La Folie at La Patisserie des Reves

It’s true: craziness! As this lovely little baked good's name implies, it is sheer madness.

It may not look like much, standing there, properly lined up on the shelf with its peers.

But take it home and tear into it. Madness, I promise you!

The doughy, whipped brioche is densely construed and piped with thick vanilla pastry cream with just a titch of rum raisin.

All topped with praliné crumble and a touch of confectioner’s sugar.

I would kill to have a slice of Conticini’s 66-euro holiday buche.

But for two euro and some change, La Folie one of the best sweets—and craziest deals—I’ve had in a long time.

Dessert Blitz: rice pudding that will, I swear, convert you

Soon, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I still have a lot of sweets to get through.

If you’re like me, rice pudding isn’t exactly the dessert of dreams. It doesn’t get my heart racing or make my stomach do cartwheels. But that started changing when Bennie ordered the rice pudding at Café Constant. It was exquisite. And then on a more recent visit to Chez l’Ami Jean, my esteem for rice pudding as one of the best all-around dessert options was solidified.

Of course everything at Chez l’Ami Jean is a little bigger and more decadent so the rice pudding was not a modest little boule. In fact, one serving—what you’re looking at—could easily feed a family of four.

Especially with the whipped salted caramel cream and candied granola it’s served with.



Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Un Dimanche à Paris

One Sunday in Paris, I had good reason to visit Pierre Cluizel’s new chocolate salon.

Naturally, I was expecting a lovely chocolatier; one that would do his papa proud.

But I didn’t realize it would also be a salon de thé.

With event space.

And two kitchens: one for classes…

…and the other where the patisseries and desserts are made.

Indeed, it’s the first “chocolate concept store” the clerk explained to me, as I ogled the beautiful interior design…

…the rows and boxes of bonbons…



… the shelves stocked aplenty with truffles and tablettes, mendiants and chocolate-covered orange rinds.


I didn’t have any macarons or mini éclairs...

... but of course when I saw a chocolate chip cookie—made with all three chocolates: white, milk and dark—I had to sample.

The great search for le meiux in all of Paris continues.

But I will definitely be back to Un Dimanche another day for chocolaty treats before leaving Paris.

Cinnamon bun breakfast at Sugarplum cake shop

I’ve been keen to go to Sugarplum for some time now. A New Yorker emailed me with the hot tip of the new American-style cafe/bakery opening months ago and I know Melissa at Prete-Moi Paris is a huge fan.

But what can I say? I sometimes get lazy about going to a new arrondissement, especially when there is so much deliciousness in my own quartier.

But finally, with the excuse of meeting beautiful Britta of My Black Book on a snowy Saturday morning, I went. And now, of course, I’m kicking myself that it took so long.

Just look at this place:


Cakes, cookies, cupcakes!


Cinnamon buns, muffins, scones!


Pie, tarts and Hello Dollies!


It’s heaven.

Britta and I were both suckered by the giant cinnamon buns as Laurel told us they were the most recent items to be pulled from the oven.


Dense and warm, with a slightly sour cream cheese frosting, it was brilliant.

Our order didn’t stop Laurel from also generously sharing some cake with us: one was a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and the other was a tart and lovely vanilla cake with lemon curd.

Both were delicious, as expected.

But now my big mission before leaving Paris is to get across town again to sample those chocolate chip cookies.

Dessert Blitz: This one’s for you, Dianne

In a few weeks’ time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Baba au Rhum from Stohrer


The first time I tried Baba au Rhum was at Bistro Paul Bert, where they serve a bottle of rum alongside the boozy dessert, just in case the spongy cake isn’t infused with enough alcohol. (It was, but that didn’t stop me from dousing my cake with more rum).

At Stohrer, they don’t send you off with a bottle, but you don’t need it either. The fine cake heavy with rum dessert, sticky with sugar and oozes liquid when you bite into it. In fact, I wondered, maybe a little bit tipsy, is it a dessert or digestif?

