Open: M - F 7a to 6p, Sa 7a to 4p + 35 S. 19th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
+ Swiss Haus Bakery: Descriptions of the Sweet Pastries We Bake
Almond Horseshoe
“Horse Sold Separately”
The Almond Horseshoe is a cross between a cookie and a Pastry. It is chewy and crunchy with almond flavors rolled in toasted almond slivers. Goes great as a breakfast treat with coffee or tea. It is great to eat while walking down 19th Street in Philadelphia on your way to Rittenhouse Square.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Almonds
Almond Log with Raspberry and Apricot
“The Redcoats are coming!”
The Almond Log, a relative of the Almond Horseshoe, is a cross between a cookie and a Pastry. It is chewy and crunchy with almond flavors rolled in toasted almond slivers. Then a strip of Raspberry and Apricot filling is added down the center. Goes great as a breakfast treat with coffee or tea. It can also be cut into smaller pieces for a pastry tray, corporate event or wedding party. It is a great to eat while walking down 19th Street in Philadelphia on your way to Rittenhouse square or while waiting for the Redcoats to arrive in your log cabin at Valley Forge National Park.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Almonds, Raspberry and Apricot Fillings
Apple Turnover
“I like you just the way you are.”
This flaky puff pastry is great for breakfast. It is a flaky French pastry stuffed with apple filling drizzled with white chocolate and sweet sugar glaze. Come to our Pastry Shop in Philadelphia to try this tasty treat. I bet after you bite into it, your taste buds will feel complete. This pastry needs nothing. Not even Milk! You will smile and state, “You are so perfect Apple Turnover, I like you just the way you are!”
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Water, Oil, and Apple Filling
Bavarian Apple Cheese Tart
“Last Chance for Romance!”
This is your last chance for romance. The Bavarian Apple Cheese Tart has a Short bread crust, cheese cake bed, fresh apples on top, and a cinnamon smear. If you want to say, “Baby you look Marvelous and I appreciate you” without saying it, this pastry is just what the Chef ordered. It is a slow approach to a classy woman.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Milk, Butter and Fresh Apples
Black and White cookie
“Racial harmony. At last!”
The black and white cookie is a Classic New York style Pastry Cookie. The body of the cookie is like a cake with the white and dark chocolate dipped on top. Seinfeld defined this cookie as “racial harmony at last”. Since Jan 20th 2009, we just like to say, “Hail to the chief”. This cookie is such a classic that we at Swiss Haus welcome all races, nationalities, religions, etc., etc., to come into our bakery to enjoy the harmony that this cookie will produce in your mouth. Is it a cookie? Or a Cake?
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Fondant and Ganache
Butterscotch Bowtie
“Goes Best with coffee”
The butterscotch bowtie is one of the best products in the morning pastry category. There is no butterscotch in it so I have no idea why we call it a Butterscotch bowtie. It must be the delicious pecans that are sprinkled with brown sugar. The pastry is a flaky layered pastry with buttery, sugary pecans baked in. Come into our bakery at 35 S. 19th Street in Philadelphia, enjoy a cup of Hausbrandt coffee or Tazo tea and bite into this baby. After that, I will see you again tomorrow.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, cheese, Butter and Pecans
Cannoli
“How you doin, Philly?”
Ok, I know the people of Philadelphia are partial to their favorite cannolis, but if you have never stopped into our Bakery and said to our staff, “How You Doin’?” then you have not tasted a real, fresh cannoli. This Cannoli has a crisp shell, with an amazing sweet cheese and the ends are dipped in chocolate chips. I have been told by many of my South Philly customers that we make the best cannoli in the city of Philadelphia. There is not much more to say about it, except that we also make them in mini bite sized versions that are great for party trays.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Cheese, Chocolate
Caramel Croquant
“My knees are weak!”
This delicious little 3 layer praline sponge cake is filled with caramel butter cream, finished with caramel, rolled in Croquant. Please don’t ask me what croquant is because nobody really knows. It is like a nut. It may even be a nut. But either way, when you take a bite of this baby, your knees will get weak. It is so gooey, sweet and filled with caramel flavors that you will need to sit down. Caution, don’t eat standing up.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Water, Egg, Butter, Shortening, Nuts and Caramel
Carrot Cake Square
“Eh, What’s up doc!?!”
