Croissants - you cannot leave Paris without having one of its many varieties. France will give you ample scope to walk off this flaky, buttery goodness, either plain or filled with custard or jam. We had ours for breakfast - almond croissant and brioche, along with hot chocolate, in a nearby charming restaurant called Le Valentin and felt very local. Another perfect place is Pain Pain in Rue de Matrys toward Sacre Coeur. Apart from croissants, other must-haves are pain au chocolat, a yeast based puff pastry filled with a slice of chocolate, and brioche, a rich bread containing eggs and butter. Macarons are everywhere in France and a staple. Light & sweet, these cookies are different from macaroons (which are coconut based) and filled usually with ganaches. Laduree is known to be the institution for macarons but we chose to go off track and instead tasted this staple in other places such as Hugo & Victor (one of the best!) and Maison Landemaine. |
Madeleines are small cakes that are often lightly scented with vanilla/ orange/ lemon or even chocolate. These are delightful sweet treats and can be identified by their unique fluted shape. We had ours from La Pâtisserie des Rêves, a delightful dream like shop on Rue de bac. Another popular place to head for madeleines is Blé Sucré in Ledru-Rollin neighbourhood, which we couldn’t visit (we were told about this place much later) and are also known for its croissants. Kugelhopf, one of the most popular yeasty cakes of the Alsace region of France, is a popular breakfast option along with a cup of coffee. While its origin is highly debated, kugelhopf is a hybrid of sweet, rich bread such as brioche and a dry coffee cake, but nevertheless heavenly! And you know it by its unique turban like shape dotted with almonds, walnuts and dusted with icing sugar. |