When it comes to pastries, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps you’re thinking of croissants, and the many hybrid creations it has sprouted, such as croffles or cronuts. You might even be thinking of some cream-filled choux, or perhaps, a Danish pastry.
But chances are, most people will not think of canelés as their pastry of choice. Not because it isn’t delicious, by any means, but because it’s simply a lesser-known, and hence less accessible, treat.
Tucked within Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC), Burrow is an elegant little oasis that offers just that—canelés.
Behind the business is a trio who co-owns the business—Aimie, her husband Zarir, and her brother Zhafri.
Aimie herself is the founder, having developed a hobby for baking pastries and brewing coffee before Burrow was formed. After all, she herself was an avid coffee drinker with a sweet tooth.
Originally from Ipoh, Aimie had obtained a degree in Information System, and was operating a gas station business with her husband for some time.
But when the pandemic happened and the world went on pause, the couple began regrouping and rethinking about their next steps. There was a desire there to tap into their interests and create something of their own.
“We searched for a niche in the cafe scene and decided to open a specialty canelés shop, as there was none in Malaysia,” Aimie explained.
With that, Burrow was born.
What’s a canelé?
In Malaysia, canelés are a rarer treat still. There are some bakeries that offer it, but it’s not exactly a ubiquitous pastry the way a baguette or croissant may be.
Due to this, many might not know what a canelé is. You might recognise its dark brown exterior and fluted cylinder shape, but you might not know of the caramelised crunch it offers, as well as the custardy vanilla flavours that smoothly cover your tongue.
A traditional French pastry from Bordeaux, these pastries are typically flavored with rum and vanilla. Unlike the traditional canelés, Burrow’s is Muslim-friendly without any use of rum.
Furthermore, Burrow also uses special copper moulds imported all the way from Bordeaux and edible organic beeswax, which helps create that crisp outer skin that protects the canelés’ shape.
Burrowing into the business
Burrow began as a “family affair,” as Aimie described it. She expressed gratitude over the strong support she received from her parents and husband, which allowed everything to fall into place smoothly.
“You know how rabbits live in burrows to stay safe? I wanted to make my cafe a little safe space for people to enjoy, thus giving me the idea for the name Burrow,” she said about her cafe.
Since the beginning, that has always been Aimie’s focus, alongside baking delicious canelés.
“I’d say nothing has really changed, at least not significantly,” Aimie said, reflecting on the past four years. “Burrow has thrived through the years by keeping our offerings simple which maximise our impact in the industry and helped us sustain over time.”
Staying relevant
Typically, cafes and restaurants often expand their menu offerings over the years, perhaps as a way to attract more customers or to allow the chefs to flex their creative and culinary muscles.
For Burrow, though, they’ve stayed steadfast to their core offerings of coffee and canelés.
“The reason is like I mentioned earlier: our goal was to just focus on canelés, which is what we’re known for,” Aimie asserted.
In a way, the founder believes that Burrow has played a role in popularising the pastry though, which is good in terms of awareness, but tricky in terms of competition.
However, she also believes that Burrow’s consistency has helped them stay relevant in KL’s more and more populated pastry scene.
True to their values of consistency, Burrow plans on just focusing on their one BSC location whilst supplying their canelés to other cafes.
Fulfilling the vision
In conversation with Vulcan Post, Aimie had not been a woman of many words. “Keep things simple, always!” was her response to what she aimed to achieve in the future.
One thing was clear—she loves canelés, and she simply wants to spread this sincere love with others through Burrow.
Rather than expand in terms of physical locations or menu offerings, Burrow simply wants to expand the reach of their canelés through their one humble bakeshop.
When asked about advice for other baking entrepreneurs, Aimie mused, “Our advice would be to have a vision, find your niche, and to be persistent.”
These are all virtues that she has embodied over the years. And it seems that she is satisfied with the results so far. “My vision was to share our love for canelés, and I think that it has been achieved, yes.”
Featured Image Credit: Burrow