There are such things as the secrets of the trade, yet with the ongoing passion for food, chefs have become celebrities willing to share some of their skills. If you have a sweet tooth, and a nose that appreciates the bouquet of an artisan bread, Paris is the place for you discerning foodies.
Laurent Duchêne and L’Exquise Baguette
A pâtisserie teacher at the famed Le Cordon Bleu School, Laurent Duchêne was named best French craftsman as a pastry chef in 1993. But, after opening his own pâtisserie he soon decided to test himself at bread-making, which he considers more complex. Not only did he excel at this too, since then he has become an expert at the kneading-trough.
To add style to expertise, Duchêne is assisted by his wife Kyoko, a chef of Japanese origin who artfully designs the products. His baguette named “L’exquise” has become his trademark while other types of bread are inspired by seasonal change. Laurent Duchêne shares a few tips for bread-making by insisting on:
- A good quality flour, rich in gluten for elasticity
- Fresh yeast instead of synthetic yeast
- No additives, unlike in industrial bread-making
- Flour-dusted dough while kneading to prevent sticking
- A regular oven (without ventilation)
- A shiny crust by sprinkling dough with water or oil before baking
Another tip of Laurent Duchêne is to wrap cooked bread in a clean towel to let it breathe, and to keep it at room temperature.
Laurent Duchêne - 2, rue de Wurtz - Paris 75013 (Monday-Saturday)
NEW - Laurent Duchêne / La Pâtisserie de Kyoko - 283, rue de la Convention - 75015 Paris (Wednesday-Sunday)
Claire Damon of Des Gâteaux et du Pain
Don’t expect petit-fours or croissants in the pastry display cases of her modern pastry boutique. Claire only makes cakes she likes because, “If a cake does not give me pleasure I would rather eat an apple,” she recently told French magazine Femme Actuelle.
Claire’s ingredients of choice are of Kashmir influence: dates, oranges and saffran. Some of her signature pastry recipes include a Saint-Honoré with a mix of mango and caramel, or perhaps violet and blackcurrant. Claire delicately entwines the ingredients to get a perfect texture and a balanced taste. As a pastry chef, her advice is clearly to the point:
- Don’t try complicated recipes!
- Follow written recipes from pastry-chefs, by the gram!
- Use quality ingredients! (Untreated flour, fresh farm eggs, unrefined sugar, whole milk, fine butter, sea salt, ripe seasonal fruit).
Her sleek pastry store, designed by the same architect as Pierre Hermé's (see below), is also a bakery (hence its name) where master baker David Granger creates the most unusual and delectable breads. There, savory and sweet confections cohabit to please any tastebuds.
Claire Damon - Des Gâteaux et du Pain - 63, Blvd. Pasteur - 75015 Paris
Pierre Hermé’s Macarons and Pastry Arts
Pierre Hermé and Ladurée brand names are to a macaron what Chanel is to a fashion house, and perhaps Kenzo since the designer introduced a macaron bag in his spring 2011 collection.
From countryside recipes to pastry schools' creations, the origin of this dessert is well claimed. Some say that it was a traditional dessert in several areas of the French countryside. Then, in 1862, the Ladurée family had the idea of using ganache (a chocolate-based filling) to join the meringues. Yet, there are still whispers that the treat originated in Italy. In spite of similarities in making a meringue with ground almond, Ladurée was first to take the treat to the elaborate version known as macaron parisien.
Eventually, Pierre Hermé, a former pastry apprentice of revered chef Gaston Lenôtre, had the idea of modernising the macarons by creating fillings other than ganache. Macarons are a staple French pastry taught in pastry schools, and the two brand names dominate the market today. If both houses will share recipes, you better understand that it is a labour of love. In an interview published by French magazine Paris-Match, Pierre Hermé gives some ideas of what macaron-making is about:
- Tip #1: Measuring precisely is the secret to pastry-making.
- Difficulty #1: Producing round and smooth meringues is the point.
- Warning #1: Seeking the best quality of almonds and ingredients is a must.
Furthermore, Hermé says results will depend on your oven, the way you beat the egg whites, mix the whole preparation and, even on how you hold and handle the pastry-bag. For this reason, when Hermé officiated as a guest-chef at the famed French Pastry School of Chicago a few years ago, unfortunate applicants missed a rare opportunity.
Pierre Hermé stores - Several locations in Paris or Shop online
As for Claire Damon, she was a student of Pierre Hermé. As for Pierre Hermé, he launched Ladurée's store on the Champs-Elysées. As for your own macarons, even if you frown at the result, remember to crumble them as a topping, as your next course of action until perfection.
Sources
- Claire Damon (French site. Scroll for photographs)
- Femme Actuelle. « Recettes craquantes du boulanger et de la pâtissière. » April 25, 2011.
- Jour de France. Le Macaron, (m)ode à la délicatesse. Benoît Léty. August 2011. lafontpresse.fr
Marie-Claude Arnott - Marie-Claude Arnott writes about topics that interest her, from experience and with passion.
