Sweet Genius

 

Yesterday, I visited Sweet Genius Manchester to sample their new Afternoon Tea menu. 

Opened in March 2020, Sweet Genius initially started offering a delivery and collection service for sweet treats and cakes. A trained pastry chef for over 15 years, owner Cherrelle wanted to bring something new to Manchester; with a cosy, welcoming environment serving high quality, home made treats. During the easing of restrictions towards the end of 2020, Sweet Genius also hosted several supper clubs which were a great success.

In time Cherrelle & brother Jordan hope to develop the space as a training academy for new pastry chefs, not only focusing on cooking but also improving working environments within the hospitality and catering industry. 

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Upon entering Sweet Genius I immediately noticed the beautiful decor. With a mixture of neon and floral, this intimate space felt cosy and inviting. I also loved the balloon arch- the colours were just beautiful and complimented the interior colour scheme perfectly.

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The afternoon tea consisted of:

- freshly baked brioche sandwiches;

- freshly baked scones; and

- a selection of sweet treats.

There were also a number of different teas on offer, including a Manchester blend (similar to English Breakfast tea) and flavoured teas such as vanilla or honey. I’m not a huge flavoured tea person so I opted for the Manchester blend which was delicious.

The brioche buns were absolutely unreal. You get four sandwiches which can be customised to your liking.

I opted to try all of the available flavours which included:

- homemade pickle & mature cheddar cheese on a black sesame bun;

- hummus, feta, tomato and rocket on a red pepper bun;

- jerk beef, coriander & crispy shallot rings on a black sesame bun; and

- prawn ‘cocktail’ & iceberg lettuce on a black pepper bun.

The first thing to note is that the brioche bread was freshly baked. I think this really sets Sweet Genius apart from its competitors as so many venues offer bread that is often left out too long and has gone slightly stale. You could really tell that Sweet Genius' bread was freshly baked.

Every sandwich tasted amazing. They were full of flavours and the brioche buns complimented them so well. My favourite was probably the hummus & feta bun- it was full of flavour!

Scones are one of my favourite parts of an afternoon tea- they just have a real quintessential English feel. Sweet Genius offered three different options, with two choices available to guests. 

The options were:

- plain scone served with whipped butter;

- chocolate scone stuffed with double chocolate ganache; and

- fruit scone served with clotted cream and jam.

I opted for the fruit scone as this is always my favourite. I have never tried a chocolate scone so I was really intrigued to see what it was like. All I can say is wow. The chocolate chips were amazing and I particularly loved the chocolate ganache filling- perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. As the scones were quite small it wasn’t too sweet or overpowering. I highly recommend! 

There were also a selection of cakes, including:

- brownie bite with hazelnut crumb;

- blondie bite with vanilla crumb;

- mini white chocolate cookie cheesecake; and

- mini milk chocolate cookie cheesecake.

Be warned the cakes are extremely rich but amazing!! All homemade from scratch and filled with flavour. The brownie bite was definitely my favourite out of them all though!

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Sweet Genius is located at:

592 Bolton Road,

Pendlebury,

Manchester,

M27 4ET

For more information or bookings, follow their Instagram page by clicking here.

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This was hands down one of the best afternoon teas I’ve ever tried and I would highly recommend a visit to Sweet Genius. Thank you so much for having me - I already can’t wait to visit again! 

*Please note that although this post is sponsored, all views and opinions are my own.