The Parisian Pastry Shop That's Somehow Made Eclairs Even Better
éclairs, and no wonder. It's a classic French treat adored by Parisians
since the 19th century, it's iced and stuffed with cream, and it's
delicious. But in a fast-paced culinary world replete with "sexier,"
globally influenced sweets—think pastel-colored macaroons, trendy cronuts,
fruity brûlées—the éclair seems almost antiquated, dull, and heavy. How
can this traditional (and frankly, unattractive) French dessert keep up
with the 21st century?
Enter Christophe Adam, pastry chef and owner of L’Éclair de Génie
in Paris's Marais district. Adam has transformed and modernized the
classic French éclair into a dessert that is fresh and appealing. He
dresses his éclairs in stunning rainbow colors, finishes them off with
edible powdered silver, and throws into the mix fun flavors like yuzu,
salted caramel, orange pistachio, and even caramel popcorn. Basically,
he's made the old éclair cool again.
Adam has also somehow managed to make his toughest critics—Parisians themselves —fall in love with these reinventions. The
shop's long lines of locals are evidence of this (so if you want to get
your hands on those mouthwatering éclairs, you'd better come early). We
highly recommend the Praliné noisette (hazelnut and praline), and the
Choco Coco (crispy milk chocolate, with a coconut cream filling). They
will change the way you see éclairs—and desserts in general. (14 Rue Pavée; +33 1 42 77 85 11, www.leclairdegenie.com)
The French Pastry Shop That's Somehow Made Eclairs Even Better : Condé Nast Traveler
