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stir up some delectable treats for the holidays
BY amanda flatten
photography by karen campbell
Lovers of sweets will delight in the designer cakes, petit fours, tarts, muffins, cookies, coffees and teas available at Petit Fours Cakes Gourmet in Dallas’ West Village. The upscale New York-style patisserie has a charming feel, with travertine marble floors, a custom teacup chandelier, dark woods, a cozy tea parlor with a fireplace and intimate indoor and outdoor seating.
“Often, it’s a love affair when people walk in,” says Mary Jane Moreau, founder and majority partner.
A dream of Moreau’s came to life with the opening of her designer bakery in March. Moreau says she has loved baking since the age of 15 when her mother signed her up for professional cake decorating lessons. An entrepreneur at heart, Moreau has owned her own advertising design firm since 1994, and has had a lot of restaurant clients. Using this experience, Moreau and partner Carolyn Key came up with a plan to open a retail bakery store.
“People are so passionate about food, especially cakes,” Moreau says. “Nobody has a bad thought about cakes and pastries. Cakes are brought to events of celebration.”
Moreau says when developing the concept for the bakery, she looked at what other Dallas bakeries didn’t offer. She noticed many bakeries are appointment only, but she wanted a bakery with a retail location in which customers can walk in, sit down and enjoy an espresso and a dessert.
The bakery is most well known for its innovative petit four cakes, including Hazelnut Frangelico, Peanut Butter & Ganache, Chocolate Espresso and Banana Split Royale. “Every day, you can select any quantity you want from the 12 petit fours we make,” Moreau says. “It’s like paint on a canvas. You can do anything with a cake. We take a typical cake design and look at it from a design standpoint.”
Petit Four’s benefits from the expertise of Executive Pastry Chef Bill Hunter who has 25 years experience and has worked in exclusive restaurants at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, The Fairmont Hotel and the Hotel Crescent Court. Hunter runs the pastry program, oversees the kitchen operations and develops new recipes to showcase his trend-setting creations.
The tea service has been a big hit, according to Moreau, with bridal showers, baby showers and small parties often held in the parlor. The custom wedding cake designs also have been a success. And Petit Fours recently extended its hours to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday due to the popular demand of the late-night crowd.
Moreau said the bakery is introducing seasonal desserts, and this holiday season is offering treats and teas with cinnamon and spice and all things nice. “Many people use the holidays as an opportunity to bake and give, and desserts are perfect for that,” Moreau says, which is why the company’s mantra is “Why send flowers when you can send cake?”
Petit Fours Cakes Gourmet
3000 blackburn ave., suite 180, dallas
214.559.2253
www.pfcakes.com
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