Gerard Mulot :: Duo Poire Caramel
By Paris Patisseries in Gerard Mulot
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Fresh off the Eurostar after a long weekend in London, I had to re-Frenchify my palate. Shortbread and cinder toffee really can’t compensate for a lack of the above. Neither can the “fine pastries” of afternoon tea at Brown’s, Claridges, and The Dorchester. It was pretty humorous to see their ham-handed efforts, with only The Dorchester even beginning to touch upon what I enjoy here in Paris (btw – of the three, for the all-around experience, go with Brown’s). Truth be told, I was heading to Gerard Mulot only to grab a croissant and a baguette tradition, but I caved to the temptress that is the Duo Poire Caramel. Caramel, much like cassis, is among my irresistibles. I was also extremely hungry.
Monsieur Mulot was being given a chance here to redeem himself for the train wreck that was the previously-reviewed Tarte Tutti Frutti. And there’s no point in keeping you in suspense . . . he did. The awkward Rice Krispie garnish aside, it’s quite fetching. I think my favorite aspect is that, through the translucent caramel directly around it, you can see the pear slice plunging deep into the pastry. Not only is it a nice effect, but it shows this garnish was handled with a skillful touch – one to be admired. Very crafty, Gerard.
The caramel itself is delicious. The crème beneath, while billed as being caramel crème, seemed quite vanilla-laden on the first bite or two, but it seemed to mellow out as I progressed. The Krispies . . . excuse me, I meant to say Les Krispies . . . and biscuit aux noix base of the pastry had the texture one would expect, but they were not significant players in the flavor department. And the pear was a bit short of being totally ripe, but tasted rather nice in spite of its firmness.
Would I get it again? No. At this point I’ve been spoiled by better patisseries in general, better caramel patisseries specifically, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t recommend the Duo Poire Caramel. It’s a nice combination of excellent caramel and nice caramel/vanilla crème. Plus, it’s pretty. So go ahead and indulge.
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