To write a review of Fou de Pâtisserie feels a bit like an exercise in futility, by virtue of the very nature of the shop. So consider this less of a review than a taste.
Fou de Pâtisserie is unlike other pastry shops in that there is no chef pâtissier, here. Instead, the small, local chain (four shops, at last count) unites a number of phenomenal pastry chefs from all over the city, each of whom contributes a star cake or two to sell in the case. As a result, offerings change frequently and vary wildly, though there are some standbys: the now-famous orange flower and pistachio tart from Jardin Sucré in the far-flung 17th, now blissfully available far closer to the center; the dense, fudgy hazelnut brownie from Bo&Mie; the vanilla flan with a croissant crust from Maxence Barbot. I’ve seen, too, in the past, Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan croissant, or a luscious chocolate tart from Hugo & Victor.
On my most recent visit, alongside Mille Mercis Marie during her regular ‘Crazy for Pastry’ event, I opted for two relatively simple cakes, both of which fulfilled the promise of being “crazy” – as in, crazy good.
The first, to be fair, was a bit of a no-brainer: a gâteau basque or Basque cake filled, not with the traditional cream or cherry jam, but with a citrus curd echoed in a sprinkling of lemon, lime, and orange zest over the top.
It’s difficult not to like a gâteau basque, even a bad one. At its core, it’s a buttery shortbread sandwiched around something yummy. But as a lover of all things citrus, as well as a lover of all desserts that are not too sweet, I was enchanted by this version from Carl Marletti.
Unlike many other pastry chefs these days, Marletti remains a master of not just one but many pastry bases. His choux pastry is crisp yet tender; his entremets are some of my faves. And he did not disappoint with this shortbread.
Would I have liked a tiny bit more lemon curd? Sure. But I can eat that stuff from the jar, and from a technical standpoint, this one hit the sweet spot.
The nut tart from Nicolas Haelewyn was, admittedly, an afterthought. It looked so small and unassuming as I stepped up to the till to pay. Why not, i thought? And so I snapped one up.
Dear lord.
First off, while this tart may look positively solid with caramel, let me assure you: the vanilla-scented, fleur-de-sel-spiked caramel filling is as soft as… well… pardon me the comparison, but you know the caramel in a Twix? That. Only instead of sitting on an industrial shortbread, it’s enrobing a combination of almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pecans, and pistachios, all piled into a hazelnut pastry case.
Friends, it took the proverbial cake.
Fou de Pâtisserie – 64 Rue de Seine, 75006