This is a classic moist carrot cake, with the most delicious cream cheese icing on top. I cannot stop myself from taking my finger and dipping it in the bowl of icing before it hits the sink. This cake can also be included in our mini pastry trays or party platters.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, egg, Cheese, Butter, Nuts, and Oil
Cheese Cake Square
Apple, Cherry or Blueberry
“Decisions, Decisions”
Rich butter short bread crust, creamy cheesecake, streusel topping, baked with cherries, apples or blueberries. The most difficult decision about these beauties is which flavor to buy. Apple, cherry or blueberry. These have the creamy richness of a cheese cake (I guess they should, because they are cheese cake) with the Streusel topping to give it a little contrast. This is one of those pastries that people say, “Oh my god” once that have taken their first bite. It can also be included in a party tray or mini pastry tray.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Cheese, Butter, and either Apple, Cherry or Blueberry Filling
Cheese Stick
“Don’t Sweat the small stuff.”
Ok, this delicious flaky puff pastry has a sweet cream cheese inside and a dusting of powdered sugar on the outside. These are great for breakfast or with tea. If you don’t want something too heavy and filling but sweet and delicious, this pastry is for you. Bite into this cheese stick, it will make you smile and realize that life is long and short at the same time. So, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Enjoy, smile and cruise through the day.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Water, Egg, Cheese, and Oil
Choc Mozart
“Let’s make beautiful music together.”
The Chocolate Mozart starts with a Hazelnut meringue disk on the bottom, then a luscious layer of chocolate butter cream, chocolate cake, finished with white chocolate and a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top. My father who loves classical music and who is a very mild mannered man starts to sing classical music when he knows I am bringing a Chocolate Mozart home. This is one of my personal favorites. It will make grown men sing. This is a sleeper pastry. Many people pass it up for the classics like tiramisu, strawberry short cakes, or eclairs but if you try the Mozart I want to hear you sing!
The Chocolate Raspberry is one of our most popular of our little cakes. It is a three layer chocolate cake, layered with chocolate raspberry butter cream, iced in chocolate butter cream, rolled in chocolate sprinkles. I like to bring this one to a dinner party, along with a caramel croquant cut it in half and share it with friends. Another great pastry at the Swiss Haus Bakery.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Milk, Eggs, Butter, Shortening, Chocolate, Raspberry Jam and Chocolate Sprinkles
Cup Cake – Chocolate or Vanilla
“Who you callin’ cup cake?”
Weather chocolate or vanilla our cup cakes are the best in town. The chocolate has a devils food chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream on top with a splash of chocolate sprinkles. Our Vanilla cup cake is like a vanilla pound cake body with our famous Swiss vanilla butter cream on top with a splash of colored sprinkles. If you want to be fancy you can special order the chocolate with vanilla butter cream or the vanilla with chocolate butter creams. For a surcharge we can make any kind of specialty cupcake that you desire. Purple, green, blue butter creams. with your initials, company name, etc…. These desserts are perfect for a party, corporate event, charity event, etc. Or just a quick great snake to satisfy your sweet tooth. But please, don’t call me cup cake.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Milk, Butter, Shortening, Chocolate and Sprinkles.
Clichy
“Don’t be cheeky.”
OK, now we are getting serious. Are you sitting down? Do so, because here we go. Ready? This is a seven layer coffee brushed biscuit, layered with coffee and chocolate butter cream, a hint of raspberry, covered in ganache. I know what you are thinking, “I don’t like coffee or raspberry.” That is irrelevant, you will love this pastry. When you take a bite of the Clichy, first you will be hit with the chocolate flavors and smooth butter creams then a hint of raspberry to cut the sweetness and a little tart from the coffee. Don’t ask me how this amazing pastry works, but it is really special. You won’t find something like this anywhere. This one is a must try at some point. The clichy can also be ordered as a cake to feed 6 to 8 people.
Whether you like Cherry, blueberry, apple, apricot or cheese Danish these Danish are like none other. As everything at swiss haus bakery is baked on premises, when these Danish come out of the oven it will blow your mind. They are warm and gooey. On special order we can make mini Danish for your pastry trays, corporate party, wedding, mitzvah, or birthday. Come by in the morning on your way to work, sit down in our café, and enjoy these Danish with a fresh cup of coffee. No preservatives in our Danish, so get them while they are hot.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Water, Egg, Cheese, Butter, Yeast, Cherries, Blueberries, Apple or Apricot Fillings.
