Tag: paris pastry

eclair

Top 5 Things to Try in a Paris Bakery (Aside from a Croissant!)

Your visit to Paris will certainly be punctuated with visits to museums and other landmarks, but you’d be missing out if you passed up the opportunity to sample a treat or two at a Parisian bakery.

With boulangeries on nearly every street corner, you’ll have more than a few opportunities to sample the legendary French bread and pastries. And while everyone has heard of the famous croissant, there are a few lesser-known bakery staples that deserve a second glance.

1. Eclair

The name of this pastry comes from the French word for “lightning” – presumably because that’s how quickly you finish it once you’ve had a bite! An éclair is made with choux pastry, an eggy batter that cooks up airy and light. The logs of pastry are then filled with pastry cream – chocolate and coffee are the most common flavors, but some specialty shops like Eclair de Génie have come out with innovative versions like passion fruit or gianduja.

2. Almond Croissant

Not for the faint of heart, this buttery pastry starts with a croissant base which is filled with a sweetened almond paste, similar to marzipan. The croissant is usually topped with slivered almonds and a powdered sugar blizzard, transforming what is usually seen as a breakfast staple into the perfect sweet dessert.

3. Palmier

Also sometimes known as elephant ears in the States, these buttery pastries are named for their resemblance to the leaves of palm trees. A palmier is made with a simple combo of flaky puff pastry and sugar for a giant cookie that’s the perfect mid-afternoon snack.

4. Flan Pâtissier

While it shares a name with the South American dessert, French flan is a horse of a different color. This eggy custard sets up firm, making it easier to eat than South American flan. It’s usually baked in a tart shell, marrying the best of custard and pie in one delicious, vanilla-scented treat.

5. Moelleux Au Chocolat

Chocoholics, you’ve met your match with the moelleux. This miniature chocolate cake is just barely set in the middle, for an unctuous chocolate experience you won’t soon forget.

Top image care of Marc Kjerland

galette des rois

The Low-Down on French King Cake (And Where to Find it in Paris!)

France may no longer have a king, but we do have King Cake, a traditional dessert you’ll find in pastry shops all over the country just in time for Epiphany on January 6th.

While King Cake, or galette des rois, was once a Catholic tradition associated with the arrival of the three wise men at the birthplace of Jesus, in secular France, the cake has become more of a celebration of the New Year: you’ll find galettes on French tables from the beginning of January through to the end of February – and with it, an intriguing tradition.

What Is King Cake?

Unlike in New Orleans, where King Cake is made with a brioche dough and brightly colored icing, in France, galette is a combination of buttery puff pastry and frangipane, a sweetened almond-based paste similar to marzipan.

Most galettes are big enough to share, though you’ll also find individual portioned ones, as well as galettes with added flavors, like pistachio, coconut, or chocolate.

How Do You Eat a King Cake?

King Cake is not eaten like other pastries: there is a ritual involved in galettes, and it begins with the youngest member of the party getting under the table.

You see, each King Cake contains a fève: in the past, a fava bean was used, though most modern galettes contain instead a porcelain trinket, hidden in one of the pieces. Once the youngest member of the party is under the table, the galette is sliced, and as the slicer points to each piece, the names of the other members of the party are called out from under the table, assigning each slice to a diner.

Once each person has his or her slice, it’s time to dig in, but attention! The fève can be hard on the teeth if you’re not expecting it. The person with the fève in his or her slice gets to be king (or queen) of the day, sporting a golden paper crown that is sold with the galette itself.

Where Can I Try one?

While galettes are sold in nearly every pastry shop in the capital, there are a few that are noteworthy.

Pierre Hermé, for example, is a master not only of the macaron but of the galette: his version is available in plain, chocolate, and ispahan varieties (the last is a fruity combination of rose, raspberry, and litchi.) The unique spiral design of the top of the galette is reflected in the abstract shape of the fève within.

Benoit Castel is another favorite this year: his inverted puff pastry is crisper and lighter than most, and his traditional filling is elevated thanks to Madagascar vanilla. The fèves were produced in collaboration with le Coq Toqué, a producer of artisanal Normandy apple cider: some Kings will also win a bottle of the cider for a very regal tasting indeed!

Discovered any other delicious galettes in Paris? Tell us about your favorites in the comments or on Facebook.

Image care of Steph Gray