Cronuts — the croissant-doughnut hybrid created by Dominique Ansel at his New York bakery — are coming.
Pastry chef Ansel and a team of his bakery staff will be flying to Los Angeles for a one-day Cronut pop-up in partnership with Barneys New York at the Grove in celebration of Oscars weekend (the 86th Academy Awards are Sunday).
The Cronut pop-up takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or until the Cronuts are sold out). This marks the first time that the Cronut will be available in L.A. (There were limited online shipments during the holidays to customers outside of New York.) For the L.A. pop-up, Ansel plans to personally serve Cronuts.
Ansel said he was enthusiastic about a pop-up in Los Angeles because the SoHo bakery receives so many fan letters from California.
The bakery serves one flavor a month, and for March it´s milk and honey with lightly scented lavender sugar. Each is $5, and there is a two-per-person limit. Proceeds will go to Heart of Los Angeles, which provides educational programs for underserved youth.
Expect long lines. The Cronut lines in New York start before the bakery opens. Ansel said he is planning to entertain the line at Barneys New York at the Grove; in New York he has handed out hand-warmers and hot chocolate, and on Valentine´s Day, long-stemmed roses.
The bakery passes along tips for would-be Cronut fans in California: You shouldn´t cut a Cronut with a regular knife; but instead with a serrated knife to avoid crushing the layers. It´s cream-filled, so it´s not meant to be eaten warm. But never put it in the refrigerator; it should be eaten immediately.
189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, (323) 761-5255, barneysnewyork.com.