Dominique Ansel

Dominique Ansel is a James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery and Workshop in NYC. He has shaken up the pastry world with his creativity and innovation, with iconic creations like the Cronut®, Cookie Shot, Frozen S'mores, Blossoming Hot Chocolate, and more, and was named World's Best Pastry Chef in 2017 from the World's 50 Best Awards.

Expertise: Pastry, Baking, Lamination, Viennoiserie

Experience: James Beard Award- winning Pastry Chef, Dominique Ansel is responsible for creating some of the most fêted pastries in the world, including: the Cronut® (named one of Time Magazine's "25 Best inventions of 2013"), The Cookie Shot, Frozen S'more, Blossoming Hot Chocolate, and many more. He is the Chef/Owner of eponymous bakeries in New York City and Hong Kong, and has been named the World's Best Pastry Chef by the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards. He is also the recipient of the Ordre du Mérite Agricole, France's second highest honor.

Dominique published his first cookbook, "DOMINIQUE ANSEL: The Secret Recipes", in October 2014, featuring a number of signature recipes from his flagship Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC. His second cookbook, "Everyone Can Bake", debuted in April 2020, with his favorite go-to recipes for bases, fillings, and finishing so readers can mix-and-match and create endless possibilities of delicious desserts at home.
Palmier Nachos with Salty Bananas Flambé
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We’re not blowing smoke up his ass when we call Dominique Ansel a pastry genius. Ansel’s obituary will probably mention the cronut—which birthed a nationwide craze—but the hybrid croissant-doughnut is just one of many examples of Ansel’s brilliance. (His NYC bakery is constantly rolling out new inventions, such as chocolate chip cookie shots of milk.) Our favorite? These crispy-sweet nachos: homemade palmiers layered with bubbling salty-sweet bananas and crunchy hazelnuts. “We are constantly testing the boundaries of creativity,” Ansel says. “But we never forget that the best desserts in the world are simply the ones that make you smile. And being able to eat with your hands is always a good thing.”Slideshow: Outrageous NachosReprinted from ¡Buenos Nachos! by Gina Hamadey. Copyright © 2016 by W&P Design. Published by Dovetail (www.dovetail.press)
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Armagnac Chocolate Truffles
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Pastry expert Dominique Ansel takes the extra step to greatness: His Armagnac-spiked truffles are dipped in melted chocolate before being dusted with cocoa powder. The crunchy outer shell and tender ganache inside are an irresistible matchup. Slideshow: More Chocolate Truffle Recipes 
Bakewell Biscotti
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Pastry genius Dominique Ansel was inspired by the traditional Bakewell tart—pie pastry filled with jam and almond cream—to create these festive sandwich cookies. Slideshow: More Biscotti Recipes 
Bacon-and-Butter Sandwiches
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Pastry genius Dominique Ansel gives the beloved English “bacon butty” a French accent by subbing slender baguette for the standard white toast. Flavor upgrade: Ansel replaces the traditional ketchup with sherry. Slideshow: More Bacon Sandwich Recipes 
Vanilla Sponge Cake with Blackberry-Tarragon Jam
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Pastry genius Dominique Ansel bakes a delicate sponge, the foundation of France’s intricate layer cakes, in a homey loaf pan like an English quick bread to create a new Anglo-French baking tradition. It’s ethereal served with his easy, licorice-y jam. Slideshow: More Cake Recipes 
Caramel “Falafel”
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Pastry genius Dominique Ansel improves on the ethereal cream puff with a crunchy coating of chocolaty panko and a salted caramel filling. When it’s fried, it looks like a golden falafel.Slideshow: French Pastries
Extra-Creamy Chocolate Mousse
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What sets Dominique Ansel’s chocolate mousse apart from other versions of the dessert is that he folds in the chocolate just before serving. Slideshow:  More Fast Chocolate Dessert Recipes 
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Light and Fluffy Marshmallows
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These incredibly light and airy marshmallows from pastry chef Dominique Ansel are made with beaten egg whites in the classic French style. They're delicious plain, or with any of the following flavorings: cinnamon, coconut-lime or hazelnut. Slideshow:  Step-by-Step Guide to Making Marshmallows 
Soft and Chewy Marshmallows
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These delicious marshmallows from pastry chef Dominique Ansel are made by whipping a hot sugar syrup with gelatin; they're just dense enough to be perfect for toasting over a fire. They're delicious plain, or with any of the following flavorings: cinnamon, hazelnut or coconut-lime. Slideshow:  Marshmallow Recipes 
Extra-Creamy Chocolate Mousse
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What sets Dominique Ansel’s chocolate mousse apart from other versions of the dessert is that he folds in the chocolate just before serving. Slideshow:  More Fast Chocolate Dessert Recipes 
Light and Fluffy Marshmallows
New!
These incredibly light and airy marshmallows from pastry chef Dominique Ansel are made with beaten egg whites in the classic French style. They're delicious plain, or with any of the following flavorings: cinnamon, coconut-lime or hazelnut. Slideshow:  Step-by-Step Guide to Making Marshmallows 
Soft and Chewy Marshmallows
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These delicious marshmallows from pastry chef Dominique Ansel are made by whipping a hot sugar syrup with gelatin; they're just dense enough to be perfect for toasting over a fire. They're delicious plain, or with any of the following flavorings: cinnamon, hazelnut or coconut-lime. Slideshow:  Marshmallow Recipes 
Peppermint Buttercrunch
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At Dominique Ansel Bakery, bags of this chocolate-covered toffee come with a tiny hammer to break off pieces. "I love the idea of making something for Christmas that can be shared," Dominique Ansel says. Slideshow:  Chocolate Candies 
Cherry-and-Chocolate Bûche de Noël
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Every year during Christmas week, executive pastry chef Dominique Ansel of Daniel in New York City serves guests complimentary mini bûches de Noël. His version here is lighter than many, thanks to the beaten egg whites in the batter and the use of whipped cream in place of buttercream as frosting. More Holiday Desserts
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Anna's Granola
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French pastry chef Dominique Ansel had never heard of granola when his American sous-chef, Anna McGorman, started tweaking her family’s recipe for Ansel’s eponymous bakery in New York City. Now the crunchy cereal, studded with chewy dried fruit and deeply roasted hazelnuts, is almost as popular as Ansel’s famous Cronut. His two cents: Make sure the hazelnuts are toasted until dark in the center for best flavor. And stir in the dried fruit right after the granola comes out of the oven. Slideshow:  Great Granola Recipes 
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