Adriano Zumbo Patissier - #MELB2014

DAY 3

Ah, Adriano Zumbo. He needs absolutely no introduction, and I was so excited to visit his Melbourne store especially after seeing all of his amazing creations on Masterchef as well as all over social media.

Zonut $5

Flavour of the week: Spicy chocolate mudcake and marinated cherries

The day this photo was posted on their Facebook and Instagram page was the day before we left for Melbourne so I immediately sent a screenshot to my friends who would be accompanying. Let's just say they weren't too pleased seeing as we had seen flavours such as 'mousse au chocolate with orange and brandy snaps', 'coconut and dark chocolate' and 'spiced mascarpone with caramelised pecans and candied orange' all over their Facebook page. It was actually an absolute delight! I realised I actually enjoy the combination of chilli and chocolate way more than I thought. The mudcake was rich and very chocolatey, and the amount of spice it contained was just right to provide a bit of a kick! The marinated cherries were sweet and reminiscent of jam, a perfect accompaniment to the mudcake. The zonut itself was flakey, buttery and all you could really want from a cronut.

Pars the strawberry gran $9

Strawberry & white chocolate mousse, frangipane, parsley jelly and granola

A super light cake with subtle, fresh flavours. The mousse was light and fluffy while the cake base was spongey. The parsley jelly had a very obvious parsley taste on its own, but when paired with everything else it was barely noticeable. The granola added a crunchy texture and nuttiness into the mix, giving a well rounded dessert. We all shared this but I could have easily eaten the entire thing myself!

Parsley jelly layer!

Zumbarons for the trip home! A dozen for $30

I am so disappointed to report that although they were beautiful, they didn't live up to my expectations. The textures all varied from crumbly and dry to slightly chewy. I found that many of the fillings contained too much butter (I think?) that the flavours weren't coming through very well. For example, the Grape Hubba Bubba (far right). Just look at that filling to biscuit ratio! Honorable mentions go to the Berry Brulee (2nd from the right) and Malted Milkshake (the blue one) which were my favourites in terms of flavour and texture.

I was a little let down by the Zumbarons but the cake and Zonut were fantastic! Can't wait for my next visit so I can try the other beautiful things on display. Service was friendly and efficient, and the store is gorgeous!