(pureblissdesserts.com) – Downtown Bellingham, Washington
How I heard of this place: My sister and her family moved back to Bellingham a couple of years ago and continue to explore the newness of the city in which we grew up. This is one of her – and now my – favorite gems; and their fifth anniversary, a perfect time to sample more than one goodie.
Type of cuisine: “Every dessert we offer at Pure Bliss Desserts is made from scratch in our on-site kitchen. Small batch production allows us to maintain the highest standards of quality and pour our deep-seeded passion for the art of baking into each and every bite. We use time honored techniques to provide the most delectable and flavorful desserts possible.”
“The Bliss is Pure in our desserts because we only bake with real food. Our ingredient list doesn’t require a chemical engineering degree to decipher and we make a choice to keep it simple by keeping it natural. Hormone-free dairy products, organic eggs, sweet cream butter, no-spray produce, expeller-pressed oil, and an overall ingredient list that says NO to trans fats.”
“Pure Bliss Desserts loves to support our community by using locally-sourced and organic ingredients whenever possible. From organic, farm fresh eggs, to seasonally picked nuts and berries, to locally roasted coffee, and more, we want to be a part of a thriving community. Going local first for ingredients not only helps boost our local economy but also decreases our carbon footprint.”
Ambiance: A pink and black boutique of cheek-tingling sweetness, Pure Bliss is feminine, chic, with an air of upscale glamor.
It’s chandelier, pink curtains set against a Halloween-themed cake display at the street-facing, often steamed window,
and limited pink couch seating create a warmth on this chilly October evening.
Ample seating for most parties of varying sizes,
an inviting and well-lit glass display, showcasing the carefully thought out and decorated cakes, wedges, cookies, cupcakes and muffins, and a chalkboard menu of available beverages make for a moment of tough decision-making.
While the crowd averaged an age of 20 years old, we found our spot along the booth-seating available at a sleek, black table and took in the sight of our four awaiting pastries.
What I ordered: My two sisters and I were planning to get two desserts and share them. Apparently I’m the only one who couldn’t decide, and went with…four.
We started with a generous slice of the three-layer Almond Mocha ($6): delicate almond & moist chocolate cake layers, espresso cream cheese frosting, dark chocolate ganache drizzle,
one slice of the Chocolate Salted Caramel ($6): moist chocolate cake, salted caramel frosting, dark chocolate ganache & salted caramel drizzle,
one Peanut Butter Wedge ($3.25): peanut butter dominates this double-layered wedge–like a peanut butter cup, only better!,
and one gluten-free Nanaimo Bar ($4): a triple-layered treat of almonds, walnuts, coconut, cocoa, vanilla buttercream, & dark chocolate ganache.
And, of course, one cup of tea ($2 each) with which to warmly wash it all down.
What I loved: That evening, each dessert certainly stood out for varying reasons: the lightness of the Almond Mocha with just the right amount of espresso flavor, the Chocolate Salted Caramel for a perfect combination dense chocolate cake and sweet salted caramel, the satisfying heartiness of the Peanut Butter Wedge, and the coconut-y creaminess set against dark chocolate in the Nanaimo Bar. It was the Nanaimo Bar that had me coming back for more – well, even more than the others.
Why I loved it: Bellingham has long become a cute city, with it’s farmers markets, summer concerts in the park and outdoor cinema, specialty dining establishments and truly exemplary fare, making it worth a drive from Seattle to sample. Pure Bliss falls well into the category of specialty establishments worth a 100-mile drive. The space is cozy, well-maintained and thoughtfully decorated. The desserts are expertly constructed with mostly local, natural and real ingredients, and presented with care and obvious attention to detail.
Cost: Average ($6 per generous slice of cake)
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