If you grew up reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you’ve probably been a little obsessed with Turkish Delight. I know I was. I hunted it down at specialty shops, only to be met with waxy, stiff, overly-sweet squares that tasted more like perfume than magic. It was a huge letdown. Real, fresh…
I think for so many of us, our first introduction to Turkish Delight was through a snow-covered wardrobe. That magical, enchanted-looking confection that Edmund Pevensie betrayed his family for? It had to be something otherworldly. For years, I was only familiar with the mass-produced, overly-sugared, stiff jelly squares sold in boxes. They were… fine. But…
You know those perfect, jewel-like fruit squares you see in the windows of fancy French bakeries? The ones that look like stained glass, coated in sparkling sugar? That’s Pâte de Fruits (pronounced pat-duh-fwee), and they always seemed like one of those magical, “pastry-chefs-only” confections. For years, I was too intimidated to try them. I assumed…
Have you ever seen those unbelievably vibrant, crunchy pink nuts in the window of a French bakery? They almost look like jewels. Those, my friends, are Pralines Roses, or French pink pralines, and they are one of my favorite confections to come out of France. Now, let’s clear one thing up right away: these are…
Have you ever seen a dish that just stops you in your tracks? That’s what happened to me with Berlingots. I first saw a picture of these elegant, pyramid-shaped little pastas and assumed they were from some three-Michelin-star restaurant in Paris. They looked so intricate, so fancy. My first thought was, “I could never make…
There is something truly magical about classic French nougat. That soft, chewy bite that isn’t sticky or tough, packed with crunchy toasted almonds and bright green pistachios, all held together by a light-as-air, honey-kissed confection… it’s pure heaven. If you’ve ever walked past a fancy French patisserie and marveled at those beautiful, snow-white bars, you…
Hello, friends! I want to transport you to the South of France for a minute. Imagine a sun-drenched market in Aix-en-Provence. The air smells like lavender, herbs, and something sweet, floral, and nutty. In the windows of the confiseries (candy shops), you see these beautiful, pale, leaf-shaped treats, stacked in elegant boxes. These are Calissons….
There are “pastries,” and then there are pastries. And the Canelé de Bordeaux is in a league of its own. If you’ve never had one, let me try to explain the magic. You first see this little fluted, cylindrical cake that looks almost burnt. It’s a deep, dark, mahogany color, and it’s shiny. You might…
Let’s talk about what might just be the most incredible pastry on the planet. Seriously. If a flaky croissant and a rich, buttery caramel had a baby, it would be the Kouign Amann. Hailing from the Brittany region of France (where they know their butter), the name literally means “butter cake.” And let me tell…