Patisserie Valerie

Every year it’s down to me to sort out a cake for my mother and brother-in-law’s birthdays, that fall one day apart. The cake must travel all the way to Wiltshire, to be presented at the annual family gathering in Center Parcs. I like to see what’s out there, and where’s better than Twitter, so I do a cake call out tweet and see what happens.

In 2011 it was a fab Sweet Things Oreo cake, I have since found out my mother-in-law dislikes Oreos. #fail. Last year was a bit of a disaster, someone from my father-in-law’s place of work – the 16″ West Brasserie at the Maritime Museum in Greenwich offered to make us a cake for a great price. Although I’m sure it looked pretty when he picked it up, by the time it reached Center Parcs it had suffered a landslide. The fresh fruit scattered on top was no longer fresh and a patch-up job was required.

Patisserie Valerie’s Cortina Gateau, modelled by Polpo’s very own Tom Oldroyd and Iain’s arm.

Having learnt from my mistake, I chose Patisserie Valerie this year, having been impressed with the Cortina Gateau cake my sister bought for her fiance’s 3oth at Polpo in the summer. It did resemble a cluster of poppodums, but crucially, it was sturdy and tasted good.

If you like it then you gotta but a bow on it…

Have your cake and eat it!

The list of celebration cakes on their site is endless, and impressive. However we had to go for a robust one, so the White Cigarette Celebration Cake was chosen – layers of chocolate sponge and Belgian chocolate cream finished with white chocolate ‘cigarettes’. Ranging from £22 for a 6″ (for 6/8 portions) to a whopping 16″ (for 60 portions) £175.00. A great classic chocolate cake with a hint of fruitiness, nestled under a rich ganache. Perfectly moist, considering it was made on Thursday and we ate it on Sunday night.

It made it in once piece, not even one ‘cigarette’ fell off, although as soon as the candles were blown out everyone reached for one. Now I wonder what next year’s will be…

In the meantime, here’s some more Patisserie Valerie cake porn…

Eclair was in heaven… Sharing his box with a couple of sweet things and a tart!

www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk
Branches nationwide, find your nearest here
Follow them on Twitter
Like them on Facebook