Devils Food Chocolate Mousse Slice dipped in Ganache
“Easy for you to say!”
Whether you are pregnant or not, this chocolate lover’s delight is another one that must be eaten very slowly and sitting down. It starts on the bottom with a thick slice of devil’s food cake, topped with chocolate mousse, covered in ganache. Ganache for all of you home gamers is a fancy word for especially good chocolate. Calling all men out there!!! If you are in the dog house, or if your wife is having a “bad” day, then you must bring one of these puppies home to her. Nothing says, “I feel your pain honey, you are beautiful and I appreciate you” more than a slice of this delectable dessert. But it is a mouthful.
Chocolate Eclair with Custard Filling
“Love at first sight!”
When eclair lovers see a Swiss Haus eclair for the first time, it is love at first sight. Usually the first comment is, “Wow! Your eclairs are so big!” Our eclairs are approximately six inches of puff pastry impregnated with delicious custard, brushed with delicious chocolate and a white chocolate drizzle. How did we improve on a classic you might ask? I don’t know but these are good. Great to eat while walking down the streets of Philadelphia.
Ok, hear me out. This is a butter tart dough crust, almond cake, fruit topping, with a hint of raspberry and almond slices on the sides. This is almost like being on the beach in Jamaica. The sweet light almond cake, a hint a raspberry flavors, fresh fruit and a light crunch of almonds. It is almost fat free.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Butter, Almonds, and Fresh Fruit.
Hazelnut Cake Square
“This is what the fuss is about!”
Ok, here is the deal. This cake is what the entire Swiss Haus Bakery fuss is all about. This century old recipe that was brought over from Europe to Philadelphia over 85 years ago. It is has three layers of hazelnut sponge cake filled with vanilla butter cream, covered in Chocolate Shavings. Car loads of people come from all over the country to Swiss Haus Bakery to buy this cake. My grandmother used to buy this cake for my mother’s birthday and she used to buy it for mine. Go to the testimonials page to read about peoples love for this cake. If you hang out in our store you will hear story after story about how this cake celebrated people’s birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, mitzvahs and many other personal celebrations. This cake is sometimes called the “air cake”, because it is so light. The hazelnuts are ground really finely and poured into the batter which gives the cake its mild hazelnut flavor. The swiss vanilla butter cream is amazing and the Swiss chocolate shavings bring each delicious bite together. Some people call it the “chocolate chip” cake because they mistake the little Hazelnuts for chocolate chips. But no matter what you call it, this cake brings back memories of all of the important milestones in your family’s lifetime from generation to generation. The cake can be made into the most memorable Wedding cake and has celebrated with many families in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas. For you next special occasion, celebrate it with a Hazelnut cake.
Homentashen
Poppy Seed, Cherry, Apricot, or Prune
“It’s not caviar?”
The Homentashen is a buttery dense cookie pastry that is filled with either Poppy seeds (“not caviar”), cherry, Apricot or Prune. This pastry was originally created as part of the Jewish Holiday of Purim. The name Homentashen refers to Haman (also known as Homen), the villain of the Purim story in the book of Ester. It is now enjoyed year round and makes a great treat for breakfast or that afternoon snack. The Swiss Haus bakery also make baby Homentashen which are great to include in your next party tray.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Milk, Shortening, and fruit filling
Lemon Roulade
“This spells relief.”
Check this out! It is spring time, the weather is perfect, winter is behind us, and you can smell the renewal of another year of life. As you walk through your garden and you smell the lilacs, lillies, sage, rosemary, and thyme, you feel lightness to your life. This pastry reminds you of that lightness. The lightness that we want our life to be will come back to you once you bite into this light airy vanilla sponge cake, filled with lemon cream, dusted with powdered sugar with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top (can’t forget the lemon wedge). At that moment, you will feel relieved of life’s stresses. This single dessert can also be ordered in a long roll to serve 6 to 8 people for your next dinner party.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Butter, Cream, with a Twist of Lemon
Maple Brownie
“Dreams do come true.”
