Sugar Plum Dreams
10 Best Bakeries in L.A.
By Barbara Bowman
In
The Nutcracker Clara discovers the Sugar Plum Fairy
and the Kingdom of Sweets, which is filled with all sorts
of goodies and spectacular treats. Even though a place like
this doesn’t exist, there are numerous L.A. bakeries
that offer sweet holiday delights that parallel those in
E.T.A. Hoffman’s make-believe land. Here are some
of our favorite picks, where one can load up on goodies
for brunches and parties or when the afternoon munchies
strike after a day of shopping. Listen. Is that Dance
of the Sugar Plum Fairy playing?
Bluebird
Bakery
(8572 National Blvd., Culver City, 310-841-0939, www.bluebird-bakery.com.
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Besides
beautiful wedding cakes, small tarts and homemade specialty
breads, this little Culver City bakery and café has
gingerbread and Christmas sugar cookies, petits fours, Christmas
cakes and cupcakes all decorated for the holidays. Perhaps
you’re looking for something homey like a crisp or
cobbler, both of which Bluebird offers in apple, mixed berry,
peach and strawberry-rhubarb. Also look for the sea salt
caramels and fresh vanilla marshmallows perfect for floating
in your hot chocolate. While there, grab a grilled vegetable
pizza or chicken melt with aged cheddar and tomato on olive
bread at the café.
Boule
(420 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-289-9977, www.boulela.com.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5
p.m.)
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In
a modern, clean, sky blue space near the Beverly Center,
chocolates, confections and pastries abound at Boule. They
carry gift boxes of goodies pre-packed for when you’re
in a rush, but it’s more fun to peruse the glass displays
of delights. Choose from what seems like endless chocolates,
such as the white chocolate with pistachio and candied ginger,
dark chocolate with candied orange, apricot and hazelnuts
or Earl Grey-raspberry. Or try something special, and grab
a dozen or so of the spectacular macaroons that come in
a spectrum of flavors, from the tart passionfruit and slightly
sweet chocolate to more festive flavors like pecan pie,
apple butter-gingerbread and pumpkin. They also make pâte
de fruits (French fruit jellies) like griottine cherry,
kalamansi (sour Asian lime), mango-togarashi (Japanese seven-spice
with chile, orange peel, ginger, seaweed and a variety of
seeds) and grapefruit-Campari. Oh, and don’t miss
the vanilla bean-fleur de sel caramels or the spiced pear
tart. This will be a difficult trip, and your arms will
likely be filled with their signature sky blue boxes when
you leave.
Clementine
(1751 Ensley Ave., Century City, 310-552-1080, www.clementineonline.com.
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-5
p.m.; closed December 25-January 2)
This
quaint bakery and café has the perfect goods for
brunch such as blueberry sour cream coffee cake, mini scones
in apricot-ginger and strawberry and breakfast baskets filled
with a variety of breakfast pastries. For the holiday season,
Clementine offers a wide assortment of holiday cookies to
choose from like traditional decorated shortbreads, gingerbread
men, apricot hamentaschen and crisp lemon poppy seed cookies.
And don’t forget the Clementine citrus cake with hints
of lemon, grapefruit and orange. Or take the option to give
these treats as gifts arriving at your friend’s door
neatly wrapped in a wooden box elegantly tied with a red
ribbon. Just make sure to place your order at least 48 hours
in advance to ensure your request gets processed in time.
Delice
Bakery
(8583 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-289-6556, www.delicebakery.com.
Hours: Sunday 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday 6:30 a.m.-9
p.m., Friday 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.)
The
only totally kosher French bakery in the U.S., Delice offers
all sorts of petits fours, tarts, cakes and cookies. We
recommend the chocolate ganache with chestnut mousse and
meringue Herrisson Cake or the almond biscuit, almond meringue,
crema vanilla, coffee mousse and cooked apples with cinnamon
Ambre Cake. Other choices to consider are the tarte tatin
and the colorful fresh fruit tart with kiwis, blackberries,
strawberries and blueberries. Whatever choice you make,
you really can’t go wrong.
Jin
Pâtisserie
(1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-399-8801; www.jinpatisserie.com.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.)
