for $27 per loaf at the restaurant.
Santa’s Belly; Photo Credit: Tara Lee
4. The ever charming Beaucoup Bakery (2150 Fir Street) has been collaborating with Santa’s elves and dreamed up all sorts of treats (cookies until January 1, 2018, and winter items until March 4, 2018). They include a Gingerbread financier, a mulled wine pear bostock (poached pears, almond frangipane, and sliced almonds atop a brioche slice infused with mulled wine), an orange cherry double-baked chocolate croissant, a pecan banana sage chocolate tart, a gâteau Basque (buttery almond pastry filled with vanilla cream), and a kugelhopf (with rum-soaked raisins, sliced almonds, rum syrup, and vanilla sugar; available Saturdays and Sundays). They’ll also be selling six different holidays cookies: rye ginger cookies, smoky Russian tea cakes, malted coffee thins, chocolate pistachio sandwich cookies, pecan praline shortbread, and spiced rye sables.
Kugelhopf from Beaucoup Bakery; Photo Credit; Betty Hung
5. At sleek and happening Glowbal (590 West Georgia Street), chef Ryan Gauthier has dreamed up the ultimate holiday comfort dessert: carrot cake with a craft beer glaze. The dish features a host of different ingredients, including shredded carrot, pineapple, golden roasted pecan, cinnamon, sweet cream cheese, and a hoppy Goose Island IPA craft beer glaze. The result is an incredibly rich, moist, and texturally varied cake. Pick up your fork and dig in. After all, it’s all in the spirit of the holidays!
Photo Credit: Nora H. (@nomnomyvr)
CARROT CAKE WITH GOOSE ISLAND IPA GLAZE
Yields 1 cake
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
- 2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA
- ½ TEASPOON SALT
- 2 GRATED CINNAMON STICKS
- 3 LARGE EGGS
- 2 CUPS SUGAR
- ¾ CUP GRAPESEED OIL
- ¾ CUP BUTTERMILK
- 1 SCRAPED VANILLA BEAN
- 2 CUPS GRATED CARROTS
- 1 SMALL DICED FRESH PEELED PINEAPPLE
- 1 CUP TOASTED AND CHOPPED PECANS
Directions:
Line cake pans with parchment paper, spray with oil, and set aside.
Stir the flour, baking soda, salt, and grated cinnamon sticks together.
Place eggs in a kitchen aid and beat until they have a ribbon effect. Add the sugar, oil, buttermilk, and scraped vanilla bean. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add the flour (dry) mix slowly on low speed until fully incorporated. Take out of mixer and fold in grated carrots, pineapple, and pecans. Pour mix in cake pans and bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 25 minutes. You can check with a tooth pick to see if it’s cooked. If pick is dry, then cake is done.
GARNISHES
CREAM CHEESE MIX
- ½ CUP SOFTENED UNSALTED BUTTER
- 8 OZ CREAM CHEESE
- 4 CUPS CONFECTIONERS SUGAR
- ½ SCRAPED VANILLA BEAN
Directions:
In a kitchen aid, whip the butter and cream cheese until incorporated. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until fully mixed.
GOOSE IPA SAUCE
- 2 CUPS SUGAR
- ½ CUP GOOSE ISLAND IPA
- 4 FLUID OUNCES SOFTENED BUTTER
- 1 CUP WHIPPING CREAM
- 1 TEASPOON MALDON SEA SALT
Directions:
Place the sugar and beer in a sauce pot (preferably one that is a bit higher). Bring to a simmer. Once sugar has fully dissolved, do not stir anymore. Boil until the liquid is a dark red amber colour. Stir in butter and remove from heat when melted. Slowly whisk in the cream (make sure it’s at room temperature before adding). Return to heat and cook until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
