The tearoom has opened a new branch in the beautiful Victorian arcade
Fairy Godmothers Bakes in Paragon Arcade, Hull(Image: Sofie Jackson)
I have enjoyed the excuse to indulge my sweet tooth thanks to a new arrival in Hull city centre. Fairy Godmothers Bakes has joined the exciting mix of independents in Paragon Arcade.
The original Fairy Godmothers Bakes is still based in Spring Bank West and has ample seating for people wanting to enjoy its signature afternoon tea with scones and cream. The new spot, in the pretty-as-a-picture Victorian setting, is smaller with a few tables just outside.
However, this lends itself perfectly for takeaways in lunch hour. On a wet, drizzling day in January, it was nice to see so many people stopping by the arcade for food and drinks.
My first impression of Fairy Godmothers Bakes was that it was unapologetically pink and floral. ‘Cute’ is probably the right word, and it is easy to see why its sister location is so popular for Mother’s Day.
The counter is full of sweet treats, with classic baked goods like the good old vanilla sponge traybake as well as more modern creations using Lotus Biscoff and Ferrero Rocher.
I was in a chocolate-worshipping mood, so picked the Millionaire’s Shortbread. I was also intrigued by the cookie pies, and picked two different varieties: the aforementioned Lotus Biscoff and Ferrero Rocher.
Payment is card only, which was simple enough. The box my cakes were placed in was adorned with a little pink bow and utterly adorable – it would make a lovely gift idea.
Eagerly carrying my precious cargo of baked goods, I could hardly feel the rain on my walk back to the office. I brewed up a cup of tea and began the taste test.
First up was the Millionaire’s Shortbread. I immediately noted how lovely and moist the buttery shortbread base was, a far superior rival to the standard supermarket fare.
The mouthwatering gooey middle reminded me more of a sugary vanilla fudge than caramel, which was a surprise. The chocolate layer on top was a bit overwhelmed by the other flavours, but also had a good texture.
The Lotus Biscoff cookie pie immediately hit me with those indulgent, rich caramel flavours of the popular biscuit. It would pair so well with a strong coffee.
There was a wonderfully more-ish and fudgy, almost ganache-like, texture in the caramel layers. But the lovely, crumbly layers of Lotus was very much like a cheescake, which is always a good thing.
But for me, the Ferrero Rocher cookie pie was the winner. The chocolate layers were a delicious harmony of hazelnut and dark cocoa, a truly decadent dessert.
Velvety-smooth in texture, each bite felt deceptively light in the mouth. My colleague thought he could glean a bit of Nutella in the flavour, but to my tastebuds it was much more sophisticated than that.
Overall, Fairy Godmothers Bakes is a good spot to buy a sugar-laden treat for that special someone. I really hope the new branch does well and Hull’s independents continue to shine.