Chocolate tart with an exceptionally crumbly crust, moist cake layered with dreamy mousse fillings, chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers – baking is a precise science and a delicious art.

There’s nothing like sinking your teeth into a perfectly crafted indulgence, especially this time of year, when gingerbread reindeer, yule logs and other goodies line local pastry cases. Orange County has plenty of bakeries, from the big ones that make it all to that small shop with the baklava you can get nowhere else. These are our current favorites.

ZOV’S: Beautifully decorated layer cakes, tarts, brioche and homey cookies

The iconic restaurant, instrumental in bringing the foodie movement to O.C. decades ago, has always housed an outstanding bakery. Credit Zov Karamardian, the visionary who hired pastry chef Michelle Bracken years ago.

On hiatus recently, Bracken is back, stocking the pastry case with delicate lemon layer cakes, buttery brioche, crunchy “Jumble” cookies and more goodies. Make sure to put in a holiday order in plenty of time to pick up dazzling stollen and bouche noel for your special occasions. The retail shop next door has been revamped to focus on sweets, now offering frozen treats by Gelato Paradiso as well as baked goods. Bracken is a master of French techniques, with sensible Michigan roots, and no one turns out a full range of traditional baked goods more consistently.

17440 17th St., Tustin, 714-838-8855, zovs.com

– Anne Valdespino

BLACKMARKET BAKERY: Earthy breads, layer cakes and tarts, chocolate croissants and artfully decorated cookies

She fully intended to become a boulanger, but when Rachel Klemek got to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, she dove in and took on the competition, graduating first in her class. She’s worked at Melisse in Los Angeles and at Zov’s, so maybe that’s the reason her shop does it all too: cakes, Viennoiserie, decorated cookies, and yes, big loaves of hearty bread like Dutch Crunch. Starting in Irvine, she built a reputation for sculptural cakes a la Duff Goldman, but decided to reboot her retro-artisanal vision. Since then her business has expanded to Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and now San Diego.

She’s wildly creative, and her niche is in whimsical marketing, “Resistance is futile!” and appealing to a hip crowd that loves honest, handcrafted treats—from molasses cookies to grilled cheese sandwiches on that great bread (served with craft beer in Santa Ana and San Diego). Still, each dish is structured with sophistication; charged with caramel, her chocolate crusted Black Widow Tart, filled with chocolate ganache and finished with a chocolate pirouette, could star in a Parisian patisserie case, or it could just be your new craving.

2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa; 714-662-3095. 211 N. Broadway, Santa Ana; 714-571-0801, blackmarketbakery.com

– Anne Valdespino

BLUE CHAIR BAKERY: Fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon buns and sticky pecan rolls

The red screen door of Blue Chair Bakery opens directly into the kitchen, where the chef/owner arrives before dawn to start baking cinnamon buns, pecan rolls, scones, muffins and cookies. There’s only enough room inside for one or two customers at a time. By noon, most of the cinnamon rolls are gone. By early afternoon, everything is sold out.

220 Marine Ave., Newport Beach; 949-673-4522, bluechairbakery.com

– Brad A. Johnson

MOULIN BISTRO: Baguettes, country loaves, croissants and eclairs

When Moulin opened in Newport Beach in 2014, it was just a quirky French cafe that happened to also sell a few baked goods. But somewhere along the way, Moulin doubled in size and became one of Orange County’s most essential French bakeries, with a second location recently opened in Laguna Beach. The bake shop sells fresh baguettes, country loaves, croissants, canelés and madeleines as well as eclairs, mille-feuilles and chocolate hazelnut tarts. Get there before noon for the best selection.

1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach; 949-474-0920. 248 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach; 949-715-6990, moulinbistro.com

– Brad A. Johnson

MIXED BAKERY: Tarts, brownies, lemon bars and elegant European pastries

A few days before Thanksgiving, Mixed Bakery owner Elyssa Fournier is up early scrambling to fill dozens of holiday orders for everything from pumpkin tarts to whoopie pies and carrot cakes. She even tackled a wedding cake order, while preparing for her own Thanksgiving feast, hostessing 42 guests. The wild thing about it all? The classically trained pastry chef is baking everything inside her tiny Corona del Mar home.

“My poor husband says he goes to sleep to the sound of the mixer and wakes up to the sound of mixer,” says Fournier, who studied at the French Culinary Institute, now called the International Culinary Center in New York.

Make no mistake. Fournier’s home-based business was not developed on a whim. A pastry chef for 18 years, she’s interned at Le Cirque and worked at New York bakeries including Musette, Café Indulge and Le Pain Quotidien. Before launching Mixed Bakery, she spent five years as pastry chef at Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine in Irvine, where her husband, Yves Fournier, is the executive chef. After the state’s cottage food law passed, she took the plunge, launching Mixed Bakery out of her home.

It has blossomed. Orders are driven by “word of mouth” but also by her Instagram page – where she posts elegant images of handcrafted Euro-centric baked goods: gougeres, chocolate saucisson, apple tarts, chocolate-dipped mint meringues and vegan truffles. She aims to please. If you want a certain dessert not listed on her menu, or if you want a vegan or gluten-free option, just ask. “If I can do it, I’ll do it.”

To order: Call 949-903-2253 or email elyssa@mixed-bakery.com. Three days’ advance notice is recommended. Pickup is at Fournier’s home, or orders can be delivered for a fee.

