The prettiest desserts of Paris

It’s no surprise that Paris has the most beautiful confections that are the ultimate eye candy for enthusiastic aesthetes like me! And these 6 creations are so gorgeous; you almost don’t want to eat them — well, almost.

Pretty in Pink- Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan

A subtle alliance of rose petal cream- soft and smooth on your palate, united with the acidity of fresh, whole raspberries, all held together by the floral note of lychees and finally, enveloped in a soft yet crunchy rose macaron biscuit- the Ispahan is a dessert whose contrasting flavours merge to form a blissful combination.

Pretty in Pink- Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan

A subtle alliance of rose petal cream- soft and smooth on your palate, united with the acidity of fresh, whole raspberries, all held together by the floral note of lychees and finally, enveloped in a soft yet crunchy rose macaron biscuit- the Ispahan is a dessert whose contrasting flavours merge to form a blissful combination.

An edible puzzle- Cedric Grolet’s Rubik’s Cake

At first, the Rubik’s cake looks like an impressive array of geometrical shapes but look closer and you’ll find that it is actually a cube-shaped assortment of 27 individual pastries and a creative twist to the iconic 3-D combination puzzle- the Rubik's cube! With some exotic flavour pairings (think apricot and rosemary and cherry and tarragon), this is one creation that is too pretty to eat!

An edible puzzle- Cedric Grolet’s Rubik’s Cake

At first, the Rubik’s cake looks like an impressive array of geometrical shapes but look closer and you’ll find that it is actually a cube-shaped assortment of 27 individual pastries and a creative twist to the iconic 3-D combination puzzle- the Rubik's cube! With some exotic flavour pairings (think apricot and rosemary and cherry and tarragon), this is one creation that is too pretty to eat!

Reinventing classics- Yann Couvreur’s Millefeuille

A light cream with Madagascar vanilla and a hint of fleur de sel (a rare form of sea salt harvested in parts of France) between crisp buckwheat flour layers- this millefeuille is an unstructured version of the classic. The Arlettes puff pastry adds novelty to the palate while the mildly sweet pastry cream with Comoros vanilla gives it a good finish- making it an extremely satisfying dessert experience.

Reinventing classics- Yann Couvreur’s Millefeuille

A light cream with Madagascar vanilla and a hint of fleur de sel (a rare form of sea salt harvested in parts of France) between crisp buckwheat flour layers- this millefeuille is an unstructured version of the classic. The Arlettes puff pastry adds novelty to the palate while the mildly sweet pastry cream with Comoros vanilla gives it a good finish- making it an extremely satisfying dessert experience.

A flamboyant collection- Christophe Adam’s Éclairs

Tempting you with their flashy glaze and eye-catchy decorations, these gourmet éclairs have a perfect balance of ingredients- never too sweet, never too strong, and are as fresh as ever - with flavours that change every season. Whether it’s simple combinations like salted caramel, vanilla & pecan nuts, passionfruit cream, raspberry confit & fresh raspberries or slightly unique ones like matcha cream & white chocolate, lemon yuzu cream & crispy meringue, pistachio-orange zest - if there is ever an edible art piece you’ve wanted to try, this is it!

A flamboyant collection- Christophe Adam’s Éclairs

Tempting you with their flashy glaze and eye-catchy decorations, these gourmet éclairs have a perfect balance of ingredients- never too sweet, never too strong, and are as fresh as ever - with flavours that change every season. Whether it’s simple combinations like salted caramel, vanilla & pecan nuts, passionfruit cream, raspberry confit & fresh raspberries or slightly unique ones like matcha cream & white chocolate, lemon yuzu cream & crispy meringue, pistachio-orange zest - if there is ever an edible art piece you’ve wanted to try, this is it!

True indulgence- Jacque Genin’s Paris-Brest

Not only is this Paris-Brest visually stunning, it’s also delicious! A choux pastry ring filled with swirls of caramelised hazelnut praline cream that gives an incredibly balanced nutty flavour, studded with crunchy hazelnuts on top- this Paris-Brest is rich in praline but light on your palate. It is also quite possibly the tallest Paris-Brest you will ever see!

True indulgence- Jacque Genin’s Paris-Brest

Not only is this Paris-Brest visually stunning, it’s also delicious! A choux pastry ring filled with swirls of caramelised hazelnut praline cream that gives an incredibly balanced nutty flavour, studded with crunchy hazelnuts on top- this Paris-Brest is rich in praline but light on your palate. It is also quite possibly the tallest Paris-Brest you will ever see!

A Dessert of Love- Carl Marletti’s Le Lily Valley

Another dessert that interprets the classics- the Lily Valley (named in honour of the Chef’s wife who is a florist) is a revisited version of the St Honoré, made with blackcurrant violet confit and a generous amount of violet mascarpone cream, all with a subtle floral note. From the crunchy bed of choux pastry to the fragments of violet – this mélange of sweetness and acidity go perfectly well together to create an exquisite dessert.

A Dessert of Love- Carl Marletti’s Le Lily Valley

Another dessert that interprets the classics- the Lily Valley (named in honour of the Chef’s wife who is a florist) is a revisited version of the St Honoré, made with blackcurrant violet confit and a generous amount of violet mascarpone cream, all with a subtle floral note. From the crunchy bed of choux pastry to the fragments of violet – this mélange of sweetness and acidity go perfectly well together to create an exquisite dessert.