It can be a vegan donut just like a lifelong Donut? Do they taste the same? Do they make you salivate the same? The answer to all these questions is a resounding yes, but you will have to check it yourself by going to the Areca Bakery store in the Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona (Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla, 90).
Areca Bakery is the personal project of Claudia, who, at the age of 26, decided that she wanted to create her own pastry shop based on the plant-based philosophy. Hence the name, the Areca is a type of indoor plant, known, among many of its benefits, to purify the air.
“After having gone through several companies I knew that I wanted to start something of my own , something of my own that would allow me to work and be happy at the same time, something that I guess I hadn't achieved until now,” she stresses to Traveler.es.
The beginnings of Areca were not easy, as Claudia started alone doing a thousand tests at home to find the perfect formula.
“At the same time, I managed the social networks, I created a website from scratch, a brand image, the packaging and I distributed the orders that were coming to me with the help of my family at specific times. However, seeing that the product was liked and the demand was increasing, I decided to open the first Areca Bakery store in Barcelona ”. Claudia now has a team and a very varied assortment of donuts and saloons.
Areca Bakery.
HOW VEGAN DOUGHNUTS ARE
As we all know, the vegan label is not always equal to healthy, as there are many vegan products. In the case of Areca Bakery, Claudia explains that they have no preservatives or additives . “The donut that we have designed from its dough to its toppings and fillings, it is 100% vegan, and within what is a donut (a pastry product) we have tried to make it as healthy as possible, reducing and practically eliminating the use of white sugar.
"We use vegetable milk instead of cow's milk, substitute the egg for the chia seeds They do not contain lard (instead they contain margarine), and finally, they do not contain sugar in the dough (we sweeten it with a 100% natural sweetener with 0 calories).
The whole process is almost the same as that of other sweet artisan , it is always made in the morning, for that reason it does not need preservatives and its dough is more spongy. "It's unique and we couldn't be more proud," she explains to Traveler.es.
Hard to stick with just one...
THE FLAVORS OF ARECA
They usually have eight flavors but they like to innovate and every month they surprise with a new flavor. "The idea is to bring out a new saloon and/or donut every month and rotate them according to the season, so that you always have a new flavor to try and fall in love with." This month it's the "Ferrero".
In his letter you will find sure the saloon stuffed with “nutella” with hazelnut praline on top and chopped hazelnuts, the stuffed with homemade red fruit jam with peanut butter mousse on top and chopped peanuts, the red fruit cheesecake with Lotus biscuit and the Pistachio cream with chopped pistachio .
And about the donut flavors, you can find the classic one, the one with raspberry glaze with pistachio, the dark chocolate donut with cocoa nibs and maldon salt, and white chocolate with freeze-dried strawberries.
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