Although the number of stores that cater to gluten-free customers is increasing each year, there are still very few cake stores that specialize in gluten-free cakes, which makes them very valuable.In the midst of all this, we visited AMU CHOCO, which operates a gluten-free cake specialty store in Higashi-Sapporo, Shiroishi-ku.Here is a repo of the “Rice Flour Farbreton” that was so delicious and impressive, as well as the cake we took out.
The store name “AMU CHOCO” comes from “knitting” + “chocolate.
AMU CHOCO opened in April 2004 in Higashi-Sapporo as a knitting class and sweets cafe, and has long been a favorite of many people.
In April 2024, the restaurant will celebrate a whopping 20 years since its opening, and it is a popular restaurant in the community that has begun its 21st year.
The store name “AMU CHOCO” means “knitting” and “chocolate.
Mother and sister Sayuri, a knitting instructor, teach knitting classes, and sister Maki, a pastry chef, is in charge of cakes.
Maki, who trained at a famous patisserie in the city, creates authentic pastries with a well established base, from gateau chocolates and tarts to baked goods.
AMU CHOCO’s cakes, which have a cute, café-like essence added to them, have gained popularity and are loved by many people.
All of AMU CHOCO’s cakes have been gluten-free since 2021.
Until then, the cakes were made with wheat, but in 2018, the creator, Maki, developed an allergy to wheat.
While struggling with his own health problems, he tried a variety of solutions through trial and error, and finally came to the decision to switch from wheat to rice flour.
It took about two years to change all the menu items to gluten-free, interspersed with a period of self-restraint from the Corona disaster.
In developing the cakes, Maki says the key point he focused on was “to make the cakes taste as good as they had ever tasted before.
Certainly, then, the regulars can accept it without any discomfort!
With that, he overcame various hardships, such as cleaning the restaurant and installing new ovens, and relaunched the restaurant as a gluten-free specialty restaurant.
Now widely recognized as “the rice-flour sweet that is Amu Choco,” the store has become a favorite of not only its original fans, but also those who are cutting back on wheat.
AMU CHOCO’s commitment to rice flour sweets
Basic lineup of gluten-free cakes and baked goods
(several different types daily)
・gateau chocolate
・Pure Raw Roll Cake
・Seasonal Fruit Tart
・chiffon (cake)
・cheese cake
・custard pudding
・Lemon Butter Cake
・Farbreton.
・Muffins
・Cookies
etc…
All menu items served at AMU CHOCO are gluten-free.
Carefully selected domestic rice flour is used in cakes and baked goods to achieve a texture as good as wheat.
The deliciousness of the ingredients, such as high-quality eggs, dairy products, and seasonal fruits from Hokkaido, is emphasized and the sweetness is kept to a minimum.
Tarts and muffins made with seasonal fruits are only available for a limited time, so be sure to check the official SNS frequently.
At the time of my visit, tart muffins were being made from Yoichi-grown, pesticide-free apples!＾＾
From AMUCHOCO official Instagram
In front of the refrigerated showcase.
It may sound like a pain, but all of the choices are gluten-free.
Order the tempting dessert “Farbreton”.
Café menu list.
In addition to a selection of cake sets from the showcase, the restaurant usually offers cake and muffin sets, pudding parfaits, Farbleton dessert plates, and more.
Farbreton is on the menu!(happy)
It’s been a popular menu item since before the renewal to rice flour!！
I love it myself, but it’s a rustic pastry, so it doesn’t really stand out.…
ファーブルトン（far breton）
A traditional pastry from Brittany, France, made with eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and other ingredients and baked with seasonal fruits.
Far” means similar porridge with milk, and “breton” means from Brittany.
It is sometimes described as being like a thick-baked crepe because of its savory surface and springy texture inside.
I thought it was hard to find a store that carried them until now…
I never thought I would find a gluten free Farbreton here!
It is no exaggeration to say that Farbleton’s greatest charm lies in its rustic appearance.
But since Amu Choco has many other attractive sweets, it may be easy to miss out.
What does gluten-free Farbreton taste like?
I ordered the drink set with coffee (1,100 yen).
The cute arrangement of mini ice creams, pure whipped cream, fruit, and Halloween cookies on the side is exciting!
Farbreton baked in small round molds for one person.
The restaurant heats up each order and serves it hot, so you can enjoy the crispy and savory outside and the sticky inside.
The beautiful baking color is a sight to behold!
