'Cronuts' Arrive in Manhattan Beach

Baker Todd Becker won't be getting into the "cronut" flak anytime soon.

Instead of calling his recipe for the hot new bakery treat that's a cross between a croissant and doughnut a cronut, the name New York-based French chef Dominique Ansel is trademarking, Becker calls his take on the sweet treat "Kronuts."

"We put the 'K' on the front of the name out of respect for Dominique Ansel Bakery and their trademark of the name “cronuts,'" said Becker. "Hopefully, they consider our 'Kronuts' a sign of flattery."

Seems Becker won't need that flattery as his Kronuts are selling out daily. He makes about 100 six days a week in vanilla, chocolate, maple lemon and creme filled flavors.

So, what's all the fuss about cronuts?

"It is simply the light, flakey texture along with the buttery flavor," he told Patch. "When deep fried, well, it’s unreal how good they taste."

Always adventurous, Becker hooked up with cronuts when he saw them online. He thought they looked good and quickly "went to work to see how ours would turn out and boy, did they ever!"

A baker all his adult life, Becker said making the Kronut dough "is quite a process" that takes a long time and requires special handling.

"It took us a while to get it right," said Becker, "but once we did, bam, our Kronuts are unreal. It’s a delicate slice of heaven."

In New York a few days ago when former Spice Girl and model Victoria Beckham tweeted about her breakfast cronuts, Ansel spotted an imposter, tweeting: "Who tricked @victoriabeckham into thinking those knockoffs were the real Cronut™? An intern who overslept and didn't wait in line? Hope not."

As for the daily a.m. rush on his sugary, sweet Kronut confections, Becker said, "My apologies to our customers that get the sold out sign. We’re trying to make them as fast as we can but they’re worth the wait!" 

Beckers Bakery & Deli is at 1025 Manhattan Avenue; (310) 372-3214.