La Fournée des Sucreries de l'Érable

Bakery: La Fournée des Sucreries de l'Érable
Address: 7070 Avenue Henri Julien, Montreal QC 
Website: n/a
Style: Canadian, Quebecois 
Price: $$ 

It's so hard to go to Jean Talon market and try something new when there's a Wawel on site, with their perfectly fried and glazed doughnuts  just calling you over. And of course Wawel also has poppy seed buns and poppy seed cakes and... as you can see, it's hard to go beyond Wawel and not go bankrupt. ;) This time, although I was already down to the bottom of my budget bank, I could not resist finally stopping by the small bakery located right next door to Wawel. La Fournée carries a tempting array of traditional French-Canadian baked goods, made with and practically soaked in some cases in -- you guessed it -- maple syrup. Think sugar pies, pecan tarts, in-season pumpkin pies, spice cookies, cheesecake; standing there and waiting to be served, it actually dawned on me that everything in this place looks so... good! I was torn between a small maple tart (a miniature version of the maple sugar pie; $2.95) or the maple square ($2.95). I came out with the latter. ^^ 

My mouth is watering more than that maple syrup!

This is one of these baked goods where the picture doesn't do it much justice, but at least you can see the maple syrup positively dripping from the bottom layer. This bottom layer was where the maple factored in; it was thick yet somewhat runny like a perfect butter tart. Mix that with the dense, spongy dough above it and the fantastic topping of pure chunks of walnut, this was phenomenal. It's a bit difficult driving your fork in through the nearly solid layer of tightly packed walnuts, but scoop everything up and I could not believe how good this simple treat was! Whoa... the mind is blown. *.*

... And now, the next time I go to Jean Talon, I'll have to forego any meals that day and just go all-out on the baked goods! :P 

Rating: ****