Scorn might be overstating it a bit. But that’s a hint of what Nathalie Dessyn was feeling when she was unable to buy one of Dominique Ansel’s iconic Cronuts even though she had gotten to the SoHo bakery as early as she could.
So Ms. Dessyn, who owns Mille-feuille, a French pastry shop in Greenwich Village, with her husband, Olivier, challenged her in-house pastry chef.
“She said to me, ‘You make one,’” Mr. Dessyn said. So flattery kicked in. After three tries since last Friday, he’s happy with his results, he explained Thursday morning over coffee and a preview of his version of the croissant/doughnut hybrid, which he is calling a French Donut.
Will there be lines when they go on sale for the first time on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at Mille-feuille? Three flavors will be available at all times: vanilla, raspberry and, yes, chocolate, a variety Mr. Ansel has not yet offered.
Mr. Dessyn said that over the past month, customers, perhaps as frustrated by Cronut mania as his wife was, have been asking for them. “Some people wanted to go into business with me so they could resell them,” he said.
The Mille-feulle French Donut is crispier than the Cronut, a potato chip to Mr. Ansel’s more tender popcorn. Mr. Ansel tweaked his croissant dough for his trademarked Cronut, while Mr. Dessyn uses his regular dough. Both are then deep-fried, like doughnuts. Mr. Dessyn fills his with the flavored creams that go into his éclairs.
The French Donut is $5 at Mille-feuille, 552 LaGuardia Place (West Third Street), (212) 533-4698, millefeuillenyc.com.