The British vogue for all things baked shows no sign of abating and now the man dubbed “The Picasso of Pastry” is in London to transform afternoon tea.
Pierre Hermé, world-renowned for his macarons, is bringing French goûter to The Balcon brasserie in Pall Mall, at the five-star Sofitel St James hotel.
Goûter began as an after-school snack for children — a piece of bread with chocolate — but has evolved into cakes pastries, or biscuits served with coffee or hot chocolate. Hermé said: “French goûter is different to English afternoon tea in the type of food eaten, but the similarity is it’s a break in the afternoon to eat. There’s savoury food in afternoon tea but goûter is all sweet.”
Treats served included soft brioche mousseline topped with hazelnut praline and caramelised hazelnuts, and cookies made with Charente butter.
After working in Paris Hermé opened a pastry store in Tokyo in 1998, and now has boutiques across the world.
