Yum muffin

It’s been way too long since I paid a visit to Amai. Especially considering Kelli is always adding killer thing to her menu. Like chocolate peppermint cupcakes, and, less decadent but still delicious, this banana almond muffin.

Made with egg whites, whole grain flour, honey, bananas and almonds, you could even say it’s healthy.

Moist, nutty and just a little bit sweet, you can definitely call it divine.

171 Third Ave between 16th and 17th
212.863.1696

The mixing bowl: Kelli Bernard

Amai Tea & Bake House landed in my neighborhood last fall. Which is a good and bad thing. It's good because Kelli Bernard and her crew are super friendly and talented... which is bad because it's way too tempting to stop by for a morning croissant, afternoon cupcake or anytime brownie.

Growing up, my favorite sweet was:
Brownies. Rich, dense, chewy chocolate. It can’t get any better than that as a kid.

My favorite sweet now is:
Anything that someone else makes for me. And brownies.

My personal Amai favorite:
In the morning, it is our chocolate and walnut scone. In the afternoon, it’s our matcha (green tea) cupcake. Many people think that the green tea cupcake has chocolate and/or food coloring in it, which isn’t true. The cake and buttercream are flavored entirely with a really nice matcha.

What I love about Gramercy is:
The people. Everyone is so down to earth and friendly, and they really appreciate quality. It has a very neighborhood feeling to it. Many residents have lived in the area for 10+ years, and there is a wide range of ages and types of people that come in the store. The East and West Villages get a lot of attention, which draws tourists, but Gramercy is for the locals.

Truffles or pralines:
Truffles

White, milk or dark:
Dark

Caramel, ganache or cream:
Ganache

The perfect pairing:
Malty assam tea and a plum almond tart.

I'd love to create a flavor for:
Kids. Most Amai customers are adults, and it would be fun to spend some time making all-natural sweets for children.

Kitchen essentials:
Bowl and bench scrapers and, of course, a Kitchen Aid (6qt+).

Style essentials:
Simplicity. Clean lines and smooth edges. Natural materials.

Pastry chefs I admire:
All pastry chefs who start their own business.

I'm most inspired when:
I have slept a full 8 hours.

How much is too much?
Always leave wanting more.

Favorite movie snack:
Kettle corn. I love sweet and salty.

Guilty pleasure:
Chikalicious Dessert Club’s S'mores cupcake. It is one of the best I’ve ever had!

Other favorites:
My favorite city is Lucerne, Switzerland. Lakes, hills, charming streets...it’s so relaxing.

The mixing bowl: Keavy MacPherson Landreth

Keavy MacPherson Landreth makes mini cupcakes, but she's going big. Way big. All you have to do is taste one of her Strawberries & Crème or Black & White cupcakes, any flavor for that matter, to know I speak the truth.

Growing up, my favorite sweet was:
This flourless chocolate cake drizzled with raspberry sauce from Cucina Cucina in Seattle. My parents would take me every couple weeks (I loved it because I could draw on the tables), and my favorite part was always dessert. I would order it every time, and (at less than 60 pounds), devour the whole thing without even blinking.

My favorite sweet now is:
This Caramel Nut Tart I make from time to time that is absolutely killer. Think walnuts, almond cream and caramel baked together in a flaky pie crust. Mmmm. It's amazing.

My personal Kumquat favorite:
Chocolate Pistachio, definitely.

What I love about Brooklyn Flea is:
The people I've met there.

Truffles or pralines:
As much of a chocolate freak as I am, truffles have always been something I could take or leave, so I'm going to have to go with Pralines. Chocolate, nuts, and caramel...psshh, no competition.

White, milk or dark:
Oh how I love them all, but the king of chocolate has to be dark.

Caramel, ganache or cream:
Can I put them all together to create a caramel ganache and call it a day?

The perfect pairing:
A crostini topped with olive oil, goat cheese and caramelized rhubarb, accompanied by a glass of crisp white wine is my idea of a lovely summer evening.

Kitchen essentials:
A large coffee maker and KitchenAid. After that, I'm down for improvisation.

Style essentials:
On me? Racer back tank tops in the summer, and a good fitting, slightly worn hoodie in the winter. On cupcakes? Simple, yet elegant frosting design, good use of its natural colors.

Pastry chefs I admire:
All the ones here in Brooklyn who have gone through, or are going through, a similar process as me to start their own business. Whimsy & Spice, One Girl Cookies, Mast Brothers Chocolate, Amai Tea & Bake House, etc.

I'm most inspired when:
I'm hanging out with the people mentioned in the above question.

How much is too much?
When you over-spice a recipe. A hint of cinnamon or nutmeg can make a recipe a winner. But if it's all you can taste, you've ruined the dessert. Piling candy on top of a dessert ruins it for me as well. Get those gummy bears, M&M's and sprinkles away from my ice cream — they just don't belong.

Favorite movie snack:
Homemade popcorn, made with just olive oil and salt.... I could eat it for dinner.

Guilty pleasure:
Diet Coke. Once a week I head over to the tiny pizza place around the corner from me and get the biggest fountain diet coke they have. I know it's full of chemicals, but something about it is so comforting I can't seem to give it up.

Other favorites:
Music to bake to: Ratatat & Girl Talk, Diner in Brooklyn, painting & dancing for the mirror, Harry Potter, Food & Wine Magazine, Arrested Development.

Obsesssion of the week: Unusual pairings

I haven’t been able to get Batch off my mind and only wish I made a commission for every Sweet Freak I sent to the bakery. Pichet is the master of sweet-savory concoctions. Who else would marry salted caramel frosting with carrot cake?

Then there’s the sweet-salty combo of Mast Brothers’ Fleur de Sel chocolate bar. It’s 81% cacao infused with flecks of salt, awakening taste buds all over the tongue.

And while lavender might make you think of potpourri and chamomile, granny tea, when the two flavors are put together as they are in Amai’s cupcake, it makes for a lovely-weather indulgence.

Japanese for "sweet"

“It changes all the time,” warns Kelli Bernard of Amai Tea & Bake House.

Spoken like a true Sweet Freak, it’s just not that easy to declare one — or three or five — favorites from the menu. And it doesn’t help that she has a selection that’s as meandering as it is delicious. But here, she does her very best to steer us towards her must-eats:

1) “I have to say the green tea cupcakes because those are crazy popular. They’re bright, so they’re perfect for spring.” But don’t shrug off the lavender chamomile or chocolate & peanut butter options.

2) “People come in all the time just for our croissants. A lot of bakeries buy the dough for their croissants, but we make ours from scratch.” I had a chocolate croissant: indeed, insanely buttery and decadent.

3) “Tea cookies are our specialty. We have seven different kinds, and those are really good.” Made from tea leaves and spices: green tea, earl grey & currant, hojicha & sesame, lemongrass & ginger, white tea & strawberry, chai almond and rooibys & vanilla.

I can’t help but feel we’re neglecting a lot of really great stuff though. What else?

“It’s hard to pick because it’s whatever you’re in the mood for!” But just to show you how eclectic and irresistible the menu is, she rattles off a few more sweets you should try: mango & pineapple parfait, mandarin brownies and the green tea muffins.

171 Third Avenue
212.863.1696