In Spring 2023, Marc Heu Pâtisserie Paris relocated to their new storefront within walking distance of our house. The murmur about their delights had been growing, I had read about him and his work, and heard of people lining up early to ensure the got the goods before they ran out, but hadn’t experienced myself. On an early spring walk, my wife and I decided to stop in and learn first-hand what it was all about. We bought a small selection to take home with us. OMFG! While many fine bakeries are nearby, Marc Hue’s pastries are a step above. While I still have faves elsewhere that I enjoy, these are a work of art.
The 2024 James Beard Award semi-finalists were announced in January and Marc Hue is a semi-finalist in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category. Congratulations!
Not that I ever justify my proclivities for sweets, but writing about them seems like a good reason to keep going back.
Chocolate Croissant
Both the butter croissants and chocolate croissants are light and airy, with a delightfully flaky crust that crumbles as you eat it: crumbs will be scattered about your house if you don’t use a plate or napkin (and don’t even think of sharing in bed! The texture throughout is enjoyable and very different, not heavy or overly-bready. Yes, croissants vary widely, but Marc’s are very refreshing in how different they are.
The subtlety of the chocolate separates these from ubiquitous, run-of-the-mill chocolate croissants you’ve found in coffee shops and other bakeries. The chocolate is more an adult chocolate, not the sweet, in-your-face chocolate I often experience. The thin chocolate veneer and the evenly-distributed inside chocolate ensures that each bite has chocolate, no matter how you slice or share it, instead of searching for the small lump of chocolate within the much bigger croissant.
