Where is Novel Pastries located?
Novel Pastries does not currently have a brick and mortor Store Front. We are currently in the process of finding our perfect location and will keep our customers up to date on our progress.
Where are your products made?
Novel Pastries prepares all of our products in an Incubator Kitchen at the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids. The Downtown Market is located at 435 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503. An Incubator Kitchen is a Commercial Kitchen that allows food businesses to share a commercial space.
Why work out of an Incubator Kitchen and not at Home?
Novel Pastries started out in our home kitchen, however we quickly ran out of space and staying at home kept us limited in how and who we could sell to. Being in the Incubator Kitchen allowed us to get a State Food Lisence and moved us away from Cottage Laws.
How do I get my order?
Depending on your location there are three ways to receive your order:
local curb side pick-up
local delivery
we can ship it
Local Curb-Side Pick-Up
If you are a local Customer and would like to schedule a time for curb-side pick-up that can be arranged. Once a date and time is agreed upon, we will have you meet us outside the Grand Rapids Downtown Market off of Logan St and Ionia in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Local Delivery
We are happy to deliver your order to you within a 50-mile radius of the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids. A delivery fee may apply depending on the order size and location.
*Exceptions can be made, let us know what your needs are and we can try to make it happen
Shipping
We are so excited to be able to offer this delivery method on any of our shelf stable products! Products we can ship include:
Welsh Cakes, Shortbread, Cookies, Brownies, Make at Home Kits, Macarons, some types of bread products.
All products will be shipped priority mail so that you receive the freshest product possible.
When is my Order made?
All of our pastry items are made to order. Products will be made and shipped within 2 business days.
How long will my product last?
Freshness of any product is affected by the amount of moisture a product has. We always put the date the product was made on the label. Of course, almost any pastry item is best when it is fresh from the oven or griddle, however, here are some freshness guidelines. . .
Welsh Cakes remain fresh for about 10 days if stored in a closed container in a dry environment. Excessive heat or humidity will shorten their shelf life. They can also be stored in the in the freezer for several months in an airtight container.
Shortbread gets better as it ages and remains fresh for at least a month on the counter as long as it is in a closed container.
Guinness Brownies stored under normal conditions will last approximately 3-5 days or if refrigerated approximately 2 weeks as long as they remain covered.
Cookies remain fresh for about 5 days if stored in a closed container.
What is a Welsh Cake?
If you have never heard of a Welsh Cake you are in for a treat. Welsh Cakes are also known as Welsh Cookies or Bakestones. They date back to the 1800's in Wales where they were used to feed miners in the coal mines. More recently they have become a teatime treat in much of the UK and Celtic Nations.
They are traditionally made with dried black currants in the dough and are seasoned with either a British Mixed Spice or Mace.
A Welsh Cake is the size of a cookie but is a mix between a Scone and a Pancake. It is griddled like the pancake, so the outside is caramelized and slightly crunchy while the inside is soft and flakey like a scone or biscuit.
These delicious little cakes are best hot off the griddle but are just as delicious once they are cooled. They can be eaten plain or with a little bit of jam, honey or butter. If you like them warm you can put them in the microwave are a few seconds to heat them up.
The popularity of Welsh Cakes has led to many new flavors. At Novel Pastries we have 5 variety's year-round (Currant, Blueberry, Cranberry-Orange, Cherry-Almond, and Chocolate Chip) and will be adding seasonal flavors throughout the year.
Each Welsh Cake is hand made with love when you place order so that they will arrive their freshest.
What kind of Ingredients do you use in your products?
At Novel Pastries we strive to use local products whenever possible. We get our eggs from a local farmers market and our fruit when in season from local Michigan farms. We prefer to use only King Arthur Flours and we make our own Caster Sugar (supr fine baking sugar) from local granulated sugar.
We also strive to use the best spices in our products, to do that we have partnered with The Boston Spice Company. Their amazing spice blends are what gives our Welsh Cakes and other Baked goods such authentic and traditional flavor.
Do your products contain Allergens?
Because we make our products in a shared kitchen, we cannot guarantee that all products will be allergen free. Other businesses do make products with wheat, milk, eggs, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts. Before we use the kitchen, we sanitize everything to help avoid cross contamination.
Why do you make Celtic Desserts?
We have a rich Celtic background in our family. When Meghan was in Culinary School one of her projects was her Irish Slammer Cupcakes. Once made they were sold in the Cafe on campus, where they would always sell out.
As we started the Bakery, we decided to bring our love of Pastries to our local Celtic Festivals where we have met with much success, At our first festival a good friend introduced us into the world of Welsh Cakes and after trying them we have decided to always include them in our Bakery.
Our time at Celtic festivals has encouraged us to learn more about authentic Celtic desserts has brought us closer our Scottish Ancestry.
What are Make at Home Kits?
Since eating Welsh Cakes fresh off the griddle can only happen at your home or in our kitchen, we have decided to make it easier for you to try them in your kitchen. Each kit comes with all of the dry ingredients needed to make a delicious batch (12-15 cakes) of Welsh Cakes at home.
All you need to add is some butter, an egg, and a little bit of milk.
You can choose from 3 varieties of Welsh Cakes (Currant, Blueberry, and Chocolate Chip), as well as our Traditional Scottish Shortbread Kit.
All of our Make at Home Kits are also available with Gluten-Free flour as well.