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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Puffy Cookie Puff, World Square, Sydney

cookie puff

It's a strange but appreciated privilege to have not one, but two GrabYourFork readers contact me on the same day to excitedly tell me "there's a new custard puff place just opened in World Square! It's like Beard Papa's, but with a cookie crust and you have to go and check it out!" [or words to that effect]

So I have my own contingent of food spies now... kewl!

I get to eat dessert in the name of research by reader request. Even cooler!

puffy kiosk

Without much delay I headed to Puffy in the World Square Shopping Centre, on the kiosk site briefly inhabited by Juice Fix. Customer curiosity was high as passing shoppers wandered closer for a look (yours truly included).

There are strong nuances of Beard Papa influence with their uniformed staff, baking on-premises, custard squirter machine, yellow colour scheme and greaseproof paper custard puff pockets.

puffy boxes

The difference apparently is that the Cookie Puff has a cookie, not a choux pastry crust.

puffy picture

The cookie puffs are baked from frozen discs of dough, tiny buttons that look like caramel buds from childhood.

puffy discs

From these grow large airy buns coated in a sugary volcanic crust that are then piped with custard.

For Asian bakery regulars, the crust is similar to the topping found on polo or pineapple buns. For others, think of a crumbly mixture made from butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk, flour and a touch of baking powder, then baked until it forms a golden crunchy crust.

puffy custard

The verdict? I wasn't blown away. In fact, I was rather non-plussed with the whole sensory experience. It was all a bit too crumbly and sweet for me, which provided less of a contrast with the vanilla custard (which was rather bland and didn't have as many--or any?--excited flecks of vanilla bean that Beard Papa's boasts).

The custard was distinctly cold which was a shock to the teeth and I even resented the fact that the puffs weren't filled to order. Instead the puffs were squirted with custard two at a time into a large mountain of ready-to-go's. Yes, you can spot the die-hard Beard Papa fan can't you?

Puffy will have its fans I'm sure, but I remain a devotee of the eggy delicate shell of choux pastry filled with smooth satiny vanilla bean custard. Which do you prefer? You'll have to sample both to find out.

puffy

Puffy Cookie Puff
World Square Shopping Centre
(underneath the escalator near Gloria Jeans and Coles)
Bounded by George, Liverpool, Pitt and Goulburn Streets, Sydney

1 puff: $1.60
6 puffs: $9.60
12 puffs: $19.20


Related GrabYourFork posts:
Puffy at Market City, Haymarket Chinatown, July 2007
Beard Papa's Sweets, March 2007
Beard Papa's Sweets, October 2006
Beard Papa's Sweet, June 2006
36 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Anonymous on 9/05/2006 12:16:00 am


36 Comments:

  • At 9/05/2006 2:25 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Very interesting. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.

     
  • At 9/05/2006 7:22 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I just tried my first one of these yesterday and I couldn't agree with you more. Quite underwhelming, possible also due to the dose of disappointment i recieved after realising the truth - it had originally been misreported to me that there was now a Beard Papa in World Square and when i set out to look for it this was all i found.

    The cold custard was pretty unexciting, and besides there wasn't enough of it! I bought a pack of 12 to share at work and most of the cookie bubbles were only half full. Demerit points for both quality and quantity, i'm afraid.

     
  • At 9/05/2006 11:05 am, Blogger Julia said…

    Thanks for the heads up, sounds like it has potential but they just can't be bothered getting it right. I'll stick to Papa Beard as The Place That Is Just Down The Road But I Am Yet To Go And Try.

     
  • At 9/05/2006 11:18 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Must agree, nothing beats Beard's Papa (why can't they open a store in a more convenient location!). It's a new sensation though ^_^ Got a feeling it won't survive too long :P

     
  • At 9/05/2006 11:39 am, Blogger Veruca Salt said…

    Stick with Beard Papa I say. Did you notice there is no discount for buying more than one?

     
  • At 9/05/2006 5:31 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    ohhhh but it looks so promising! must visit soon and compare but i gotta say i think im already pre-biased in liking beard papa's!

