The best brests in Paris

It is said that Philippe Conticini makes the best Paris-Brest in Paris. Indeed, a visit to La Patisserie des Reves reveals a master has been at work.

But what about Jacques Genin? His Brests are nothing to sneeze at.

It was essential to plunge into this delicious debate. A Paris-Brest is a rare treat. I've had only a handful in my life. Having two in one week was pure hedonism.

Conticini's creation is six petite pieces of choux pastry strong together like an exquisite necklace of pearls. Except inside each puff is a thick and rich, decadent crème pralinèe. In other words: heaven.

Jacques Genin takes a little more liberty with his crème pralinèe (for some, bigger is better, n'est-ce pas?) His pastry is a more traditional ring, dusted with hazelnuts.

Everyone has their own preferences and predilections. I would go for either man's brest. Conticini's is compact, refined, densely powerful. Genin's is light and airy, over the top wonderful. Both are wonderful specimens.

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.

American Smackdown, Éclair Edition

Paris, we have a winner!

For the second American Smackdown in Paris, we (happily) got after another French classic: the crunchy, custardy chocolate éclair (or, “the macaron of the ’80s,” as Emily called it).

There was no shortage of contenders from which to select. Every neighborhood pastry shop along with the plus haut patissiers serves up éclairs. Which makes the Smackdown even more sensational. Whose pastry is the freshest? Whose filling is the most chocolaty-custardy? Whose icing is the sweetest and most complementary? There was only one way to find out. A very select tasting panel sat down to with samples from Stohrer and Jacques Genin to determine… who has the best éclair?

“Omigod, they’re just leagues apart!”

Stohrer and Jacques Genin have both received high accolades. The former is an old-school patisserie—founded by King Louis XV’s pastry chef in 1730. Refined, classic, beautiful. A Parisian landmark.


The latter is a modern chocolatier. After years of supplying the top restaurants and hotels (e.g. Crillon, Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice) with chocolates and petits fours, Genin opened his elegant Haut Marais salon de thé in late 2008. Sophisticated but rebellious.


The two are different on almost every level and evoked very strong feelings.


Appearance, Stohrer

“Love the matte, clean look.”
“These look like doughnuts.”
“Very uniform. But is this a good or bad thing?”
“I like these. They’re very neat.”

Appearance, Jacques Genin

“Shiny is appealing, but a bit messy.”
“Flashy but trashy.”
“More straight from the kitchen imperfections, which I like.”

“Depends if you’re a matte or glossy person, really.”


Pastry, Stohrer


“Nice form. Round, solid structure.”
“I like the lines down the side, it’s very classy.”

Pastry, Jacques Genin


“It collapses. It’s spongy and thin.”
“A bit soft.”

Ultimately, the pastry came down to Emily’s “Squeeze Test”: the consensus was Jacques Genin’s pastry was thin and flimsy, resulting in a messier experience.


Filling, Stohrer

“Rich, chocolaty, smooth, dee-lish. But a little flour-y.”
“Lovely round flavor. A bit too much though.”
“Very round-y kind of warm chocolate.”

Filling, Jacques Genin

“I feel like he’s challenging us.”
“Too cocoa-y.”
“Too bitter.”
“More pudding-like.”

We agreed you could taste the purer cocoa of Jacques Genin—which can be too “bitter” when pitted against Stohrer’s sweeter, more sugary chocolate filling. But, going back to Stohrer from Genin’s chocolate could also “leave a funky aftertaste.”

Overall harmony


Given the positive gut reaction to Stohrer and the bite-by-bite dissent over Jacques Genin, there’s a lot to be said for the melding of Stohrer’s flavors and textures and the balance of pastry to filling. It was clean, neat, sweet and delicious.

Jacques Genin looked snazzy and has the appearance and taste of high-end ingredients, but it somehow fails to please. It’s squishy, messy, and has contrasting sweet and bitter notes.

The Smackdown verdict?

“On the pure line of which I would buy again? Stohrer.”

Brown and white and absolutely sublime

You really haven’t had hot chocolate until you’ve had hot chocolate in Paris. Not to be a snob, but it’s sort of true.

I was reminded of this on my most recent visit to Jacques Genin.


This chocolatier/salon de thé is as exquisite as they come. It’s just a year old; a grand and beautiful space in the Haute Marais, with pristine tarts, millefeuilles and éclairs.


Like the space and pastries, the service is, as the French say, nickel (“neeeee-quelllllle”).

The chocolat chaud is served in Villeroy & Boch porcelain….

And the thick creaminess of the melted chocolate is just beautiful against the stark white china…

Until…

Until, carnage!


We obliterated our individual pitchers of chocolat, leaving irrefutable proof of a lovely afternoon spent.

Encore, Jacques Genin

I must return to Jacques Genin soon, very soon.

When I go back, should it be for a caramel eclair?



Or the sublime chocolates?