When Le Pere Noël brings you a treat this enchanting, you may hardly want to eat it!
Inspired by the magic of Christmas, Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Pastry Chef François Perret has created a special desert to deck the halls, available at La Bauhinia from December 5 to December 25, 2014.
He has transformed the traditional ‘bouche de noël’ — or Christmas cake — into a delightful scene: Father Christmas and his team gliding gracefully over the table… impatient to be shared among guests.
Santa, wearing a scrumptious red sugar cap, guides his sleigh with golden reins over a lace-like milk chocolate base. Dark chocolate carved reindeer dance around a magical forest of green cocoa butter and dark chocolate pine trees decorated with silver leaves.
Each tree is a delicious surprise with an array of flavors and textures. The dark chocolate covers a light flour less cookie with a crunch, which melts into a white chocolate cream with a sweetness expertly balanced by a homemade orange marmalade. Decorated with a roasted caramelized cocoa bean lightly coated with chocolate, the marmalade complements a traditional light chocolate mousse.
“I like it when desserts are packed with flavors, especially when they represent a special occasion like the Christmas cake. Contrasts are essential, but should never become opposites. That is the key to complex combinations of flavors,” shares Perret of this season’s spectacular.
Perret’s Christmas cake is priced at 108 euros (about $136 US), and is portioned to serve about five people.
