Bruno's Bakery: A Valentine's Day Treat In Freehold Township

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — Here's a reminder for pastry lovers: Bruno's Bakery, the new spot on West Main Street, has taken pastry to a new level for Valentine's Day.

The Settepani family opened Bruno's Italian Bake Shop and Gelateria at356 W. Main St. in mid-November.

And an adjacent seasonal gelato shop is set to open sometime in spring 2023.

But now is the time to sample some of the bakery's Valentine's Day creations.

Chef Joseph Settepani is putting his own spin on the classics, the bakery says in a news release.

The Bruno’s Bakery expansion brought the family here in November. The Staten Island bakery, known for its Italian baked fancies, chose Freehold Township for its first New Jersey location, the bakery says. It's not far from Freehold Borough on Route 537.

And he has put out a reminder to the pastry-loving public of what it might discover at Bruno's Bakery as we approach the big day. Decisions, decisions!:

• Classic Italian seven-layer cookies (styled in a Valentine-colored rainbow).
• Heart-shaped Crème Brulée Bomboloni (a spin on the classic Italian crème filled doughnut).
• Heart-shaped butter cookies marble of pink and white.
• Heart-shaped large Linzer cookies.
• Pink and Black cookies with rich fudge frosting and pink, red and white pearls.
• Pink, red and white meringues.
• Cake balls (red velvet, funfetti, vanilla, brownie).
• Crunchy Valentine’s pretzel rods.
• Rich chocolate-covered Oreo cookies.
• Valentine cookie kits.
• Chocolate dots with red, white and pink nonpareils.
• Decorated cupcakes and layer cakes.
• A sweet Valentine chocolate bark.

Settepani decided to pursue a career as a pastry chef, with a passion for the pastry world and to follow and support his father’s legacy, the bakery says.

He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2012, and interned for Chef Gary Rulli in San Francisco at Emporio Rulli.

In 2013, he was selected to intern at the French Pastry School in Chicago as a pastry chef assistant, where he had an opportunity to work with renowned pastry chefs, according to his bio.

Since completing his internship at the French Pastry School, he has been overseeing and forming the creative ideas for Bruno's Bakery.

In 2019, Settepani joined the Institute of Culinary Education as pastry chef instructor, allowing him to share his talent with a new generation of pastry chefs.