5 creations to understand the gourmet world of Benoît Castel
Baker-patissier Benoît Castel reveals himself in five sweet and savory creations to help us better understand his gourmet approach. Enough to make your mouth water!
Benoît Castel is a committed baker and craftsman of the everyday gourmet. His Parisian stores are a generous expression ground for childhood memories, iconic brunches and reinvented countertop patisserie. Here, the classics become true signatures, telling part of their creator's personality. Would you like to discover the world of Benoît Castel? The Breton-born pastry chef talks to us about his favorite recipes.
Choux: a simple dessert turned event
"Our best-selling pastry is choux", he begins. And among the many variations, two recipes are available year-round in the store: the vanilla chou and the chocolate chou. "I don't offer the éclair because I find the chou more fleshy and generous. It's a real childhood memory," he explains."They sell so well that we've ended up making them an event."Every March 21, we launch Fashion Chou, a day entirely dedicated to this pastry, with shop windows filled only with choux," laughs Benoît Castel. Pistachio, strawberry, caramel... the flavours vary from month to month, and customers keep coming back for more!
Crêpes Suzette: a story of transmission
"I love crêpes Suzette", says the baker-patissier. so much so, in fact, that every February, he sells them in a box, to be picked up in the store and enjoyed at home for Chandeleur. While Benoît Castel's origins lie in Brittany, the story behind these crêpes is much more personal."It's a recipe from a cook friend that I've been making since I was 18," he recalls."It's really a memory of friendship! I also like this link with the codes of the Parisian brasserie, where the crepes are flambéed in front of the customer. A lot of people think it's a heavy dessert, but when it's well done, it's a real treat!"
Tarte tatin: three years to find the right recipe
While Benoît Castel is renowned for his gourmet tarte tatin, it's also one of the desserts that required the most thought. "I thought for three years to find the right recipe," he explains. His version relies on the precision of the fruit: a Royal Gala apple, gently candied in the oven with a light ginger flavor, but also an anti-waste approach."We recover the apple skin and cores to make a topping, with which we glaze the candied apple." The tart base is a Breton shortbread with hard-boiled eggs, designed to remain crumbly and prevent sogginess.
Local bread: a passion for ancient flours
More than just a loaf of bread, pain du coin has become a veritable signature. Conceived as a pastry recipe, it brings together a multitude of carefully sourced ingredients. The idea came from a woody smoked salt:"I thought up the recipe in reverse, starting with this salt." Stoneground flours, sourdough, honey, smoked salt... All baked in a wood-fired oven for a bread of character, dense and identifiable. "It's our best-selling bread in stores and restaurants," says Benoît Castel.
Ribs and scrambled eggs: two brunch essentials
Benoît Castel's brunch is one of the most coveted in Paris. While the buffet changes regularly, two recipes have become indispensable and never leave the menu: ribs and scrambled eggs.
"The eggs are treated with precision: gently cooked, stopped with Isigny heavy cream to preserve their unctuous texture. The ribs, on the other hand, are a dish of patience. We marinate them for two days with honey, spices, soy sauce, vinegar and water, before cooking them for 3 to 4 hours in a wood-fired oven. For us, it's impossible to take them out of brunch!"
▶ See Gault&Millau's review of Benoît Castel
