Paris: 2000 feuilles from Pierre Herme

Yesterday I took a day trip to Paris and, of course, as with any trip to Paris, a visit to Pierre Herme was required.

I picked up their 2000 Feuilles to try. Basically it was a millefeuille (but mille/1000 times two) with almond cream and choc-hazelnut fillings.

2000 feuilles from Pierre Herme

I have to say, though, that as much as I tried to like it, I did not. Perhaps it was because it had already sat in its packaging at room temperature for 4 hours before I finally got to eat it, but the textures and flavours just didn’t play well together. Of course, having been out so long, the cake no longer held its shape, with the praline cream and chocolate-hazelnut filling erupting out the sides. I found the fillings, because they were at room temperature, to be overpowering. The tones of almond and chocolate were no longer gentle and caressing but loud and abrasive. Even large pieces of pastry failed to mellow small dollops of filling. Plus, even a very sharp knife failed to truncate a cross-section in the millefeuille, making it difficult to appreciate the intended textural combinations and rendering the process of devouring the cake a very messy operation.

I suppose one praise-worthy aspect of the cake was the pastry, which remained crispy and mostly unsoggy despite its four-hour journey in an air-less cardboard box. Next time, though, I’ll be sure to finish millefeuilles as soon as I purchase them.

Hopefully the macarons that I got will fare better!