Amu Choco’s Farbreton with sweet potatoes.
The cross section looks like this.
The moist and sticky dough is unique.If I had to use a metaphor, I would say it is like a bread pudding.
But of course, it is not bread or flour, but rice flour dough.
The first bite is a bite of the food as it is.
The slightly buttery surface is savory, and the inside is very moist and soft.
It has moderate elasticity, but it should be described as porridge rather than rice cake-like.
The gentle sweetness of the sweet potatoes in the cologne enhances its deliciousness.
It is delicious enough on its own, but you can enjoy a different taste when served with the accompanying ice cream or pure whipped cream.
Both ice cream and whipped cream are “just the right amount” to make you happy!
Can you feel this exquisiteness?
The rice-flour fabreton was developed to be similar to the wheat fabreton that was once popular on the menu.
I personally thought that even though it is rice flour, it is not too glutinous, and its soft and fluffy texture rather exceeds the taste of wheat.
Incidentally, the coffee we received as part of the set was Mitsumoto Coffee’s “Sunshine Blend.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to support school lunches in developing countries through the UN WFP.
https://www.mmc-coffee.co.jp/sdgs/redcup/
The coffee was a unique blend of Hokkaido beans, with a deep-roasted, aromatic flavor.(*^^*)
Frozen items are also available for takeout.
In addition to the cakes in the refrigerated showcase, some cakes are sold frozen.
Products include gateau chocolates, muffins, and scones, which change daily, so be sure to check here when you visit.
If it’s a frozen product, you can enjoy Amchoco’s cake on a slow day!(*^^*)
This time, we took out three refrigerated cakes.
The reduced-chemical Yoichi apples used in the tart were also available in front of the showcase, so I took them home with me.
From left to right: Carrot Mini Cake (300 yen), Yoichi Apple Caramel Tart (450 yen), Mini Gateau Chocolat (280 yen)
The carrot cake is topped with cranberry and blueberry cheese.The soft and gentle carrot flavor goes well with the sour cheese.
The tart, baked with an apple and caramel cream filling, has a deep, rich, autumnal flavor.I like the way the tart dough blends with the filling and is just the right amount of moist.
And mini gâteau chocolates in milk chocolate.
It was a rich yet somehow gentle gâteau chocolat.It melts softly in the mouth, leaving a slight chocolate aftertaste.
I didn’t eat all of these at once (lol).
All of the cakes are not too sweet, so you can peruse them without feeling guilty.
The fact that it does not put a burden on the stomach after eating may be because it is made of rice flour.
AMU CHOCO Store Information
AMU CHOCO has been a favorite in Sapporo for more than 20 years as a cafe offering knitting classes and sweets.
After overcoming a difficult situation in which the owner developed a wheat allergy, the café was reborn as a gluten-free cake store.
The owner’s efforts to develop the cake as close as possible to its former form have made the store a favorite among former fans as well as those who are cutting back on wheat.
Maki, the owner of the restaurant, was a lovely woman with a lively smile who said that going gluten-free had stabilized her own health.
Maki, do you have any plans for the future?
Although the rising cost of living is troubling us these days, we hope to continue to do so for a long, long time!
I hope that they will continue to make gentle cakes that make people’s hearts feel at home.
Thank you for taking the time to read this to the end.
※The information in this article is current as of our visit in October 2024.For the latest information, please visit the official SNS below.
| store name | AMU CHOCO |
| address | 1-7-32, Higashisapporo 1-jo, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo Open Map |
| Access | 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Higashi-Sapporo Station on the Subway Tozai Line. |
| phone | 011-833-0208（Support during business hours） |
| Business Hours | ・cafe：13:00-19:00（LO18:30) ・knitting class：11:00-17:30 ※Lunch business will end in 2022. |
| regular closing day | Monday and Tuesday (irregular holidays) ☆Please check our official Instagram for hours of operation and holidays. |
| parking lot | No parking |
| cashless payment | PayPay support |
| number of seats | 10 seats |
| accompanied by children | OK |
| Official SNS | Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amuchoco_sapporo https://www.facebook.com/amuchoco2004417 X（twitter） https://x.com/amuchoco_staff |
| Official HP | https://amuchoco.com/ ＊Click here for more information about knitting classes. |
| External Sites | Tabelog https://tabelog.com/hokkaido/A0101/A010301/1003074/ |
| remarks | Please check the official SNS for the latest information on flea market and other events. |
