Merlyn’s Patisserie’s Ube Croissant

Tastemaker

By Anna Faller | Sept. 17, 2022

From cultural fusion to croissant colors, the best things seem to come in twos at Merlyn’s Patisserie in Traverse City. Helmed by siblings Jun Dupra and Anna Mae Kucharski, the bakehouse, which they named for their mom, blends the art of French confection with bursts of Asian-inspired flavor. The real MVP (Most Valuable Pastry) is their signature Ube Croissant. Featuring a laminated pastry base, this bi-colored treat is brimming with ube, a purple yam common in Filipino cooking. Chefs fold it into each flaky layer—that’s what makes for those funky stripes—before stuffing the sweets with two scratch-made fillings (an ube-coconut pastry cream and white chocolate-coconut ganache) and topping them off with coconut flakes. The croissants ($8) can be found at the Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market or on Tuesdays at Rough Pony in the Warehouse District. For more information, find Merlyn’s Patisserie on Instagram or Facebook (@merlyns_patisserie).