You may remember back in March when I excitedly stalked my way into Bachour Bakery & Bistro days before they were actually open.  Well, this time there was much less stalking but even more excitement when I was invited in to get a peek of Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, Antonio Bachour’s new fall and winter dessert menus – being paired with a tea line that he’s partnered with out of India. 

For those of you who haven’t heard of Antonio Bachour, he’s a pastry chef who takes #DessertPorn to an entirely new level, as seen in his perfectly executed Instagram account: @Bachour1234, where he has garnered almost 350,000 followers.  His gorgeous cakes and desserts are so amazing they make even the biggest dessert fiend (ME) almost afraid to eat them.  Having him in house to explain the new menu was quite a treat since he is constantly traveling teaching courses with recipes from his three cookbooks (there’s a 4th on the way - woohoo!).

First up – the Fall Menu:

It’s not often that I venture up to Broward, but on occasion I’ll make the trek just to see what’s out there.  This week I was invited to a Dessert Showcase at the Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, and decided it was time for a trip up north.  Traffic was terrible, but upon arrival I was immediately greeted with champagne and a gorgeous display of cakes.  The traffic was quickly forgotten. 

The Dessert Showcase’s purpose was to let local wedding and event planners and others in the industry get a chance to know about the in-house cake and pastry offerings Executive Pastry Chef Ryan Cross and his team of 8 pastry artists are making on site.

The ocean views were a perfect backdrop for the large intricate cakes on display.  Even the tasting portions were decorated beautifully making it an all-around classy affair, as one would expect when on a Ritz Carlton property. 

The dessert scene in Miami has been steadily growing for years now, but do you remember in 2010 when mini cupcakes were taking over the world?  Sweetness Bakeshop entered our lives at just the right time and was ALL over that craze. 

I remember the first day I stepped foot into Sweetness Bakeshop, I was in between classes and had stopped in to visit my grandmother on my lunch break when she showed me a flyer she picked up about a bakery opening that very day.  Naturally I left my next class and immediately made my way there. 

The moment I walked in, I knew I found my new home away from home.  Cupcakes, coffee, and WiFi was all this college kid needed.  Within a few weeks I was on a first name basis with the entire family behind this delicious little bakeshop.  But I wasn’t the only one obsessed with them, they gained a cult-like following fairly quickly.

Sweetness Bakeshop is owned and operated as a total family affair.  Stephanie Diaz graduated with a Business Degree from FIU in December 2009 and with her mom, Yami’s love of baking and the entire family’s support – Sweetness Bakeshop was up and running by March 2010.