I had been dying to try L’Appartement 4F since they started their Parisian style baking in Brooklyn Heights. Their selection of hand-rolled croissants, slow-fermented sourdough breads, and artisanal pastries looked exquisite. But for some reason the trip to Brooklyn to wait on a line seemed just too much for me. So I waited impatiently until they opened a Manhattan location years later. And behold, their window of delight…
The hot item I wanted to sample was their Croissant Cereal, or Petite Céréale as they call it on the box. Like all of their croissant offerings, they hand roll each mini croissant by hand in their Brooklyn apartment. The micros are then baked and dehydrated before being lightly coated in a house-made cinnamon sugar syrup. They say that the result is a, “Crunchy, decadent treat that combines our love of classic French patisserie with our obsession with life’s littlest pleasures.” And I was prepared to weigh in on that claim.
I heard they only sell about ten boxes a day so I was thrilled to get my butterfingers on one, albeit for an eyewatering $50. So I wasn’t too too surprised that they had one in stock waiting for me, but it IS NYC and people here are nuts for limited edition and specialty foods. (I heard your audible gasp! I know. Me too, friends. But as our pal BF might say, “I’m doing the Lord’s work. You’re welcome.”) Anyway I also went for a gigantic squishy square of fairly priced homemade focaccia with razor thin potato slices, onions and garlic aioli– but more on that later.
Once home I carefully inspected the box. I couldn’t wait to see those little suckers up close and personal. (I was tempted to count them to do a per piece estimate but decided to skip it and just enjoy the experience.) And to nobody’s surprise they were adorable. But I wasn’t about to swamp them will milk just yet.
So I tried them in their native state first and the taste was extraordinary. Super crispy, buttery and with just a welcome hint of sweetness. Wow. And they are tiny… about the size of a nickel.
I actually made a cup of hot chocolate and used them as floaty little sugar croutons. Genius idea. They kept their crunch and were perfectly delish. I don’t know that I’d be a repeat customer for this item but only due to the extraordinary price point. But it’s definitely a fun giftable or special occasion treat for a foodie you know and love.
I then moved onto the focaccia which was an absolute win as well. The slab was think, crunchy, aromatic and the toppings were divine. It makes a great foundation for a sandwich, solid base for a runny egg or two and is the perfect solution for a carby snack attack. The portion is generous and several can happily partake of just one square.
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