By Jay Clough
When owners Orlando Artavilla and Toula Ploumidis opened Candied in 2012 on Hudsons Road in Spotswood few could have predicted just how beloved this little bakery would become. For Spotswood locals, Candied has become an indispensable part of life, and in many ways, the meeting point for the community. Young parents catch up as they wait for takeaway coffee. Neighbours say “g’day” and exchange tales of the weekend in the bread queue.
For me, as much as I love the social aspect of Candied, it’s all about the baked goods. Candied churns out one of the most diverse offerings of any bakery in Melbourne, and to be honest, I’m not sure how they managed it out of such a small space. From pretzel caramel tarts to vanilla slice donuts, reuben sandwiches to some of Melbourne’s best spanakopita, and house made hot dogs to swirls of stunning soft serve; if you can’t find something that interests you at Candied, you may not like food.
A few personal highlights from my numerous visits over the years: dense, chewy loops of fougasse, brushed with deeply savoury garlic oil, bejewelled with spicy jalapeno, and framed by a crunchy cheddar lattice. A creamy, cheesy Polish style bialy, Artavilla’s signature chewy sourdough wrapped around a gooey, fragrant roast artichoke mornay. But how could any discussion of Candied overlook that tres leches cake. Deceptively simple, Candied’s most popular slice is a light vanilla sponge, completely saturated in a sweet condensed milk, and topped with whipped cream. Served cold, it somehow retains its shape, and manages to not be oversweet. If you’ve never had the pleasure, add a slice of this cake to your Melbourne foodie bucket list.
But now, a new chapter beckons for Candied, in the form of a dramatic expansion in facilities. Candied has opened the doors of their new home at 136 Hall Street, Spotswood, (the former Two Birds Brewing site). With a considerably bigger space and the addition of dine-in tables, the little local bakery that could is finally going big time.
candiedbakery.com.au
0497103428