Brownies are not always chocolate. This Walnut blonde brownie (a.k.a. blondie) is iced in maple butter cream It is nice and chewy with the maple butter cream on top. This pastry can also be cut in smaller portions to be used in party trays and mini pastry orders.
Marjolaine is Clichy’s little sister. This wonderful pastry has four Layers of crispy Hazelnut meringue sandwiched with praline and chocolate butter cream, whipped cream, and covered in ganache. The marjolaine can also be ordered in a cake form to feed 6 to 8 people.
The marjolaine is a form of French dacquois which is derived from a small town in southwestern France called a “Dax”and it takes its name from the feminine form of the French word dacquois, meaning “of Dax”. Which is is a dessert cake made with layers of nut meringue and whipped cream or butter cream which is long and rectangular and combines almond and hazelnut meringue layers with chocolate butter cream
This is our three layer vanilla-almond sponge cake with Swiss mocha butter cream covered in crushed cashew nuts. For you home gamers, mocha is coffee flavoring. The coffee is not over powering. The almond sponge cake and the cashew nuts make this combination a wonderfully smooth dash of flavoring in your mouth. This cake is commonly used for wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and anniversary cakes. It can be ordered in a one person Mocha Cake Square, a two to three person size, on up to an entire sheet cake to feed hundreds. It is perfect for any celebration. If you buy a Mocha Cake Square at Swiss Haus, you friends will ask, “Can you spare a square?”
I lied! I really do have a complex when I talk about the Napoleon. The complex is called addiction! We only make them on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays or by special order. The napoleon is my favorite dessert made at the Swiss Haus Bakery. It has three layers of flaky French pastry, layered with vanilla custard (OH MY GOD!), fresh whipped cream (YUM!), and a hint of raspberry (Ok!), all of this deliciousness is enrobed in fondant. I am telling you that this pastry is as bold as the Emperor of France Himself (whatever that means). When you bite into this delicious treat the custard and the fresh whipped cream will ooze out. The question you will ask us is, “how did you cut it so perfectly?” The dry flaky pastry in contrast to the custard and whipped cream ooze, along with the sweet fondant; I am left speechless. I thought I was going to write pages about how much I love this dessert, but I think you can see that I truly do have a complex about the Napoleon.
The history of this pastry is that it is called a mille-feuille. The name appears to come from napolitain, the French adjective for the Italian city of Naples, but altered by association with the name of Emperor Napoleon I of France. There is no evidence to connect the pastry to the emperor himself.
In France, a Napoléon is a kind of mille-feuille filled with almond paste. It was earlier called "gâteau de mille-feuilles" 'cake of a thousand leaves'.
No matter what you call it. This pastry I cannot say enough about it. Creamy, flaky, and totally yum!!! On Fridays and sometimes Saturdays you can buy this wonderful treat from the Swiss Haus Bakery on 19th street in Philadelphia. You can also special order it as a cake or in smaller forms for a mini pastry tray. This is a must try if you like custard and whipped cream.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Water, Egg, Milk, Butter, Cream, Shortening, Chocolate and Oil. (and a napkin)
Pear and Peach Frangipane
“You make me smile.”
This pastry starts with a butter tart dough crust, almond cake, with a hint of raspberry, almond slices, and topped off with Peaches and Pears. This dessert reminds me of South Beach in Florida. It is bright and sunny. It is such a classy dessert I can see being served it at a ritzy Miami party where everybody has a great tan, is wearing white linen pants, white linen shirt, and shoes with no socks. It is so bright and sunny that you may have to wear sunglass while eating it. Serve this pastry to your Rittenhouse Square Guests and make everybody smile.
Ingredients: Butter Tart Dough Crust, Almond Cake, Peaches and Pears with a Hint of Raspberry
Pecan Diamond
“Look No Further!”
The Pecan Diamond is up there with my favorites in the shop. It starts out with a butter short bread crust with brown sugar and honey pecans on top. The result is a chewy pecan pie tasting treat that is a great substitute for a brownie. The baby is sweet and good. The Pecan diamond is a great item to put in your freezer for those late night snacks.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Cream, Butter, Nuts
Rocky Road Brownie
“Got Milk!”