– Nancy Luna

ASSAL PASTRY: Baklava and Persian pastries

This small shop in the heart of Irvine’s Persian community sells layer cakes and other classic baked goods, but you’ll want to pay attention to the case filled with more exotic choices: snowy white walnut meringues, flower baklava (teensy filo purses stuffed with nut filling and sticky with syrup), miniature shortbread cookies rich with almonds. Call ahead before your next holiday party, they can arrange trays of your favorite sweets packaged as hostess gifts with cellophane and ribbon.

14130 Culver Drive, Suite H-1, Irvine; 949-733-3262, assalpastryus.com

– Anne Valdespino

OC BAKING CO.: Breads (cranberry walnut, baguettes), artisan rolls, pretzel buns

My first encounter with Dean Kim, baker extraordinaire of Orange County, was at a DG Burger tasting. The new Charlie Palmer eatery at South Coast Plaza had just opened, and executive chef Amar Santana was singing the praises of Kim. The baker had whipped up a thick and chewy semolina potato bun with a secret ingredient. It was exactly what the rising star chef wanted – anything but a boring, ubiquitous brioche bun.

Kim’s passion for turning flour, water and salt into works of art is why many call him Orange County’s Bread King. His rustic loaves, buns and baguettes are served at some 200 restaurants and hotels across Southern California including Vaca, Broadway by Amar Santana, The Ranch Restaurant, the Diamond Club at Angel Stadium, Pelican Resort, Haven Gastropub and Sessions West Coast Deli. Hard to believe, a bagel started it all.

While attending UC Berkeley, Kim fell for the aroma of boiling bagels at the original Noah’s shop. He scrapped plans to become a lawyer and went into baking. After training at two major baking institutions, Kim spent nearly 20 years hopping around various bakeries in California before landing at Breads N Spreads in Mission Viejo. In 2009, he struck out on his own, opening OC Baking in Orange, a city he also calls home. Though his business is wholesale, every Saturday Kim sells 50 types of bread at the Orange Home Grown Farmers and Artisans Market in Old Towne Orange.

Prices are dirt cheap for what you get. A 3-pound loaf (26 slices) of sourdough is $5. Baguettes are $2. It’s worth traveling for. Believe me. I’m a regular customer. 304 N. Cypress St., Orange. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

– Nancy Luna

GREAT DANE BAKING CO.: Danish pastries, breakfast items, old-fashioned cookies, specialty cakes, wedding cakes

The Danishes (they come in 12 flavors) and coffee cakes are standouts at both locations of this friendly, popular bakery. There are nods to the 21st century, too (cake pops are available), and the made-to-order cakes are exquisitely done. Rolled fondant is a specialty here, with the best princess torte in O.C. If it’s bread you’re after, you’ll find challah and French loaf alongside the limpa (a light, slightly sweet Swedish rye bread). It’s always been a popular spot for cakes to honor birthdays, weddings, bridal showers and other occasions that call for something unique.

6855 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach, 714-842-1130. 11196 Los Alamitos Blvd., Los Alamitos; 562-493-6899, greatdanebakingcompany.com

– Paul Hodgins

ROCKWELL’S CAFE & BAKERY: Layer cakes, cookies, cupcakes

The bakery shares space with a lively restaurant and bar at this popular Villa Park hangout. The multi-layered carrot cake is made traditionally, with thick cream cheese icing. It’s moist and spicy with a good crumb. The German chocolate cake also hews to tradition, iced with coconut-pecan frosting.

Cake portions are very generous and reasonably priced. The pecan bar is dense and dark, with a shortbread crust that’s a bit thick and tough but delicious. Muffins are best procured at the beginning of the day, but the lemon-poppyseed retained its moisture even when ordered after dinner.

17853 Santiago Blvd, Villa Park; 714-921-0622, rockwellsbakery.com

– Paul Hodgins

SWEET LADY JANE: Tarts (15 kinds), cheesecake (10 flavors), pies (many of them seasonal fruit pies) and specialties such as babka, galette, trifle, flan, tiramisu and tarte Tatin

Tired of store-bought desserts, Jane Lockhart opened her popular bakery in 1988 after selling her delectables to restaurants for several years. She has been featured on the Food Network and is a favorite of Oprah Winfrey’s. Regulars cite several favorites, including the coconut cake, triple berry cake, Oreo tiramisu, English trifle, carrot cake, shortbread cookies, chocolate and blackout espresso cookies. Orange County’s location is the newest; SLJ can also be found in West Hollywood, Santa Monica and Encino. It’s small and the slow service draws occasional complaints, but cultish fans keep this place busy.

3732 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar; 949-270-6366, sweetladyjane.com

– Paul Hodgins

More Carb Consideration

We know we might have missed a few of your favorites. If so, write in and let us know. (nluna@scng.com)

Here’s a couple shops deserving of a mention.

Crema Cafe: Baker and owner Tarit Tanjasiri is known for his daily bread and European pastry selections. However, if you’re going to get one unique item at Crema, go for the kouign-amann. Pronounced “queen ah-mahn,” this Brittany butter cake is a close cousin to the croissant. It’s heavenly. 322 Main St., Seal Beach.

Porto’s Bakery (coming soon): It’s not even open yet, and we’re already telling you to put it on your bucket list now. The famed Cuban bakery from Los Angeles is bringing its famous potato balls to Orange County. It will be the largest of the brand’s outlets, with a 24,000-square-foot bakery and a 5,500-square-foot restaurant. It opens next month at 7640 Beach Blvd., Buena Park.



