London patisserie | cheriecity.co.uk

London’s Best Christmas Sweet Treats

December 21, 2017 by cheriecity

Christmas in London is real treat for those with a sweet tooth, when everything becomes spiced, mulled, glazed and packed full of gingerbread. Even better when it’s limited edition and you have an excuse to indulge.

Here are a few top picks of the city’s best festive bites…

Gingerbread croissants at Dominique Ansel Bakery

At Christmas time, Dominique Ansel Bakery in Belgravia releases limited edition pastries and cakes that you just need to try. This season’s, there’s a trio of festive yule logs, delicate Gingerbread pine cone, Rudolph mince pies, luxurious Christmas morning cereal and the most incredible and enormous Gingerbread croissant topped with pecans (my favourite).

Christmas ice cream at Gelupo

Soho gelateria Gelupo has created a range of festive ice cream inspired by traditional flavours from European cities. For the ultimate taste of Christmas, go for a mix of Gingerbread and Caramel, Panettone and Speculoos. There is also Christmas cake, Stollen, Advocaat and for the more adventurous, a savoury Roquefort, pear and walnut inspired by France.

Sleigh Girl, Sleigh at Doughnut Time

It’s hard to resist a glazed doughnut at the best of times, but Doughnut Time’s special edition Sleigh Girl, Sleigh is particularly tempting. The vibrant red glaze doughnut certainly looks the part and is topped with Hershey’s Kisses, snowflake sprinkles, silver leaf and silver balls – delicious!

Have you tried any of these festive sweet treats? What is your favourite indulgence at Christmas time?

Cafes, London

A Choux Masterclass at Sans Pere Shoreditch

November 20, 2017 by cheriecity

Choux are my favourite French treats but I never imagined I’d be able to actually make them. That was until I attended a special choux masterclass at Sans Pere, a stylish ‘lifestyle house’ that opened in Shoreditch just a few months ago.

Sans Pere incorporates an in-house patisserie, coffee and tea bar, homewares shop and architectural studio. Beautifully-designed by London firm Atelier Baulier, the bright and airy space is ever so Instagrammable with olive green walls, a marble terrazzo counter and mimosa-hued outdoor seating.

Founder Barney Goff named his debut venture Sans Pere in tribute to his late father James Goff and took inspiration from his time living in France for the patisserie.

After warming up over a pot of tea, our group moved into the private room where everything was set up for our choux masterclass. Pastry chef Roberto Mele (previously at Princi, Park Chinois and The Fat Duck) introduced us to the art of choux, sharing tips as he demonstrated how to mix the dough.

Thankfully our dough was already prepared in neat piping bags, ready for us to try our hand at little puff shapes with a flick of the nozzle at the top. Choux pastry is typically smooth, so to get that textured effect, the choux need to be topped with a thin disc of butter and brown sugar which melts and crackles over the dough as it bakes.

To avoid wasting time (and potential error), we were provided with a tray of perfectly uniform choux buns for us to fill with cool, velvety and vanilla-scented crème pâtissière. Simply pierce the bottom of the choux with a wooden stick and pipe away until it feels heavy and full.

One thing I found most surprising was that it’s actually quite easy to give your home-made choux a professional flourish. For decoration, we used a selection of milk, dark and white chocolate discs and toppings including roasted hazelnuts, freeze-dried raspberries pieces and crunchy chocolate balls. To get the drizzle effect (and stick the disc to the choux), melt some white chocolate to add to a mini piping bag and just scribble swiftly over the disc.

Once they were dry, we boxed them up and took them home to enjoy that evening. They were incredibly delicious and I was pleased that they looked the part, since I previously had no experience with fine patisserie. With Roberto’s expert instruction, I’m confident that I’ll be able to try and bake them from scratch at home.

The choux are available every day at the patisserie and while the masterclass was a one-off, it may be open to the public at some point. Sans Pere is also hosting other cool events such as brush lettering with a calligrapher, coffee brewing and Christmas shopping evenings.

Sans Pere is a real treat for lovers of relaxed cafe culture and this week sees the opening of its second outpost – a petite cocktail and dessert bar – on Hackney’s Broadway Market.

Chérie City was a guest of Sans Pere

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Atelier Baulier)

London, Patisserie

Great Patisserie at Melba at The Savoy, London

April 17, 2015 by cheriecity

The Strand just got a little bit sweeter with the opening of bijou patisserie Melba at The Savoy this week.

