Circa Espresso is a proven institution that is on par with the best of the inner west cafes, so their latest venture into the bakery-cafe that is Lucien Baked Goods had N and I excited for the prospect of accessible pastries above the calibre already on offer around Parramatta.
They’re open only on weekdays, catering to the new offices coming up around the area. It’s about 10 minute walk from Circa Espresso in the direction of the river. Baked goods come fresh out of the oven in small batches throughout the day, so there’s no need to worry about visiting extra early to score the pastries we’re after.
Raspberry Rose Choux ($6.00). It’s a choux pastry with chocolate craquelin, filled with raspberry and rose compote and topped with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
The choux was light and crisp while the tart raspberry centre was balanced beautifully by the creaminess of the chantilly and the subtle richness of the chocolate craquelin. The contrasting textures and the fresh raspberries atop made this a winning pastry.
Peach Jasmine Choux ($6.00). It’s a choux pastry with chocolate craquelin, and vanilla chantilly, and filled with white peach confit infused with jasmine green tea.
The choux base was similarly light and crisp, with the dewy notes of jasmine coming through mellow in the liquid peach centre. We enjoyed the contrast of the fresh peaches on top with the creamy sweetness of the chantilly pairing well with the fruity acidity of the peach.
Canelé ($6.00). I’d read so many reviews about canelés (around Sydney generally) being burnt and dry, and now that I’ve tasted one, I’m kicking myself for not trying them earlier.
This one had a dark, thick caramelised crust with a soft and tender custard centre that was fragrant with rum and vanilla. The contrast between the crust and the interior made it perfect in every bite. Yum!
Mango Grapefruit Tart ($6.00). The tart base was audibly crisp and gave good structure to the tart, but the flavours of the mango and grapefruit were rather subdued in the filling unless we’d happened upon a bite with some of the fresh fruit. Wed prefer more punchiness in the flavours.
Pistachio Swirl ($8.00). It’s a laminated scroll with sweet pistachio paste and crushed pistachio throughout and sprinkled on top along with rose petals.
This pastry was a very enjoyable surprise given its dense external appearance. The layers of pastry were buttery with sufficient moisture and a balanced sweetness that was accompanied by the rich pistachio flavour from the paste and a moreish crunch from the crushed nuts and a subtle floral quality from the rose petals. We’re glad we tried this despite my initial misgivings.
French Custard Tart ($9.00). This was very jiggly with a gorgeous bronze sheen. While the custard was creamy with a rich vanilla flavour, it was not as smooth as we would have liked. The pastry itself was gluey and underbaked, coming away from the custard, without the crispness to contrast the creamy interior.
Berry Custard Tart ($6.00). The custard was very eggy, just the way I like it, with the fresh fruit punctuating the sweetness of the custard with its mix of tart raspberries, sweet blueberries and strawberries. This was a simple but satisfying tart.
Brownie ($7.00). This was incredibly rich and fudgy with no visible crumb. The generous walnuts provided welcome relief both in terms of texture and flavour.
Egyptian Ice Tea ($7.00). This was still and refreshing with bold rose notes that shone through with a mellow sweetness, while the hibiscus notes were well-restrained acidity compared to usual hibiscus-infused drinks.
Tomarchio Aranciata Rossa ($6.00). We’re used to the San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa, so we’re interested in this new-to-us brand of the blood orange beverage. It was moderately effervescent with a bright blood orange flavour (20% from concentrate) that captured the sweet raspberry-like notes of the zesty citrus fruit well. The flavour in this drink had a rounder, softer acidity compared to the San Pellegrino.
We’re pleased with the baked goods on offer at Lucien Baked Goods, and am already planning to return.
Lucien Baked Goods is located at 111 Phillip St, Parramatta NSW 2150.