Maison Des Lys are the new kids on the block and have quickly become the talk of the town.
Known prior for their stall at The Shed Collective Markets, the new plant-based patisserie has opened on Great North Road in the heart of Grey Lynn to show Auckland how vegan pastries are done.
When you think of a traditional French pastry, the words flaky, buttery and rich come to mind… words one would not typically associate in conjunction with plant-based eating… however, Maison Des Lys pastries certainly challenge this. Impressed and amazed are understatements for the feelings elicited after first
savouring these delicacies.
On my first visit I put in quite the order… the strawberry tart, almond hazelnut milk chocolate cruffin, savoury danish, chocolate entremet, and 4 variations of croissants: biscoff, almond, strawberry with cream, and nutella with cream. I shared this extensive order with a group of friends....afterall what says I love you more than a surprise haul of fresh pastries on a Friday morning? There was rapturous but incredulous disbelief that they were actually vegan.
It is the owner and self-taught pastry chef, Driscilla David’s discovery of the perfect butter alternative that makes them so splendid. Made with a blend of shea, coconut, rapeseed and almond oils, it tastes like the real deal. Indistinguishable.
As much as all of the options were mouth-watering and delectable, it was the strawberry tart that overwhelmingly took out the prize as crowd favourite. For those of us who don’t have a big sweet tooth, this is the one for you. The shortbread crust was not too sweet, the custard light and fresh and the strawberries wonderfully cut through the two.
As much as it sounds trivial, what stood out to me about Maison Des Lys, compared to other plant-based treateries, was the use of soy cream over coconut cream. For the sole reason that I thought coconut cream had been used for the strawberry and nutella with cream croissants, I was not going to pick them. As a coconut hater, but also plant-based, it’s become a tricky task to find sweet treats on the market that aren’t all made with coconut milk, cream, desicated… the list goes on. But when I asked the man behind the counter about them, he said that coconut cream wasn’t meant to go on anything that isn’t purposely coconut flavoured. In that very moment, I knew Maison Des Lys was certainly one to sing the praises of.
As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of fake meats either, I somewhat reluctantly tried the savoury danish made with Impossible Beef and cheese. Although definitely not the prettiest in the cabinet, it was tasty and I was glad I added it to my order. The little spice kick stood out as it complimented the cheesy and butteriness of the pastry. While I did not try the other savoury choice - the ham and cheese croissant, I was pleased to see the option was there for those who enjoy that. I missed out on the obviously popular croissant with vegan feta cheese, heirloom tomato slices and pesto, topped up with microgreens and some black truffle oil - that definately sounds like me and I will be returning.....early.
Maison Des Lys is only currently open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is in extremely high demand with items frequently selling out to the queues of fans snaked along the pavement . I recommend getting in early and pairing your choice with an Eightthirty coffee. The perfect start to a morning.
Maison Des Lys, 567 Great North Road, T: 09 360 0262, www.maisondeslys.co.nz
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