The Redd Party: Pastry Wednesday: Carlucci's Bakery and Cafe

This week, Sugaraholic was in charge of bringing the goods. She told me that she was thinking about going out to a place in Draper famous for its eclairs and cream puffs. I haven't met a cream puff that I didn't like and I was curious to see if these eclairs would be any good. I'm not sold on the eclair. They can be good, but doesn't it seem like a pudding filling is a little too plain for something that seems so...glamorous and international as an eclair? Maybe it's just me...

But, Sugaraholic had a weird work schedule the night before and wasn't able to go all the way out to Draper.

So she "settled" for Carlucci's Bakery and Cafe in downtown Salt Lake.

Settled?!?

This place in Draper must have gold-dusted cream puffs!

Anyway, a little history about Carlucci's: I have never been to Carlucci's before, but it's located within the Caputo's Pioneer Park Marketplace in downtown Salt Lake City. Theresa Roper opened this family-owned and operated bakery opened in November 2001 and named it after her grandmother who visits the bakery regularly.

Sugaraholic brought a nice sampling of desserts, including a Chocolate Mocha brownie...

...Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons, Decadence (flourless chocolate cake), and Almond Tarts.

The Chocolate Mocha Brownie: I don't drink coffee, but I do appreciate coffee-flavored sweet things. This brownie was nice and fudge-y and that brown swirl on top was a nice buttercream made with real butter, but I wasn't getting enough of the mocha flavor. I'm not sure if the mocha flavor was there only to enhance the chocolate or if it was supposed to play an equal role to the chocolate. If it was the former, good job; if it was the latter, I say more mocha flavor!

Snack time!

I moved on to the macaroon. This macaroon was made from fresh coconut and no added coconut flavoring, so it was lighter in flavor than I was used to--suprising. I'm so used to a pina-cola-in-your-face taste with most macaroons, so this was a nice change. I do prefer a few crustier coconut edges, but that was the only thing that was lacking for me.

We then started on the Decadence. You know how you eat a spoonful of peanut butter and it kind of sticks to the roof of your mouth? Yeah, the Decadence is kinda like that--a thick chocolate coat that needs to be eaten/licked a little at a time so you can fully enjoy. All I can say it, "Flour? We don't need no stinkin' flour!"

I stopped midway with the Decadence because I wanted to try the Almond Tart. I couldn't tell how it was made and what was underneath the layer of carmelized almonds. I took a bite and the crisp, buttery crust gave way to a amaretto-flavored cake inside.

Oh, it was delicate and so well balanced! It was just the right amount of almond flavoring to enhance the natural flavor of the top layer. This was easily the winner in the Non-Chocolate Division for me!

The Adnohr and Sugaraholic agreed that their favorites were the Decadence and Almond Tart.