This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

How Sweet! A French Bakery in Scarsdale

Drop by La Renaissance bakery and treat yourself, or a friend, to a delicious dessert.

Wedding season began at the end of May. Graduations are filling weekend schedules. Fathers Day was a special time for many families.

These treasured events and holidays keep bakeries humming, even as the weather heats up.

Personally, I decided to give desserts as gifts for Fathers Day and high school graduations this year. My family and friends have a major sweet tooth, and I knew they would appreciate it.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

At first I was unsure where to go for the best desserts. I knew I wanted a bakery that was fit for WEtv's Amazing Wedding Cakes show. The cakes created on the show are elaborate, gorgeous, personalized, and treated with extreme care and attention.

La Renaissance, a French bakery here in Scarsdale, seemed to exemplify the professionalism and creativity I was inspired by on Amazing Wedding Cakes. What's more, the bakery earned accolades from Westchester Magazine including "Best Signature Cake" and "Best Baguette." And, it has been a staple in the Scarsdale community for 13 years.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

I visited the website first and was awed by its specialty cakes. I especially enjoyed looking at the all-white and pearl fairy-tale castle cake with the horse-drawn carriage. The bakery assures potential customers that the staff can translate a concept, theme, or image into a cake. I was also interested in the other delicious looking desserts the bakery had to offer.

After browsing the website, I had a craving to try some of the desserts before I bought any as gifts.

La Renaissance is nestled in the nook of Harwood Court next to the Pamela Robbins boutique. The storefront resembles an authentic bakery or café in France.

As soon as I walked in, I smelled the warm sweet aroma of rising bread, pastries, and tea. The bakery owner, David Shore, along with some of the other staff, were in the back of the store in the midst of the busy schedule frenzy I mentioned before.

However, in the front of the store it was calm and inviting. The glass displays filled with assorted cookies, tarts, cakes, pies, chocolates, rugelach and mousse created a panoramic view of delicious temptations. Along the walls on wooden shelves was an arrangement of baguettes, croissants, muffins, and danish. In the windows sat various specialty cakes.

There were such a variety of desserts to choose from, I did not know where to start. The staff was friendly and helpful. I asked for an individual Flourless Chocolate Bouchon ($5), and one of the staff explained after heating it up, it would just melt in your mouth.

Next, I mixed it up by getting an individual Fresh Fruit Tartlette ($5.50), followed by a pound of Traditional French Cookies ($9.50). I also thought of getting an individual Lemon Meringue and croissant. Instead, I chose to save it for the return trip.

I was excited to get home, and immediately delve into the Flourless Chocolate Bouchon. It reminded me of a chocolate lava cake. I warmed it for about 30 seconds and paired it with a cup of French Vanilla cappuccino. The chocolate pastry filled with chocolate and dusted with confectioners' sugar was heavenly, velvet and semi-sweet.

My mother took on the Fresh Fruit Tartlette. She loved munching on the strawberries, kiwi slices, blueberries, and blackberries. She left me half, and I preferred the crust with rich and creamy vanilla pastry custard filling.

My brother took the Traditional French Cookies hostage for himself. In the charming decorative box were Breton Butter, Sable Ronds, Cat's Tongues, Almond Cat's Tongues, Palmiers, and Chocolate Dipped Cat's Tongues cookies.

He favored the delicate and crumbly Sable Ronds infused with ground nuts. I enjoyed the Palmiers, also referred to as "Elephant Ears." They were crispy, buttery and sweet.

In the end, the Flourless Chocolate Bouchon stole my heart. Rather than buying specialty cakes, I decided to get 6-inch desserts for my Fathers Day and high school graduation gifts, positive they would enjoy these treats as much as I did.

La Renaissance is on Twitter and Facebook with weekly deals and discounts. Summer promotions will last until the end of August. Recurring deals on Twitter and Facebook encourage customers to mention key phrases like "Custom Cake" or "Mother's Day" to get free samples and desserts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?