The Rocky Road Brownie is a thick, fudgy brownie that will require a tall glass of milk to finish. Each bite is dense fudge, mushy marshmallows, and a nut (the nut is not me). It is a classic fudgy chocolate brownie, baked with walnuts, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. We may offer you a 12 step program if we find you coming back daily for it. Weekly is ok. This brownie also goes great as part of a pastry tray, or party tray.
The Swiss Haus Rum cake is a three layer vanilla-almond-sponge cake, filled with a rum butter cream, covered in crushed cashew nuts. The rum flavoring is so unique and full bodied that you will be amazed this there is no alcohol in it. The sweet cashews balance out the rum. This cake comes in many sizes beginning with a personal size, a 2-3 person size, up to feed Hundreds of party guests. This cake makes a flavorful wedding cake. Just like the Pirates who sailed the Caribbean and enjoyed the sweet taste of rum, you too can sail by 35 S. 19th Street in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse square, take a bite and say “Arrr Maties!”
The cherry star pastry is a dryer flaky dough pastry filled with cherries drizzled with fondant. It makes a great breakfast treat.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, water, Oil, Chocolate.
Strawberry Short Cake
“the dalai’s choice”
This is one of our most popular items. So popular that when the Dalai Lama was in Philadelphia in July 2007 for his birthday, Swiss Haus bakery had the honor of baking a strawberry shortcake for his Holiness’s birthday. Yes, this is true. If it is good enough for the Dalai Lama, it should be good enough for you.
Our whipped cream is made fresh for each cake. For this reason, we don’t stock strawberry short cakes in our case. We always have the Strawberry short cake squares which feed 1 to 2 people. But the full sized cakes must be ordered. The cake is so fluffy and the whipped cream is fresh and amazing. Each bite is a wonderful blend of fresh whipped cream, strawberries, and cake. This cake is one of our most popular pastries in the shop.
This is one of our prettiest looking desserts. So if you having a classy party you may want to stop here. This Cream puff pastry is filled with fresh whipped cream and strawberries topped with toasted almonds and light shower of powdered sugar. The original name of this pastry is Paris Brest named after a French bicycle race that started in Paris and ended in Brest France. The round shape is supposed to resemble a bicycle tire. We’ We’.
Tiramisu
“It’s a classic.”
Vanilla Sponge Cake Brushed with Coffee, Topped with Classic Tiramisu.
Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream
“Yep!”
Yep is right! Chocolate and Vanilla. A crowd pleaser. This is a two layer vanilla almond sponge cake with swiss chocolate butter cream. Rolled in chocolate shavings. The cake square can also be made in any of our cake sizes on a special order basis.
Ingredients: Flour, Sugar, Egg, Butter, Cream, Shortening, and Chocolate
Vanilla cup cake
Who you callin’ Cupcake!?!
The cake body is like a vanilla pound cake with vanilla swiss butter cream on top. Dipped in colored sprinkles. I dare you to put this up against any of the more well know $3.00 cupcakes in the Philadelphia area. This cupcake will stand out and we are half the price. These cupcakes can be special ordered for a party, wedding or corporate event. We can put any kind or color of butter cream that you want on top including your company’s initials or colors. When a Philadelphia sports team is in the playoffs you will find this cupcake dressed in the colors of our teams’ spirit.
“Ya Mon, respect every time!” This three layered moist vanilla cake is layered with lemon infused butter cream and covered in coconut shavings. Biting into this will remind you of a cool Jamaican breeze. Great to bring to a friend’s house for a party.
Ingredients: Flour, Egg, Sugar, Cream, Butter, Shortening, Real Lemon, and Coconut Shavings.
Pecan/Raisin Sticky Buns
“Are you checking out my buns?”
Whether it is pecan or raisin that you like, these buns are sticky, gooey, tasty and just damn good. These are great in the morning with a hot cup of coffee or tea. We can also make smaller versions of them for party trays or corporate events.
Raspberry Horseshoe
“Oops, my horse stepped in Raspberry.”
This airy French flaky pastry with its casual dusting of powdered sugar and raspberry filling is a sleeper. Doesn’t look like much in the WOW department, but it packs a nice punch. If you want something that is not that sweet (even though it is dusted in powdered sugar) then this is the morning pastry for you. It goes down really easy and it enjoys a gallop to your stomach with a cup of tea. Come to our café tomorrow morning and give it a ride.
