Since I recently wrote about Catalan birthday parties, I thought I should list some of the places where I buy my baking supplies in Barcelona or sites that have EU shipping. As I mentioned in that post, the baking section in supermarkets here is very limited. No pure vanilla extract. No chocolate chips. Powdered sugar is a plastic shaker bottle. You will have to find baking powder in the another section. And flour in another.
Keyks in Madrid: An extensive retail and online store with super fast shipping and great customer service that has nearly everything you need for cake baking, decorating, candy making and the latest cake trend, "cake pops". I ordered powdered sugar by the kilo (it comes in a plastic bag) and rolled fondant from here. Owner Isabel also stocks lots of Wilton supplies, baking pans WITHOUT teflon (and some with non-stick also), and some cute cupcake liners. Keyks even has online cake decorating classes.
Sole Graells: Catering more to restaurants, caterers and professional chefs Sole Graells stocks a lot of ingredients that the average home baker won't need. Although it is fun browsing the chemistry-looking appliances used for creating the foams and gels that were popular at El Bulli. If you are hosting a party, you can also find lots of fun accessories for displaying and serving food, like test tubes for shots of gazpacho. At Sole Graells, I have bought food colorings, dark brown sugar, ready-made cake flowers and cake decorating gadgets. If you really want to stock up on pure vanilla extract they have a huge bottle; in addition to lots of other great aromas, extracts and spices.
Químics Dalmau: This is a real drugstore/chemist selling raw chemical ingredients. I have bought cream of tartar (crémor tártaro) and pectin (pectina) here, which you order by the gram and receive in a little baggy. They also stock lots of essential oils, nut oils and aromas. They have a store in Barcelona and will also ship to you if you phone in an order.
DeliShop: Several shops throughout Barcelona, and soon online, sell some baking supplies from the USA along with other hard-to-find international imports and gourmet items. I buy Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract from DeliShop. You will also find cake mixes, maple syrup, chocolate chips and even marshmallows. Expect to pay mouth dropping prices for a box of Cheerios, but every now and then it is worth every euro.
Fabulous Baking Company: Visiting this bakery and cooking store has been on my list since I heard about it last year. I still can't believe I haven't been there! According to their website, they will have online shopping soon. In addition to a great bakery (from my sources who have been here), FBC has baking and cooking classes and a well-stocked baking supply and gadget boutique. Since I haven't been there, I can't say for certain, but according to their website photos it looks like they stock some American baking ingredients like vanilla extract, corn syrup, Crisco, Wilton products and tons of fun gadgets. I promise to go there this summer, even if it means eating a brownie and abandoning my "operacion bikini" efforts.
Vinçon: An upscale modern-design furniture and homegoods store in the Eixample of Barcelona that sells a wide range of fun cooking and baking gadgets. Vinçon sells lots of silicone baking moulds, pastry decorating tools, high-end kitchen mixers and small appliances.
Cooking, The Kitchen Company: A great kitchen gadget and cooking store, also in the Eixample. The store carries lots of solid brands such as Le Creuset, Lekue, Emile Henry, Staub, Cuisinart, KitchenAid, OXO and Kenwood.
I am sure there are many other great resources for baking and cooking supplies? Know of any in Barcelona or stores that have great EU shipping rates? Add it in the comments and I will put it on the list. Muchas Gracias!