     
  • At 9/05/2006 8:12 pm, Blogger shez said…

    i'd have to agree with you - puffy was a bit of an underwhelming experience. perhaps because i had ideas of crumbly, buttery, warm cookie with vanilla bean custard a la beard papas in my mind.

    the cookie itself tasted like it had been frozen after baking - it had a funny fridge flavour, though it did improve after i grilled it in a snack oven... and then it crumbled all over me (and my dark pants that are still slightly butter pastry-ed!)

    it was exciting though - i love trying new food and this was certainly different!

     
  • At 9/07/2006 6:51 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    AGGGHHHHH It's a biscuit. Repeat - a biscuit. Cookies are from USer land. Biscuits from Aussieland. Biscuit. Another product on the do not buy list.

     
  • At 9/08/2006 12:56 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey,

    I've always beenreading your blog for new ideas on eating out in Sydney. It's my secret weapon that makes all my friends scratch their heads in admiration about my knowledge of where's good to eat, especially since I'm a poor uni student, your main targets are still within my budget! Thanks for a great blog, from one Asian girl to another, it's got a special place in my bookmarked websites...!

    Mm...puffy is disappointing, since I work part-time in World Square, I was really looking forward to a Beard Papa-like confection (though my figure wasn't!). The eggy smell is lovely, but slightly nauseating after a while, and I don't see why the puff has to be cold when you buy it. I know the owner of Puffy (it's the same one as Breadtop behind it) so I hear they may be augmenting their filling selection...

     
  • At 10/07/2006 4:28 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    They opened a Beard Papa's a block down the street from me, and I have to say I am NOT impressed. I guess I expect a creme puff to be, well, puffy. Fluffy. You know, pastry. But they then cover their pastry with what is basically a pie crust base. Some people apparently like this, but I didn't. And the "cream" is custard. So what you end up with is not a creme puff at all but this weird little thing full of custard that is a bit too heavy.
    They're pricey, too. I think it was like $3 and something for a rather *tiny* one. Kind of a lot, even by SF standards.

     
  • At 10/17/2006 9:42 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I loved them! Do you think they are 'bad' for you? I mean high is calories/kjs?

     
  • At 11/09/2006 2:47 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I haven't try Puffy yet, but I went to Papa Beard once and I had stomachache after I had the puffs. I think the puff was nice but I am abit concern with the stomachache afterwards... anyone had the same problem?

    Papa Beard is also available in Hong Kong and I think it's much nicer. So if u are a fan of Papa Beard, u should try it when u stop by Hong Kong~

     
  • At 11/17/2006 10:06 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I had one today and it was delicious.

     
  • At 12/16/2006 10:13 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tried my first puffy cookie the other week at QV in Melbourne. I loved it! Although I wouldn't mind trying a Beard Papa cream puff - pity they don't have any in Melbourne :(

     
  • At 12/21/2006 10:41 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I love them!! Really do!

     
  • At 12/24/2006 5:47 pm, Blogger Awesome man Awesome said…

    Have to say that the Puffy Cookie Puff is absolutely delicious. This will be one of my regular stops when I am in Sydney. Peter, Otaki New Zealand

     
  • At 1/10/2007 3:10 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    out of curiosity i just went n bought puffy, surprisingly despite all the negative reviews,i kinda like it, it's not too sweet n i actually love the combination of cold soft custard with the cookie when u bite into them, delish n yum!!!

     
  • At 1/26/2007 12:24 pm, Blogger Therin of Andor said…

    I found them last week and weakened yesterday! Wow! Yum!

     
  • At 3/04/2007 10:37 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Cookie Puffs are in Melbourne Now! At QV on Swanston street.

    You poor Sydney people, half filled cookie puffs... Our puffs were overflowing with custard, and we needed tissues to wipe up the mess we made. And they were squeezed in fresh, not piled in one whole heap. Liked them. Yum.

     
  • At 3/05/2007 1:18 pm, Blogger Ben said…

    I just tried a cookie puff for the first time litteraly 5 minutes ago, and I've got to say the whole idea is lost on me. Yes it was filled to the brim with custard, and the crust was nice and "crusty", but it was just so bland. A big thumbs down from me.

    I should add that I went to the Box Hill store in Melbourne, which opened about a month or two ago. It's located more or less right in front of the train station.

     
  • At 4/22/2007 10:46 pm, Blogger angusf said…

    I've now tried both Papa Beard's & these and contrarily I prefer Puffys. I like the cookie texture and the runnier custard.

