r/interestingasfuck • u/MrTacocaT12345 • 2h ago
French Chef Cédric Grolet showcases his incredible pastries
•
u/breovus 2h ago
Very cool.
But I also question what the bare minimum of pastry is that can be involved in a pastry before it's no longer a pastry. I guess "jam-balls" just doesn't sound as good.
•
u/Rags2Rickius 1h ago
Pastry work doesn’t mean using pastry. Pastry is synonymous in French cuisine to mean a whole range of baking
These are kind of like entremets. A pastry with three elements. Usually a fruit or creme, a biscuit or cake and either a soft set ganache or tempered chocolate shell 🐚
→ More replies (2)•
•
•
u/nahnopedontthinkso 2h ago
Exactly. I was going to mention that there is no texture in these. They need something crunchy or a piece of sponge cake.
•
•
u/Sanglyon 49m ago
It's all built on a cookie base. You can see cross-sections on his website https://cedric-grolet.com/meurice/
•
•
u/PurpleCableNetworker 2h ago
My wife and I just tried Tu Cha in LA. Beautiful looking pastries - but not flavor at all. The entire gimmick is the look of it. It seems like the flavor and texture is just afterthought.
•
u/Kadian13 1h ago
This is Cédric Grolet, expert in French culinary mastery, please don’t compare him to some LA TikTok influencer. His pastries flavor is actually super rich
→ More replies (1)•
u/ohnodamo 5m ago
So this the new "Is it Cake?" but instead of fondant it's meringue? It's not for me.
•
•
u/MarsScully 2h ago
What is meringue considered to be?
→ More replies (1)•
→ More replies (1)•
•
•
u/FuzzyWDunlop 2h ago
Would have liked a good, clear look at these things before he broke them rather than 14 closeups of a dude's thumbs.
•
u/roydogaroo 2h ago
The way he penetrates those pastries with his thumbs is a little off putting
•
•
•
•
→ More replies (4)•
•
u/KingHygelacReturns 2h ago
Maybe I just have the taste of a child but I'd rather a big ole chocolate chip cookie than a ball of goo shaped like a zucchini
•
•
u/throwaway098764567 1h ago
i appreciate how pretty and realistic they look, but a crunchy meringue seeming thing with filling isn't all that appealing to me either. i bet they'd hit as pie fillings though
•
•
•
•
•
•
u/Glastronaughty 2h ago
These look like how the pumpkins did in the Willy wonka and the chocolate factory.
•
u/ManEatingDuck_ 2h ago
I don't really understand the appeal of these realistic fruit desserts, they seem quite popular but they're basically just cream and jam. I don't think you can really call it a "pastry "
•
u/HanzoNumbahOneFan 1h ago
Lotta pattiserie stuff in France ends up having cream of some kind and is often times mostly cream. It's a pretty broad category as well. Basically if it's not bread or viennoiserie it's patisserie. Cakes, creams, jams, cookies, trifles, whatever. Like how petit four can mean basically anything if it's small enough.
•
u/alexandreautran 58m ago
Thats not it, I’ve eaten there. I found some of those shit, some ok, some good. None worth the hype but it’s not “just cream and jam”. For instance, I’ve eaten some pop corn ones and it was quite interesting how he was able to condense all flavors of corn and popcorn, from shell to core into a “foam-like” structure. This was quite interesting, not fame-deserving in MY opinion, but quite interesting positioning of flavors
•
•
u/throwaway586054 38m ago
The actual problem is that most pastry shops now try to recreate those similar pastries. And it's really a hit or miss. Actually I have one nearby my parents that looks more sophisticated than Grolet ones, which I welcome.
→ More replies (3)•
•
•
u/Frosty-Swan-5110 2h ago
I had these in Paris, the assorted miniature nuts in a little cup were the best because they were bite sized and manageable. Very overpriced but delicious
•
•
u/ForAte151623ForTeaTo 2h ago
Those aren't pastries those are goop balls.
•
u/Dcybokjr 2h ago
Yeah this feels like when Cake Boss was big and everyone got fancy cakes and had to learn fondant tastes like fucking play-doh
→ More replies (1)
•
•
•
u/Diablo_v8 1h ago
Am I the only one who doesn't care what it looks like if it's just a bunch of goo. Desserts need texture and and everything being a one note pudding is not appetizing in the slightest.
I understand the artistic prowess here but at the end of the day food should taste, texture, and experience should be priortized before I worry about it looking like a giant rasberry.
•
•
•
•
•
u/Single-Chain-1063 2h ago
It s all sugar, i respect the expertise but i dont give a fuck about the result
•
u/FargusMcGillicuddy 2h ago
I feel like it’s a little too heavy on the goo? Idk I would absolutely try one though.
