Los Gatos is a sweet town for those who love their sugar. We’re home to two of the best-known bakeries in the Bay Area, Icing on the Cake and Manresa Bread, and arguably some of the best artisan chocolate shops, including Deux Cranes.
For years, those who know their French pastries and hot cocoa have sworn by Fleur de Cocoa. And if you’re lucky, you can score some of their tarts, mousse cakes or perhaps a custom bûche de Noël, each year decorated in several different flavors. This year’s included Black Forest, Exotic Chocolate and the crème de la crème, Royal Bûche de Noël, layered with crispy hazelnut praline, almond sponge cake and coffee crème brûlée center.
Owner Aline Davy told me the logs are the most popular desserts they do for Christmas, but must be ordered in advance (sorry, that deadline has passed, so mark on your calendar to order one next year). But don’t despair. “We always have a large variety of desserts, so people can still have a selection if they are buying on Monday or Tuesday,” Davy said. She and her husband, Eimeric, the pastry chef, will then gear up to make king cakes for New Year’s, filled with champagne mousse, nougatine, and milk chocolate mousse and lemon sponge cake. Fleur de Coco is generally closed Mondays, but will be open Dec. 23 and Dec. 29.
There’s a new place in town to indulge your sweet tooth and then some. Croissante Bakery recently opened a second shop at 276 N. Santa Cruz Ave., and, as the name suggests, they offer savory and sweet flavors of perfectly buttery croissants, including the mammoth “Cube” croissants, which are more like a meal, and are also offered by the half as French toast. The first location in Santa Clara opened last year, and is the site of the bakery.
Croissante, owned by a former accountant at Tesla, turns out a dizzying array of sweet French pastries daily, including canelas, scones, cinnamon rolls, eclairs and many permutations of pinwheels, aka snails. Their shop in Los Gatos is the site of the original Manresa Bread, and most recently was OY!, the gluten-free bakery that can now be found at the Pastaria on Victory Lane. Croissanté opened just about two weeks ago, and it appears they plan to open one in Palo Alto as well.
If Basque cheesecake is what you crave, you’re in luck. If you need hostess gifts, their nicely boxed Panettone could be the ticket. Their lineup of winter desserts includes a chestnut filled Mont Blanc tart, and classic apple tarte tatin. While I’ve not scored a baguette, the country French loaf is incredibly versatile, making great sandwiches (if you don’t mind your cranberry sauce leaking through the holes), wonderful morning toast and great hunks served with soup.
Croissanté is also making stollen for the holidays, available by pre-order, and their custom cakes look absolutely showstopping. Croissanté is located at 276 N Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos, and is open daily from 8am until 4pm. Order online from a selection of over 80 rotating options monthly.
Icing On The Cake has stopped taking holiday orders, but will still have some of their favorite holiday desserts and sweets available while supplies last, including their famous cupcakes and cookies, in special flavors like eggnog and gingerbread, plus brownies, lemon bars, and s’mores bars.
Among the cakes that might be still available are their standard flavors, including banana, red velvet, German chocolate and super chunky carrot with raisins and walnuts. They also do vegan and wheat-free versions of some cakes and cookies. Seasonal pound cakes include maple and peppermint fudge chip, as well as their usual selections.
They have pies in a variety of flavors, including apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan, along with cream pies like peppermint cookies and cream and eggnog (except NYE week). Cookies like maple moons, pink big tops, eggnog moons, big mint sugars and super crunch gingersnaps. Perhaps you’ll luck out on bread pudding, in seasonal flavors like eggnog and chocolate holiday spice.
HOLIDAY HOURS Closed Wednesday and Thursday (Dec. 25 and Dec. 26). Open Friday and Saturday, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, 9am-4pm. Closed Sunday Dec. 29. Open Monday and Tuesday Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, 9am-3pm. Closed Wednesday and Jan 3 and Jan 4, 9am-4pm.
The Butter Paddle has a good selection of gourmet pantry items, including jams, soup mixes, Lula’s chocolates and what everyone wants, Roxanne’s Biscotti. Each flavor is distinctive, as is the signature sandy texture that’s easy on the teeth. As of press time they had chocolate peppermint, chocolate chip, butterscotch, mocha green tea and anise in stock.
