Welcome to my newest feature, SnackTime With Jen. This midweek morsel is a small taste of something fun. Topics range from food (of course) to fashion, amusing little discoveries both locally and abroad, and a variety of interesting intel too tempting not to share. So let’s get snacking…
The last time I was in Paris I half refused and half didn’t have enough time to wait on the obscene line to sample some of Cedric Grolet’s outstanding and surreal confections. But since then I’ve been following his pastry and dessert techniques on Instagram and I can tell you that the man is an absolute genius. So this year I got a little smarter. I was able to “click and collect” through Cedric Grolet’s website. And although the menu from which to select is greatly reduced, they enable you to avoid the line altogether by ordering takeout via Le Meurice. So I decided to score big time with a hat trick of three Parisian treats.
The first one I sampled is called simply Almond. It’s almond gianduja, almond caramel, crispy fleur de sel, almond praline, and almond ganache layered into an amazing pastry made to look exactly like an oversized almond. HOW does he do it??? I have no unearthly idea. But let’s just say thank goodness he found a way to give these Almonds the most delicate crunch and a sweet nutty flavor.
The second incredible edible is called Pinion which translated means pine nut. They come two to an order and each contains layers of crispy pine nut praline, pine nut caramel, and pine nut paste mousse all shaped to look like an oversized pine nut. It’s crispy, a touch salty, and just amazing!
The third and final sweet treat was the Paris–Brest– one of my all-time favorite snacks. A Paris–Brest is a classic French pastry featuring a crisp, almond-studded baked ring of pâte à choux that’s split in half horizontally, liberally filled with praline crème mousseline—a heady mixture of vanilla pastry cream, nutty praline paste, and whipped butter—and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. At Cedric’s, he uses a cocoa hazelnut ring, adds a layer of caramel crème, and tops the ethereal concoction with flaked almonds. There are almost no words for how light, soft, sweet, and dreamy this wonder tastes.
Although I walked in expecting greatness I was truly blown away by Cedric Grolet’s mastery. He is a true Parisian artisan who delights in creating whimsical desserts with spectacular flavors. He makes enjoying dessert fun for the eyes as well as the mouth. Welcome to Jen’s Little Black Book, Cedric. It’s been an absolute pleasure to follow you online and an even greater honor to have snacked on some of your picture perfect prized pastries.
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