Michele StuevenAt Urban Dessert Lab, sisters and founders Courtney Blagrove and Zan B.R. create innovative spins on nostalgic foods, drawing inspiration from their childhood experiences with cuisine, by enhancing the taste and texture of well-known and popular foods.
“We introduced what we call the Bruleesant,” Blagrove tells L.A. Weekly, “It’s a brûléed croissant that pairs the sweet, crunchy, slightly charred coating of creme brûlée with the flakiness of classic croissant.” There’s also a savory spin on the French classic in the West Hollywood Black woman-owned modern dessert shop — the Cavissant, a croissant highlighted by truffle oil and seeds, crowned with seaweed caviar.
Bruleésant Paired with a mousse-inspired crème (Courtesy UDL)
The sisters, who were recently recognized as one of ESPN’s Champion Black Businesses for 2024, have developed what they call the Line & Layer Technique in their ice cream collection which includes flavors like chocolate peanut butter pretzel, coffee waffle crunch and strawberry shortcake.
“We noticed that other ice crème shops would place toppings only on the top of an ice cream cone or cup,” says Zan. “Our technique coats the bottom, sides and top of the ice crème dessert with your chosen sauce or crumbles so guests experience the flavor and texture of their creation in every bite. Other brands have caught on to our technique.”
The sisters opened their first brick-and-mortar location in New York City’s Lower East Side in 2020 to an overwhelming reception and decided to move the plant-based business to Los Angeles after popular demand from the local vegan community. They also carry a cake and cookie collection.
The pair is always working on creating innovative spins on products, and love introducing unexpected items to the menu. Urban Dessert Labs currently ships nationwide and will be adding more desserts to the shipping menu. They are also expanding catering services and plan more retail locations in the future.
“We’ve encountered many obstacles,” says Blagrove of the Black women-owned business. “However, we have learned to use our life experiences of overcoming adversity as a skillset to combat the struggles we face as entrepreneurs. We have been underestimated and repeatedly told that our product did not have a market, but our brand journey is a true testament to the phrase ‘work in silence and let success be your noise.’”
Coffee waffle crunch (Courtesy UDL)
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