By Amy Batista, Special Writer
EAST WINDSOR — Scooper’s Gourmet Ice Cream store has expanded this year and is now featuring baked goods for its customers.
Scooper’s Gourmet Ice Cream officially opened under new ownership in May 2013 in the Wawa Shopping Center at 104 Hickory Corner Road.
Dawn Martin and Jayson Nardoza, of West Windsor, are the co-owners of the establishment.
"We started (selling baked goods) on Feb. 15," said Mr. Nardoza. "We are doing great. It’s a full scale bakery."
They carry a sorted variety of puff pastries, muffins, croissants, cakes, donuts, Danish and more.
"Puff pastries are what I am most proud of," he said. "That’s my specialty. That’s what I enjoy doing."
Scooper’s has seating for up to 40 patrons and serves a range of treats, including the award-winning Thomas Sweet ice cream, customized cakes, customized ice cream sandwiches, signature sundaes, Italian ices, premium soft serve ice cream, frozen yogurt, sugar-free items and other novelties.
"They are always fresh and are always so nice the people," said Michelle Sabo, of East Windsor. "A couple of weeks ago I came with friends for ice cream and we tried the pastries and they were so good that my husband I keep coming back. It’s just a neat place."
She said one of her favorite pastries is the raspberry cigar.
The store now offers three different types of cakes.
"We do a regular bakery cake," he said. "We do an ice cream cake and we do a cake with ice cream filling."
He said he has been creating specialty cakes since he was 16 years old.
"We don’t do pies yet," he said.
He said the trick with the donut is when you eat it at seven o’clock in the morning, is going to taste the same at seven o’clock at night and keeping it "soft" the whole time.
"Actually, most people get them at the end of the night so they have them for the next day," he said. "It’s weird. People think you sell most of them in the morning and you don’t. Most of the bakery business comes at night."
The store is working on carrying a line of gluten-free baked goods.
"We are getting a brand new line of muffins that we are doing now which are gluten-free," he said, adding they are banana-nut and chocolate chip.
They had samples out in the store that the afternoon for customers to try.
Ms. Sabo was there buying pastries and trying out a new pastry.
"The two ladies loved them," said Ms. Martin. "They didn’t have any idea."
The texture is just unbelievable, he added.
"We are partnering up with a person that we know and she is going to be providing them," he said. "She has been developing them for the past 18 years. She was diagnosed with celiac disease and she had to find an alternative."
Ms. Martin noted they wanted to give something to the people who always come in.
"Something that they can have that is gluten-free," she said.
Mr. Nardoza said he was just brought the samples by his friend to try and will be offering the line soon at the store.
"I was thoroughly impressed," he said. "I can’t wait. We will be one of the only people around here with this line."
The owners also started "dabbling" in making their own homemade fresh raviolis – cheese and spinach.
"They are all handmade," he said. "They are the best you will ever have."

