This Deepavali, warm coffee notes of Starbucks marry Bombay Sweet Shop’s contemporary mithai flavours in a range of desserts. The recently launched limited-edition collection — crafted by the latter for Starbucks — features a gulab jamun trifle with mascarpone, and white chocolate; a khubani barfi bar featuring apricot jam; and a white choco kaju nankhatai which is a modern rendition of the classic kaju nankhatai.
“We wanted to create something unique that resonates with the festive season and the memories associated with it,” says Mitali Maheshwari, head of product and marketing at Starbucks India. The Coffee Choco Barks (also available at bombaysweetshop.com)is a real treat. It is a twist on Bombay Sweet Shop’s signature Choco Butterscotch Barks that features Starbucks’ 3% Arabica coffee beans, roasted almonds, and sea salt. “This treat perfectly balances rich coffee flavours with sweet, salty, and nutty notes,”says Mitali. Complementing the food editions is an exclusive beverage range comprising saffron pistachio latte, saffron pistachio frappuccino, saffron masala chai, and saffron cold brew.
Collabs are not new at Bombay Sweet Shop. In 2022, they teamed up with Parle-G to create a range of desserts like the Parle-G fudge and Chai Biscuit Choco Barks. The 2023 Christmas collection featured a collaboration with The Archies on Netflix. Sameer Seth, founder and CEO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality, says their focus on “ensuring that each offering captures the essence of its original form or brings back the familiar flavours people love”. He explains that “the toughest part is perfecting the taste and texture. It’s about making sure the flavours come together seamlessly and that every product consistently delivers an exceptional experience for our guests.” One creations that did not make the final cut for this edition was the Saffron Cream Cheese Danish. “Inspired by rabdi, a Diwali favourite, it was intended to be a modern twist on the classic dessert. However, Seth notes, “The texture didn’t turn out the way we wanted, so we decided not to launch it just yet. We will continue to work on perfecting it until it’s just right,” he concludes.
The desserts are available at Starbucks outlets across the country.
Published - October 27, 2024 10:09 am IST