Tuesday 5 July 2011

The cakes of Bruges - a love story



Mr CC and I have just returned from Bruges and whereas some people – let’s call them weird people – would be looking through photos of their day trips and adventures, I am looking through my photos of cakes; some of which were eaten by me, others just admired from afar.


Bruges is a very beautiful city in the Flemish region of Belgium; so beautiful that the entire city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


While there are so many stunning buildings in Bruges you almost stop noticing them, one in particular caught my eye. I have a new patisserie-crush and its name is Prestige:


This is the counter that greets you on entry:


Every tea or coffee cup arrives with a little delight in the saucer; it differed every time (we went there once or twice...by the end of our stay the staff recognised us! I’m not sure if I should be embarrassed by that?):


The cakes were – of course – awesome and all made on the premises. This looks like a simple strawberry tart, but no. The sable pastry base was biscuity and light, the crème patisserie filling was like eating a creamy cloud and the strawberries were sweet and fruity. I could eat one every day for the rest of my life.


Mr CC chose a “Javannais”.
I expected this to taste of coffee i.e. java but it didn’t. I would call this a japonaise as it was many layers of nutty meringue with creamy buttercream separating them.


The giant raspberry macaron was a purchase made from sheer greed, as the cakes are generously sized...but just look at it...how could I possibly walk away from the counter and leave it there?


We did actually sample other patisseries/cafes and found some delights. This beauty was a Delice:


It was a chocolate sponge and mousse outer, with a thick custard filling. My excuse for gobbling it down in about 3 seconds flat was that I was worried that it would melt in the sun:


The apple tart was simple and elegant and Mr CC liked that it wasn’t overly sweet:


This custard slice had an element I’ve never seen before. Each layer of puff pastry had a crisp coating of the kind you get on the top of a crème brulee. I would imagine that they scattered sugar on the cooked puff pastry then took a blow torch to it. The result was lovely as each mouthful of pastry also had a crisp, sticky caramel layer too.


Bruges – you may be a small city but you excelled yourself with your cakey offerings!


25 comments:

I heart cupcakes said...

I do the same - my photos of NY are 90% food!
I LOVE the look of the macaron - actually everything looks so good I would be on the Eurostar now if I could be!

Suelle said...

Yet another good reason to visit Bruges - it's been on our 'short break' list for a while now!

Unknown said...

We were in Bruges many years back when we took a day trip from Paris
I love the waterways, the cobble stone townsquare where we ate some marvelous Flemish stew. I visited a lovely pastry shop there too....you've brought back some yummy memories:)
ThnX

What's for dessert? said...

Everything looks so good

Miz Ratti said...

I hope you bought back a suitcase of cakes for me Mrs CC! It looks absolutely amazing and if I had been there, I would have been at that shop morning, noon and night!

Blue Shed Thinking said...

Knew there was a reason I wanted to go back to Brudges

Kate@whatkatebaked said...

We're going next month! I'm no longer going to be packing The Lonely Planet, oh no, I'll be packing a copy of your blog! Brilliant! Belgium cakes? Come to Mama!!

Katie C said...

OMG they look amazing! Suddenly Bruges is a place I desperately want to visit!

Beth (jamandcream) said...

great photo's...and amazing looking cakes. I must make a visit

Anonymous said...

ok we were going to go to paris from london, but now...maybe brugges is on the list instead. Where is that shop again ;o)

Alice said...

Oh my oh my oh my, is it wrong to want to visit a city for the sole purpose of eating cake?
I don't think so.

Snowy said...

Wow, what fabulous cakes!
Definitely a place to visit.

Anonymous said...

I am from Belgium and most bakeries there will have such a variety of pastries. It's quite a normal thing. So you don't necessarily have to visit Bruges to get that: you could pop on the Eurostar get some pastries from there and be back the same day ;-)

Choclette said...

Ha ha, I enjoyed your post. I was in Ghent last year and you know what, I only had eyes for the chocolatiers. How did I miss all those amazing cakes?

Patty O. said...

This is what I miss about living in a big city--good food! We don't even have a respectable bakery in this town. Just supermarkets with bakeries in them, and Walmart just doesn't make pastries. Maybe that's good, or I'd have an even bigger weight problem.

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Anonymous from Belgium

Thanks for your brilliant suggestion; Mr CC will be thrilled when I unveil my Eurostar day trip (and its purpose) to him!

Jo said...

Oh dear I nearly passed out from sheer cakey delight! Everything in that patisserie looks absolutely amazing, I don't know how you could pick which one to try.

Mrs Mulford said...

Jealous in a good way, beautiful pictures I am mentally digesting now ahhhhh... We have nothing to compare to this where I live. But I now know where to go, great post !

Cakelaw said...

Bruges is lovely - I went there in bleak, miserable December and was still charmed.

Maggie said...

Why oh why can't we do this here in the UK.
I could just eat the lot!

Lucy said...

Wow the cakes here all look utterly divine! Must get to Bruges soon :)

Caroline said...

Wow, they all look superb - Bruges is definitely a cake lovers dream destination!

Unknown said...

I wish I could find some of the wonderful raspberries I see on these pastries. It all looks so delicious!

Baking Addict said...

I was in Bruges earlier this year - such a beautiful city. Love the cakes - I think I had a few of those :) I'll be going to Ghent later this year so hope to get some comparable cakes there too!

Unknown said...

Beautiful... I know where I will be going on my next mini break!