Key Ingredient for Local Bakery

Key Ingredient

The personal New York-style cheesecake ($5) at West Side Bakery in Akron is made with a graham cracker butter crust, real vanilla and Philadelphia cream cheese — an ingredient with such distinct taste that owner Barbara Talevich refuses to compromise on including it despite its recent price increase.

“The texture of the cheesecake is very creamy,” says Talevich, who opened the bakery in 1995. “That’s our commitment to our flavor profile.”

Toppings include fresh strawberries, lemon curd, cherries, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cookie butter and chocolate ganache as well as a turtle topping made of chocolate caramel pecans or German chocolate with pecans, which add crunch to the otherwise smooth dessert. 

Another standout is the tiramisu ($6). The recipe ditches traditional ladyfinger cookies and instead is made with rounds of Italian sponge cake soaked in espresso syrup and rum, layered with mascarpone filling and topped with cocoa and mascarpone. 

“It’s a lovely combination of creamy, coffee, a little bit of chocolate,” Talevich says.

Treat yourself to a mousse bomb ($4.25), which begins with a brownie base that’s topped with a ball of mousse, which can be chocolate, peanut butter or white chocolate with Oreo pieces mixed in. A chocolate glaze, made from melting chocolate and butter, encases the mousse filling in a soft shell, creating an eye-catching dessert with beautiful garnishes like chocolate curls and Reese’s. 

“It looks really decadent, but it’s also kind of light,” Talevich says. “I want the flavors of the ingredients to come through.”

2303 W. Market St., Akron, thewestsidebakery.com 

This page: Mousse bombs and eclair, Opposite: Assorted pastries including mousse bombs, tiramisu, cheesecakes and cream puff