Allie Godfrey
A taste of France has arrived at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market, with local pastry chef Dan introducing his handcrafted canelés to marketgoers each Friday.
After leaving school at 16 to pursue a career in pastry, Dan trained at a cooking school in London before working across France, Austria, Denmark and beyond. Now settled in the Northern Rivers for almost seven years, he has turned a long-held dream of running his own business into reality.
‘I always wanted to have a business,’ he says. ‘I thought about selling traditional pastries like croissants, but I wanted to bring something different to the area.’
That difference comes in the form of canelés – a classic French pastry with a caramelised exterior and soft, custard-like centre. Dan describes the original version as ‘a portable crème brûlée cake’. His canelés are made using rice flour, egg yolks, butter, vanilla, salt and milk sourced from Maleny Dairies, making them naturally gluten-free.
Alongside the traditional canelé, Dan offers a range of creative flavours. Current favourites include lemon meringue, cardamom crème brûlée, and the distinctive hojicha sesame praline. From 1 July, a new seasonal menu will introduce flavours such as rhubarb crumble, blueberry cheesecake, and macadamia miso caramel, while a homegrown mandarin-inspired chocolate orange creation is also under consideration.
Since joining the market, Dan says he has enjoyed connecting with the local community.
‘A lot of locals only come to the Mullumbimby Farmers Market on Fridays, so I’ve met so many people here,’ he says. ‘Every week you become more integrated into the community.’
He says the welcoming atmosphere is one of the market’s greatest strengths.
‘It feels much more personable when you’re talking to people. I really love it.’
Whether you’re discovering canelés for the first time or returning for a favourite flavour, you can find Dan every Friday at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market from 7am to 11am at the Mullumbimby Showground.
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