     
  • At 5/10/2007 1:37 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I just found a Cookie Puff store in QV in Melbourne. After falling in love with Beard Papa in Singapore I just haad to try one. I didn't mind it actually - the custard isn't as good - but I quite like the crumble. When I googled it I found this blog and the fascinating news that Beard Papa has made it to Oz - nowt hat makes me happy! Suzanne

     
  • At 5/14/2007 6:12 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I just read that Beard Papa is opening stores in both Sydney & Melbourne CBD's in the next 2 months.... ABOUT TIME!!! They are by far NUMBER 1. Have you heard about the new cheesecakes?

     
  • At 5/23/2007 10:29 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    having tried both Puffy Cookie Puff and Beard Papa, I must say they are entirely different altogether. I like Beard Papa because of its yummy vanilla custard filling but I also like Puffy because of its crumbly, crusty and crunchy outer shell. cold custard does not stop me from enjoying them, since its almost impossible to get them hot unless you stand there and wait before they open their store.

    but since I live in the city, so I have to settle with Puffy for the time being. well, until Beard Papa open a new store in CBD, I'll be their first customer :D

     
  • At 5/27/2007 3:56 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Therin - Glad you liked them. Good to see it has its fans.

    Hi Yin - Lucky you. Extra custard, piped in fresh... we are getting the poorer deal!

    Hi Ben - Cookie puff controversy! Yeah I found my puff a little bland. Looks like plenty others enjoy it though, so each to their own.

    Hi Angus - Another point to Puffy!

    Hi Suzanne - Yup Beard Papa is in Sydney. I keep hearing rumours it will open in the CBD but yet to see it come to fruition...

    Hi Mike - Waiting waiting for CBD Papa. I've seen the cheesecakes but yet to try them. We tried the chocolate pudding in NYC but I think I will always be a Papa puff fan.

    Hi Hendra - They are very different, which is why I like the Papa version so much more :) Yep I'm waiting for the BP City version too (a mixture of excitement and belt-related dread!).

     
  • At 7/10/2007 9:17 pm, Blogger Unknown said…

    There's a Puffy at Liverpool Westfield now! I don't have to go all the way to the city when I want one.

     
  • At 8/14/2007 12:58 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I like the puffy puffs.. its different. Anyway has a similar recipe ?

     
  • At 11/30/2007 12:19 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Just in case anyone was looking for it there is now a Beard Papas in Melbourne, on Elizabeth st., right near Flinders station.

     
  • At 12/05/2007 11:24 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Phi - Woohoo! Always good to have tasty favourites close to home :)

    Hi macmuflin - Not sure. Perhaps try google?

    Hi sci.girl - Thanks for the heads-up :)

     
  • At 2/26/2008 3:25 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I am recently doing a marketing project for my college assignment on the Puffy shop. Just wonder how do everyone know about this shop?
    Do you just pass by World Square and discover the shop? Heard from friends? Or see any advertisement on any magazines?

    Btw, I kinda like the puff^^ I like the crispy cookie shell, but just think the filling is a bit too sweet...

     
  • At 3/02/2008 5:34 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Alisonosila - Hope your assignment went/is going well. I think most people discover the place by the smell. The cooler people discover it by word-of-blog of course :)

     
  • At 9/06/2008 4:02 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    at QV in Melbourne they have CHOCOLATE inside them :D
    although it tasted a bit like ice cream when i bit into it =='
    and not the mention th emess i left on the floor after biting :P
    but i loved it so muchh,!

     
  • At 9/14/2008 2:15 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi leanneeeeee - I'm pleased to report that the cookie puffs in Sydney also have chocolate ones :) They're quite delicious too, and yes, they are rather messy!

     
  • At 9/30/2008 12:27 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    this puff is real so yummzzz... especially the custard one... however u have to put it in your fridge for about 1-2 hours to get the custard cold and avoid messy-ness... wkwkwk...

     
  • At 2/02/2009 7:44 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    i think these cookie puff's are great my personal favourite is the icecream filled one!

     
  • At 2/02/2009 10:21 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi yomk_ichul - I've always found the custard to be quite cold already. I admire your patience though!

    Hi Anon - I haven't tried the ice cream version yet, though I've heard mixed feedback?

     

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