#pastry-cafe

#pastry-cafe

L'Appartement 4F's croissants, regardless of size, are rolled by hand and are known to contain more butter than a classic croissant recipe, resulting in a richer flavor.

Le Creuset is a favorite for many home chefs due to its beautiful colorways, timeless design, and durability, despite its high prices.

Edami specializes in manoushe, traditional flatbreads baked fresh and topped to order, with a menu that includes classics such as zaatar and akkawi jibneh.

I like to fold the bag over my hand as I fill it with frosting and I press everything down towards the tip as I am filling. This gives more control over the bag and allows her to apply pressure and remove the air.

Franz Bakery produces up to a million buns per day, showcasing its manufacturing capabilities through free factory tours that attract school groups and adults alike.

Imam Cagdas has been making baklava the same way since 1887: entirely by hand, without any automation. The Gaziantep shop is now in its fifth generation of ownership.

Miel on Warren Street in Fitzrovia is run by pastry chef Shaheen Peerbhai, who sources ingredients from France and is known for its striped hazelnut gianduja croissant.

When I opened my bakery a year prior, I knew it would be hard. I had taken out loans. I had put in my own savings. I understood that small businesses require money for everything: rent, ingredients, payroll, insurance, and taxes.

Usually an item like this is fairly expensive. That has been my experience with store-bought muffins. They either dry out or can get moldy.

Volumes has quickly become a popular destination, known for its superb coffee and a lunch menu that keeps customers coming back. The atmosphere is vibrant, and the food offerings are diverse, catering to various tastes.

As a European immigrant in New York City, I remember a time, at least 20 years ago, when American bread and pastries, bagels aside, felt nearly inedible. Sourdough was not a thing. Croissants or any kind of viennoiseries were a punchline. There were regional specialties, sure, but broadly speaking, bread culture in New York was bleak.

Softened graham cracker layers mimic choux pastry, and vanilla pudding turns into a rich, creamy spread. Ganache crowns this beauty, turning this easy-to-make treat into something that looks far more complicated than what is actually required to put together.

Fashioned after a traditional French gateau Breton, the gateau Basque and even the galette des rois—all cakes made of sweet or quick puff dough doubled up and filled with fruit or cream or nuts—this cake, uniquely Louisianan and lovingly called gateau nana, takes inspiration from each.

Paris didn't invent shopping (even if it sometimes feels that way), but it arguably invented the specialty shop as we understand it today. Long before concept stores, lifestyle retail, or anything resembling "curation" entered the vocabulary, Paris was already organized around doing one thing extremely well -and it still is. From cheesemongers to winemakers and beyond, specialization remains the point.

Styling by Axelle using fashion by Nazarene Amictus, Victoria Amerson Design GmbH, Mossi, and Vintage pieces. The assistant stylist is Evan. The series explores the idea of haste and unintentional disorder in Paris, the moment when you rush downstairs, almost forgetting your trousers, because every minute counts. This sense of urgency, this I don't have time, becomes an aesthetic language. In Paris, style isn't calculated, and yet, nothing is ever left to chance.

The streets around the Louvre have improved considerably as a dining destination. It's still true that the neighborhood rewards those who know where to look - the blocks immediately adjacent to the museum are thick with tourist traps - but a short walk in almost any direction opens up genuinely good options.

Using phyllo dough instead of traditional shortcrust for quiche changes the whole personality of the dish. The paper thin sheets of phyllo dough becomes light, flaky, and crunchy when baked, swapping rich, buttery heft for a lighter quiche with a crispy shell that shatters a little when you cut into it.

A consistently packed bistro along the Seine in the Marais, Le Petit Célestin delivers reliable French classics in a lively atmosphere that values conviviality over culinary ambition. The menu spans traditional bistro territory - tête de veau, veal kidneys, steak frites - with occasional Italian influences like burrata and linguini with bottarga. The cooking is competent rather than inspired. Razor clams arrive properly garlicky, steak shows good char against rare interior, but some dishes lean too sweet.

Suddenly, a strange, loud, rhythmic, prolonged noise, like the dying moan of an organ, then the dying wail of the breeze sighing in the cloisters, struck the indignant ears of the nuns with astonishment. The nuns all turned to stare at Sister Agnès, who in her embarrassment, tripped and let fly a spoonful of her chou pastry dough into a pot of boiling fat, and the doughnut-like pet de nonne, 'nun's fart' was born.

Chef Masa Ikuta brings serious classical training honed under Bruno Verjus at Table and Stephane Jego at L'Ami Jean to his own tasting menu restaurant in the 11th arrondissement. The cooking is confidently French-Japanese, moving from sardine churros with Cantabrian anchovy cream to veal brain tempura styled after shirako to a perfectly grilled lamb rack with smoky harissa.

London's bakery scene has got to be one of the best in the world right now. As well as an abundance of croissants and sourdough, there are bakeries doing everything from Italian maritozzi to Japanese milk bread and pretty much everything in between. The weekend pastry run has become a ritual (bonus points if you literally run to the bakery) and bagging goods from Toad or Chatsworth Bakehouse before they sell out is a social flex.

Past a sign for a family waterpark, a door opens onto an homage to fin-de-siècle Paris. Chandeliers are reflected in gilt-edged mirrors; there is a chorus line of lobsters and yards of fromage. Every so often, a waiter in a dinner suit flambées a crepe Suzette with a shock of flames, like a big top fire-eater. This is fine dining as buffet.

Even though we will always defend the viewpoint that the best way to eat Nutella is with a spoon straight out of the jar, this beloved creamy hazelnut spread actually has many creative uses in the kitchen. It's super easy to bake with and handy to have in the pantry when you're craving a rich chocolatey dessert that tastes homemade without taking hours to prep. For example, the easy-peasy two-ingredient chocolate puff pastries.

Everything feels more expensive these days, especially when it comes to eating out. One place in particular where you might have noticed an increase in prices is at bakeries as owners continue to battle the rising costs of staple ingredients like butter and eggs. But no matter how much your local bakery is charging, you can at least rest assured that there are people paying a heck of a lot more out there, especially at Cedric Grolet in London.

Israeli chef Assaf Granit shifts focus from Mediterranean cooking to Eastern European Jewish cuisine at Boubalé, located in the Grand Mazarin hotel steps from BHV. The menu draws on Ashkenazi traditions - borscht, chicken liver, pastrami, and potato-forward preparations inspired by Granit's Polish grandmother. The vast dining room manages warmth through maximalist touches: doilies, colorful glassware, and grandmother-approved murals. Standout dishes include salmon floating in borscht with pickled turnips, Israeli couscous risotto with spinach, and an exceptional chocolate mousse drizzled with olive oil.

First and foremost, French hot chocolate is made using real chocolate and not a powdered mix. Further, bittersweet dark chocolate takes center stage in this hot chocolate recipe rather than the super-sweet type of milk chocolate that's nearly synonymous with most U.S. desserts. The hot drink is rounded out with a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream for a properly thick and creamy consistency.

Ilcha, a Korean restaurant in the Marina that's been lauded for its fried chicken, is closing after Valentine's Day, and the SF Business Times has news of its replacement. Coming soon to 2151 Lombard will be Kava, a restaurant serving Nepalese, Himalayan, and Indian cuisines, from Nepalese owner Kamal Kandel of North Beach's Yarsa Nepalese Cuisine. The menu, which will have some similarities to Yarsa, will feature Nepalese curries, momos, chaat, tandoori, and biryani dishes.