Located at the corner of Savoy Court, the gourmet counter is perfect for tasting executive pastry chef Ludwig Hely’s daily creations on the go.

Open seven days a week, Melba offers a dazzling selection of fresh sandwiches, savoury croissants, pastries, macarons, cupcakes and chocolates, as well as signature éclairs and exquisite cakes. You can also pick up a coffee, tea or an indulgent hot chocolate with whipped cream.

Melba launches with a dozen éclair flavours, including Crème Brulée, Pistachio & Cherry its namesake Peach Melba, so be prepared for much indecision at the counter.

Ludwig Hely said: “As a child it was only about a simple, coffee éclair and now as a pastry chef I can play with different flavours, some classic and some more unusual, while also being artistic with the presentation. The ultimate goal is to create something that will make people smile.”

I was tempted by the Orange and Hazelnut Éclair, but was eventually swayed by the Violet and Blueberry Tart (£3.50).

The lovely server was super-friendly and packed my cake in a sleek window-panelled box and branded bag to carry it home safely.

The buttery shortcake base was topped with a violet dome filled with Madagascan vanilla cream and a thick layer of blueberry compote. It was fruity, fragrant and light while still being rather decadent.

For such an elegant patisserie by a five star hotel, prices are surprisingly reasonable, ranging from £1.50 to £5.25 (all éclairs are £2.95). I can’t wait to go back to Melba at The Savoy and try some éclairs and maybe a luxury hot chocolate.

For more information, visit: www.fairmont.com

Photos by Chérie City and The Savoy

London, Stores

Pierre Hermé opens a new store in Belgravia, London

August 29, 2010 by cheriecity

Revolutionary Chef Pâtissier Pierre Hermé has already made waves on this side of the channel with his ‘adult macarons’ at the Pierre Hermé boutique pâtisserie in Selfridges Food Hall. Happily, he is now opening his first London store in the heart of elegant Belgravia.

Pierre Hermé is known for his unusual and exotic macaron flavour combinations such as olive oil and vanilla, strawberry and wasabi, Venezuelan chocolate and apricot and pistachio. Pierre Hermé macarons are typically intense and sometimes sharp – a world away from Ladurée’s sweet, pastel-coloured treats.

Holding court at Lowndes Street, just off Belgrave Square, Pierre Hermé brings his signature macarons, selection of fine chocolates, seasonal collections and Pierre Hermé Paris products to the London store.

The London store mirrors the sleek, contemporary design of his Paris and Tokyo stores and it promises some of the most spectacular window displays on this side of Brompton Road.

Pierre Hermé opens on 1st September at Lowndes Street, Belgravia, London.

Designers, Fashion, London

Patrick Cox launches Soho fashion bakery

August 13, 2010 by cheriecity

King of shoes Patrick Cox has teamed up with renowned pâtissier Eric Lanlard (aka Cake Boy) to launch Soho’s first fashion bakery, Cox Cookies & Cake.

Realising a 10-year dream that pre-dates the cupcake explosion, Patrick’s sexy, chic bakery is equal parts corner cake shop and Soho hangout, with glossy black interiors and neon aplenty.

The inspiration behind Cox Cookies & Cake is Patrick’s formidable mother Maureen and childhood memories growing up in Canada. Patrick and Maureen used to bake every Saturday and she continues to send him large care parcels of baked goodies from Canada even today.

Many of Maureen’s secret family recipes will be shared with the Soho masses, including her signature Nanaimo Bars – a coconut chocolate biscuit with a layer of custard vanilla butter cream coated in milk chocolate.

Bonding over fashion and their love of indulgent artisan treats, Patrick and Eric met through their mutual friend Liz Hurley, better known for her punishing beach body diets than love of cake. Perhaps as a thank you, the pair could create a wheat, dairy and sugar-free cupcake called ‘The Liz’, topped with gold marzipan Versace safety pins…just a thought.

The antithesis of girly, pastel cupcakes, Cox and Lanlard’s creations are glamorous, inventive and very Soho with a unique fashion edge. The cakes are covered with sugar icing lips, images of Marilyn Monroe on rice paper, elegant white chocolate curls and sugared rose petals. There’s even an amazing all-black cupcake complete with skull and cross bones that may or may not turn your tongue black.

Best of all, Cox Cookies & Cake is open from 11am to 11pm at night, so you can get dessert after dinner or pick up a scrumptious treat after a night out at Soho’s illustrious members clubs.

Cox Cookies & Cake will open on 1 September at 13 Brewer Street, London W1