In
its Zen-inspired space, Jin Pâtisserie Pastry Boutique
& Tea Garden offers—what else?—unique pastries
and teas. Among their specialties are flavorful macaroons
in caramel, coffee, lychee, passion fruit, pistachio, rose
and vanilla, which can be made into a macaroon tree decorated
for the holidays. Or box up some chocolates to go like the
chrysanthemum with dried herbal flower and crème
and covered in white chocolate; and des concubines
flavored with black and green teas, caramel, papaya and
flower petals. Best of all, Jin is offering numerous gift
boxes filled with either chocolates from their wide assortment
or with cakes, cookies, chocolates and Stollen, a Christmas
favorite.
La
Brea Bakery
(624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, 323-939-6813, www.labreabakery.com.
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Certainly
known for its breads, La Brea Bakery will also have numerous
holiday sweets available like pecan tart with a bourbon
glaze, sticky toffee pudding and the traditional Italian
staple, panettone, in either apricot or cranberry.
For cookies choose among iced raisin, linzer and gingerbread.
Or buy frozen cookie dough to send a freshly baked scent
of cookies throughout your home without too much hassle.
Rosebud Cakes
(311 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-657-6207, www.rosebudcakes.com.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-12
p.m., Wednesday by appointment only)
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Actually
a cake design studio rather than a traditional bakery, Rosebud
Cakes creates artistic cakes that would be perfect for bringing
something truly unique to a holiday party. Cakes made with
only natural ingredients come in chocolate, hazelnut, poppyseed,
lemon, white, marble, banana, tiramisu and a special spice
available for the holiday season. Almost endless choices
for fillings include white chocolate hazelnut cream, praline
and chocolate ganache; marzipan cream and apricot; and pistachio
cream and raspberry. Cakes can be decorated in any number
of ways like with a menorah, dreidel or snowman, so it’s
really important to go to the studio and discuss what you
are looking for with the staff. Prices for cakes begin at
$300, and it’s recommended that you give them two
weeks notice. Fourteen days may seem like a long time to
wait, but it’s worth the impression you’ll leave
with family and friends.
Sprinkles
Cupcakes
(9635 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-274-8765,
www.sprinklescupcakes.com.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.)
Causing
quite a stir when it opened, this Beverly Hills establishment
seems to have a continual line out the door—somewhat
reminiscent of Pink’s, only with cupcakes rather than
hotdogs. Always offering an assortment of freshly baked
mainstay and unique flavors—ranging from vanilla and
a variety of chocolates to chai latte and ginger lemon—Sprinkles
Cupcakes makes varieties reflecting the season with vanilla
peppermint, chocolate peppermint and eggnog spice flavors.
For something extra special, request getting some decorated
with red and green Christmas trees or blue Stars of David.
And to give as stocking stuffers, gift cards are available
worth $20 or more.
Susina
Bakery & Café
(7122 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-934-7900, www.susinabakery.com.
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-11
p.m.)
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Originally
opened in 2002, this neighborhood bakery has become one
of the top bake shops for many Angelenos. Serving café
fare like sandwiches and salads, the bakery is the highlight
of the place with glass cases of beautiful sponge cakes,
tarts and other goûtes. Susina offers perfect
brunch pastries for holiday guests like blueberry crumble
muffins, raspberry swirl danishes and sour cherry and chocolate
scones. For holiday specific items, order either a vanilla
rum or chocolate coffee bûche de noël, both beautifully
covered with meringue mushrooms and almond paste decorations.
For pies and tarts, choose the apple quince tart with hazelnut
crumble, cranberry orange tart or cherry almond tart, among
others. And don’t forget about the hand-decorated
sugar cookies in shapes of snowflakes, ornaments, mittens,
presents and many others. Susina also offers a variety of
gift baskets and gift certificates.
Sweet
Lady Jane
(8360 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323-653-7145, www.sweetladyjane.com.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.)
Open
since 1988, Sweet Lady Jane is known for its use of pure
ingredients like fresh fruits, natural butter and imported
chocolate. No preservatives or hydrogenated fats are used,
so the flavors are real. A full-on bakery, it offers all
sorts of artisan breads, cookies and cakes like cream cheese
puffs, spiced fruit bars and mini cheesecakes. For the holidays,
items to pick from include a cranberry bread pudding, gingerbread
cookies and chocolate candied orange layered cake, but we
think the dulce de leche cake and the praline cheesecake
would be a favorite at gatherings as well. Cakes can be
special ordered to be decorated with holiday themes like
Santa and the reindeers or to look like a Christmas tree
or menorah. To ensure your cake gets made in time, order
early.
(Updated:
01/23/07)
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