Around the World in 5 Cakes
These five successful pastries in French bakeries and pastry shops come from abroad, confirming one of the sector's trends: the taste for travel and its array of flavors.
These five successful pastries in French bakeries and pastry shops come from abroad, confirming one of the sector's trends: the taste for travel and its array of flavors.
THE CHEESECAKE
Origin : United States
It’s the cream cheese cake, but in its American version, a recipe originally from Eastern European countries. It’s the favorite conclusion of brunches, a snack, or the ultimate comforting dessert.
On a base made of crumbled dry biscuits, a mixture of cream cheese (cream cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta, and flavored with an infinite variety of ingredients), sugar, and eggs, baked or not, served with fruits or a coulis. Berko, a cake design bakery in Paris, offers a wide choice of toppings and flavors. For a cake to share, expect to pay 55€ for a cake serving 6. For an individual portion, up to 5.50€.
Where to find it :
Berko, 23 rue Rambuteau
75004 Paris
Price : 5,50€
THE CRUFFIN
Origin : AustraliA
As its name suggests (or not), the cruffin is a hybrid pastry born from the fusion of a croissant and a muffin. In other words, it’s a puff pastry baked in a muffin tin and then filled according to the baker's preference. If its crispy-soft texture made its debut in 2013 in Australia, thanks to Kate Reid, head pastry chef at Lune Croissanterie (probably inspired by Dominique Ansel’s cronut), the cruffin quickly started spreading across the globe. Ten years later, it has found its audience and its place in the displays of new-generation French bakeries and pastry shops, alongside its crescent-shaped cousin.
Where to find it :
Frappe boulangerie urbaine, 7 rue Sedaine
75011 Paris
Price : 2,90€
THE CINAMON ROLL
Origin : Sweden
We think it's American, but the recipe for the cinnamon roll (literally 'cinnamon swirl'), a star of 2023 breakfasts and brunches, actually has Scandinavian, specifically Swedish, roots, where it is called kanelbullar. The North American version introduced the trend of cream cheese or vanilla icing, drizzled over the surface of the small bun, and added a bit more richness to the original recipe, which was typically topped with pearl sugar. This pastry checks two trend boxes: recipes from abroad and the appeal of spices. You can find it everywhere, from neighborhood bakeries to coffee shops and even restaurants (like chef Connie Zagora's Kitchen in Lyon) or the charming little shop Cinnasens (5.90€ for the classic, 6.20€ with cream cheese icing) at Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris.
Where to find it :
Frappe boulangerie urbaine, 7 rue Sedaine
75011 Paris
Price : 3€
THE MARITOZZO
Origin : Italy
Straight from Rome, the Maritozzo is a small, round, caramel-colored brioche traditionally filled with whipped cream. Consumed since ancient Rome in a 'lard bread' version infused with honey and filled with dried fruits, it was meant to fill the stomachs of workers and shepherds at the start of the day. It has since become much more refined. Today, the brioche is filled with ice cream, fruits, pistachios, chocolate, and other sweet treats and is enjoyed at any time in bakeries or at Italian artisan shops like Il Gelato del Marchese, or featured on restaurant menus. According to legend, its name comes from the word marito (husband), as in the 19th century, young suitors would bring one to their fiancées, hiding a ring or another gold jewel inside.
Where to find it :
Eataly, 37 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie
75004 Paris
Price : 2,50€
THE MOCHI
Origin : Japan
While French pastry is renowned for its quality and diversity, there are other nations that excel in this craft, with Japan at the forefront. Japanese pastry, both creative and flavorful, ranges from mochis to matcha cakes, along with other rice- and sesame-based products. To understand the phenomenon, head to La Maison du Mochi in Paris, three charming little boutiques created by Mathilda Motte since 2016, after living in Japan and discovering these traditional pastries made from glutinous rice, sugar, and water, naturally gluten-free and 100% plant-based! Daifuku mochis, stuffed mochis, offer a unique sensory experience to Western palates. A culinary discovery that combines visual simplicity with an explosion of flavors.
Where to find it :
Maison du Mochi
28€ the pack of 8 mochis
www.maisondumochi.fr
By Marion Thillou, Florian Domergue and Audrey Vacher
Illustrations Amélie Fontaine
