For us, durian lovers, eating durian can be a love-hate relationship. The spiky, hard outer shell that is difficult to remove (especially for a cooking amateur like me) and lingering smell on my hand after I devour nearly one whole durian are some of the factors that deter me from eating durian when I crave one.
The Durian Bakery was exactly what I was looking for. I was most surprised by the wide range of products they had, from Durian Puff Pastry, Durian Mochi, Durian Choco Musang King Mousse to Black Gold Durian Crepe Cake and even more, catering to various groups of people.
The menu offered are all premiumly handcrafted with Mao Shang Wang durian, which by itself is already pretty impressive, considering how expensive they can be especially when they’re out of season (ranging anywhere from $19-$24/kg or even more!)
Durian Puff Pastry
The choux puff shells, which are handmade from scratch, were light and airy and had a crunch when bitten. This complemented really well with the filling, which was definitely the highlight of the dessert!
Made up of 95% real Mao Shan Wang puree and 5% cream, the sweetness and distinct taste of durian was well-balanced. They were also very generous with the filling.
Durian Mochi
They have two types of mochi ─ one with D24 durian filling and the latter with Musang King durian filling. The handmade skin was soft and chewy, and was filled purely with durian puree.
While both were equally impressive, the Black Gold Musang King Durian Mochi made with 100% of Grade A Mao Shan Wang, the creaminess and richness really stood out. Its mouth-bite size also makes it an addictive treat.
Durian Choco Musang King Mousse
I was pleasantly surprised at how well the dark chocolate outer layer complimented the Mao Shan Wang durian filling. From the smoothness of dark chocolate, the creaminess of MSW filling to the crunchy Hazelnut Palette Feuillette, I thoroughly enjoyed the different textures in my mouth. To top it off, the edible 24k gold dust makes it perfect for occasions and gifts for durian lovers.
Black Gold Durian Crepe Cake
Crepe cakes are delicate treats that require patience and a long time to make, and I have to say, they did not disappoint.
The crepe cakes are split into 3 parts, spreaded with hokkaido cream, MSW durian, and hokkaido cream again. Since durian fillings can be overpowering at times (especially after having so many durian treats), the Hokkaido cream evened it out and complimented the filling very well.
The crepe skin was thin and savoury as well, tying everything together to become a delicacy. As a cherry on top, pieces of edible 24k gold were scattered on the surface of the cake, making it the perfect birthday cake for fellow durian lovers.
Overall, I truly enjoyed all the items I tried. Their generosity made me feel as if I was eating the whole durian fruit itself, except I’m saved from having to cut a big thorny durian, and better still, enjoy it with some desserts I’m fond of ─ which is definitely a saviour for both my wallet and calories.
If you're a durian-lover like me, why don't you give it a try? Check out their website to view their full menu.