Nicolas Stohrer is said to have invented this dessert when he splashed a dry Polish brioche with sweet Malaga wine at exiled King Stanislas’ request. The creation was then baptized the Ali Baba as the King was reading Tales from 1001 Arabian Nights at the time.


Stohrer’s Baba au Rhum recipe is unchanged today and, grace á Dianne, I've now sampled another Parisian classic. Merci, Dianne!

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: Strawberry & Pistachio Saint-Honoré

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Laduree’s Saint-Honoré.

Two different kinds of pastry, two different kinds of cream, and two different flavors: pistachio and strawberry.

Imagine the lightest confectioner’s custard and Chantilly cream, flavored with pistachio, paired with a fresh strawberry stew and enclosed in light, flaky puff pastry. A little cloud of heaven.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: Caramel Soufflé

In a few weeks' time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Desserts at l’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

The other day, I had the sumptuous pleasure of lunching at the new l’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. After seeing a neighbor’s golden caramel soufflé, I had to order dessert.

And after I finished dessert, pastry chef Francois Benot, shared another little creation with me: granita with banana, passionfruit and rum, topped with cream.

Holiday decadence, to be sure.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: Mont Blanc

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

The famous Mont Blanc from Angelina.

Just like a snow-capped (spaghetti) mountain, the famous Mont Blanc—first created by the founder of Angelina salon de thé—boasts a Chantilly center, enclosed in meringue, and topped with strings of vanilla-flavored chestnut cream pastry. Step right up!

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: The Paris Brest

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Named by the pastry chef who created it in honor of the 1200-kilometer bike race that every four years goes from Paris to Brest and back to Paris again (commonly known as "PBP"), the Paris Brest is a ring of choux pastry, piped full of with praliné-flavored whipped cream.

Meant to resemble a bicycle wheel, it can be espresso-flavored, drizzled in chocolate and nuts, individually sized, or large enough for your dinner party of eight.

Here, Jacques Genin’s light and lovely specimen.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: chocolate meets caramel

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

The chocolate caramel tart from CocoCook.

The sticky, chocolaty sweet goodness of this tart shows that a spot normally known for its sale treats should not be overlooked for dessert.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: More chocolaty chip richness

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

The chocolate chip cookie from Laura Todd.

As I said, I’ve been on the hunt for a good chocolate chip cookie in Paris. Someone suggested Laura Todd, which is actually not far from my apartment. Of course I had to go.

I must admit, it was a good cookie: served slightly warm, it meant the chocolate chips were melty and gooey and got all over my hands and chin.

And even though the bakery has a sweet story—Laura Todd was an actual woman who moved from Austria to America last century and, at the 1933 World Expo, conquered the cookie world, thereafter building a great following before the business arrived in France in the ’80s—I have a hard time putting my vote with a chain. It’s sort of like Mrs. Field’s: sure it’s a good cookie, but it’s a mall cookie. It’s a good lesson (CarolG) that, when in Paris, stick to the viennoiseries, tarts, gateaux and macarons.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: Chocolate chips with almonds

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Chocolate chip cookie (with almonds) from Blé Sucré.

I’ve been dying to find a good chocolate chip cookie in Paris. It’s not easy.

So I was quite excited to see a new specimen to try at Blé Sucré. It's only been on the menu for two months and, admittedly, it didn’t look like much: dark and flat and ho-hum, so unlike the wildly bumpy, puffed light with sugar and butter cookies that I enjoy oh so much in New York.

But, quel surprise, Fabrice le Bourdat's creation was delicious in a nutty, savory sort of way.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: (French) Lemon Meringue Pie

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

Big, billowy lemon meringue pie from Le Loir dans la Thieiere.

It kept good company with an obscene number of homemade pies and tarts and crisps and beautiful such things, trust me.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.

Dessert Blitz: Bubble Gum Macaron

In one month’s time, I will be back in New York. I, of course, have mixed feelings about this. But one thing is for sure: I have a lot of sweets to get through. Today…

A wee bubble gum macaron from Acide.

Juicy in flavor, but wonderfully light and crispy and special.

Tell me if there’s anything you want to sample vicariously through me… it would be a honor. And my pleasure.