I'll be the first to admit that I've been known to be influenced by yummy looking food photos on Instagram. I was intrigued to learn that the pastry chef behind this bakery has worked for acclaimed establishment such as Scaramouche, Marcus Wareing, Eleven Madison, Per Se, and Le Bernardin. Having seen multiple drool-worthy pictures popping up on my IG feed of their delicious baked treats over the last few weeks, I finally made my way after work on a Friday afternoon to Castle and Coal, a lovely new bakery located at Queen and Dovercourt.
It took me forever to get there because of construction. Be warned that (at the time of my visit) you can't turn North on Davenport from Queen Street due to construction barriers. I was relieved to see that there are a few green P parking spots located in the alley just north of/behind the bakery.
I lucked out that at the time of my visit, as they had a pretty much complete selection of their food offerings, including two types of mini brioche, two types of chocolate chip cookies, sticky toffee pudding, lemon meringue tart, chocolate hazelnut tart, and mini carrot cakes. They were also featuring slices of galette des rois, a French pastry cake made with puff-pastry enrobed almond paste, traditionally made in January for Epiphany. They also sell coffee and hot chocolate to enjoy with your desserts. Other treats like granola, dog treats, and t shirts are also available for sale.
I purchased a lemon meringue tart, (the last) chocolate hazelnut tart, a pistachio financier, and a slice of the galette des rois. My pastries came out to $30+ which is pricey but truthfully not unexpected for the caliber of baked treats I purchased. A sucker for nice packaging, I appreciated that several of the treats were nestled in a crisp cardboard box with their clean looking Castle and Coal logo on it. The galette des rois was packaged in its own box.
As recommended by the staffer who helped me at the shop, I gently warmed up the galette des rois at low temperature in the oven for a few minutes. This helped to bring out the crispness of the puff pastry and take out the chill from the almond filling. Having never had a galette des rois, I wasn't sure what to expect, but if you're like me and love almond filled pastry (like almond croissants), you would likely love the galette. It was buttery, flaky, indulgent and rich. The almond filling was perfectly and ever so slightly sweet, and generous in amount. I was thankful to have been able to try this featured pastry, as I was told it would be C&C's last weekend of offering this particular treat.
Next we enjoyed the pecan financier. Compared to other patisseries that make tiny financiers, the size of C&C's financiers is more substantial. It was buttery, a bit chewy, with perfectly crisped up edges, and was full of nutty flavour. Again I really appreciated that it wasn't very sweet. It was love at first bite, and I instantly regretted not having purchased more than one.
The lemon meringue tart is quite the sight to behold. It has a slightly regal appearance too, with crownlike peaks of perfectly bruleed meringue and a touch of edible gold leaf. The cookie crust was crunchy, and was a great balance texturally to the tart, bright, creamy texture and flavours of the lemon filling.
I have not yet eaten the chocolate hazelnut tart, but it was one of the reasons I came to C&C. I was so happy when I saw that they had one left that had my name all over it! Valrhona dark chocolate cremeux, hazelnut tart base, praline milk chocolate caramel, and hazelnut brittle. What's not to love? If the other treats are any indication of the deliciousness of the treats, I am certain that it also will not disappoint!
I would 100% return to Castle & Coal to enjoy more of their delicious treats. I understand that they offer a monthly delivery option on a set weekend of the month, with minimum $30 order, which I may just have to look into. read more