•
u/reluctantlysharing 2h ago
I just watched another video, I don’t know if fit was this guy but someone got one of these and it was moldy af in the middle
•
•
•
u/Virtual_Persimmon851 2h ago
I’m sorry but these look great until he breaks it open and shows the insides.
•
•
•
•
u/Downtown-Security-11 2h ago
Anyone know what one of these would cost? Looks expensive
→ More replies (1)•
•
•
•
•
u/Pleasant-Future5818 2h ago
I had these in a few places and they're usually not great. They're very very pretty but the flavors and textures are overwhelmingly rich and the quantity is just too much; you get sick of it by the second bite.
•
u/mini-hypersphere 1h ago
I wont deny they look nice and they may even taste nice. But really, they all seem the same. I don't see lots of variety
•
•
•
•
•
u/McCl3lland 59m ago
I hope they taste good, because not a single one of those (once broken) looked like something I want to eat lol.
•
•
u/Connzept 40m ago
Why does the video end with him looking like a lizard person who's been poorly coached on how to eat human food?
•
u/taylorhildebrand 2h ago
Holy fuck I’m too high to watch this, I have weird feelings in my mouth now
•
•
u/Dont-ask-dont-speak 2h ago
You guys are a bunch of grumps. These look absolutely delicious and well made. Not really sure about all this mold talk.
•
u/Salt-Operation 2h ago
There was another popular post today in mildlyinfuriating where one of these realistic cake pastries had mold all in it.
•
u/Flammable_Chipmunk 2h ago
Regarding the mold talk - There was a post in mildly infuriating earlier today where some guy had visited a shop that was will known for lifelike pastries like these (though did not look half as lifelike as these from what I could see) and ended up with one filled with mold.
•
•
•
u/toodlesandpoodles 2h ago
A giant, brittle, candy shell that breaks when I bite it and leaves me holding a goopy handful of jam and cream is not something I am going to spend my money on. I'd rather have a basic donut for likely 1/10 the price.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
u/Deagballs 2h ago
This is really good advertising. Cudoos, to the marketing department.
•
u/GingerIsTheBestSpice 2h ago
It's very effective to be sure. Also FYI it's "kudos".because English spelling is nonsensical!
•
•
•
•
u/edcculus 1h ago
For how much those probably sell for, he must have ruined several hundred dollars of product.
•
u/tjovanity 1h ago
I've had them and they are not satisfying at all as sweets/pastries. It's all looks 🫠
•
u/Pristine-Pangolin360 1h ago
Cant not convince me all these post of this french guy are secretly paid to promotion, gtfo
•
•
•
u/City_of_Paris 1h ago
Guy is for sure talented but for those who know, these are way overpriced. It's mainly for tourists.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
u/Baystate411 46m ago
They sell these near me in NoVA at a place called Layered. They are really cool to look at
•
•
•
•
u/FatalErrorOccurred 25m ago
So is that how I'm supposed to eat any of those pastries if I buy one... violently gouge into it and eviscerate it in the most theatrical and exaggerated manner before taking the first bite?
•
u/Deathwatch72 22m ago
Super cool but feels more than it's showcasing his painting and precision more than it is showcasing baking talent.
That said people would go ballistic over trying to get these at any event because of how insanely good they look
•
•
u/Pleasant_Let_5800 19m ago
It is "popular" thanks to "bobo parisien" only. Rest of France, and lost likely world, doesn't care much...
•
•
u/Schmooto 15m ago
They look to be mostly just balls of jam.
They look pretty but they don’t look good.
•
u/pichael289 14m ago
Some of these look pretty gross. Did that one have pepper? I'ma diabetic so I can only eat stuff like this very rarely when my numbers are great so I have to pick and choose my sugars and these don't like that great. I'll spend $40 on a top tier treat because I can only get one so often. These don't like that great. The best sugary treats don't need a visual gimmic, they are delicious and word of mouth proves it.
Place like this are always super expensive and the people are horriffic. Both the customers and the staff, they will not stop fucking talking no matter how long the line is. All these hipster bakeries are like this, they just flap their yap for 15 minutes and there's always kids just running wild and it costs about 17X what it's worth and they try to guilt you into some charity that doesn't sound legitimate. These are the worst fucking stores ever, my wife gets excited and they are sold out of everything in like 2 hours in fucking ohio, na you just didn't make enough and don't give a fuck.
•
u/Peacenow234 12m ago
I’ve never been interested in such pastries by their fake outside look but now that I see what is inside, even more so
•
u/OmgFurai 7m ago
He does a pinecone that's filled with a hazelnut and chocolate mousse. It's amazing.
•
•
•
u/adorablegadget 2h ago
Someone just posted pics of a very similar style of dessert. They were filled with mold.