History of macaroons Is it a coincidence that a gourmet writer by the name of François Rabelais was the first to mention the macaroon? It was in 1552 in the Quart Livre that he described it as a “Small round cake with almonds”. Introduced by Catherine de Médicis’ chefs, the delicacy’s origins are Mediterranean, probably from the Andalusia region of Spain before the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, as during the eight days of Passover, food eaten had to be flourless and unleavened. The macaroon was therefore the perfect answer to these restrictions. The origins of its name vary from Greek – “cake ..read more

The egg, the universal symbol of life and renewal, was at the heart of these traditions, and was often offered in its natural form or painted, long before it was turned into sweet treats. The first Easter sweets celebrated the end of the period of Lent: decorated brioche breads, cakes garnished with dried fruits and spices, a sign of the joy of renewal and newfound abundance. Diverse and rich in meaning, these recipes tell the story of the communities, their beliefs and their lands, thus weaving the thread of a gastronomic history that heralds the chocolate celebrations of today. The dive ..read more

Jean-Paul Hévin affirms his love for Paris by giving this egg the name “Réverbère”, to which the capital of France owes its nickname “The City of Light”. A delicious homage to the city’s radiance! Rock ‘n’ roll has never been so soft and sweet! Get ready to melt for this chocolate masterpiece made by Vincent Guerlais, which promises once again to thrill your taste buds! Succumb to the elegance of this Kintsugi Egg imagined by Pierre Hermé, which sublimates the beauty of a broken egg in the style of this ancestral Japanese tradition. Each bite is a celebration of the spring ren ..read more

Laurent Le Daniel has just been named a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite. Congratulations to him for this prestigious award, which rewards a passionate pastry chef very invested in the sustainability of his profession ..read more

The first Europeans to taste vanilla were Cortes and his soldiers when they were received by Emperor Montezuma and offered an unsweetened cocoa drink, to which the Aztecs added tlilxot chitl, the ‘black pod’, to reduce the bitterness. Columbus brought the pod back to Spain in 1518 and Spaniards, enthused by the new aroma, gave it a ‘christian’ name, meaning a latin name: Bainilla, which is a diminutive of Vaina, a ‘sheath’. Variations of this have prevailed ever since, and the etymological adventure has had the pod lose its colour. France got to know vanilla thanks to Briti ..read more

With his “Madagascar” dessert, Mathieu Kamm invites us to enjoy a sensorial experience right in the heart of winter. Let yourself be seduced by his Madagascar vanilla and Ceylon cinnamon whipped cream, his passion fruit and roasted pineapple compote, and his soft almond biscuit. With the “Privilège” dessert created by Vincent Vallée, succumb to a pastry experience which awakens the senses and celebrates the art of gourmet pleasure. Vanilla, mango, passion fruit and a delicate rice pudding make a perfect combination! With his “Paradis blanc” dessert, Patrick Agnellet  ..read more

The regulations for the 2024 Relais Desserts Charles Proust competition have just been published. You can find it here. This year, the theme is: “Will Artificial Intelligence take us to Mars?” Below, you will find the main new elements of this edition: The event will take place at the Pavillon Gabriel in the morning of 3 November, before the Gala de la Pâtisserie. The prize giving will be held that same evening, during the Gala de la Pâtisserie, where all the participants of the competition will be invited. A new trophy is in the process of being created for this 2024 edition, devised by a re ..read more

The French team is selected for the Pastry World Cup! She won the European Cup ahead of Italy and the United Kingdom who are also selected for the grand final in January at Sirha ..read more

Extremely fond of his home region, Patrick and his wife Nathalie opened their first boutique along the shores of Lake Annecy in 2004, and then a second in 2012 in his childhood home of La Clusaz. He joined Relais Desserts in 2011. For Patrick, who grew up in a rural area, protecting and caring for the environment comes as second nature. His eco-designed laboratory is made with environmentally-friendly materials and equipped with a water recycling system. For day-to-day operations, he pays careful attention to avoid waste by making the most of every last resource. It is this conscientiousness t ..read more

Pascal Lac, established since 1995 as the head of 6 shops in Nice and the surrounding area and member of RD since 2006 shares his recipe for calisson and reveals to us an exceptional honey produced by Philippe COSTE, professional beekeeper of the “Ruchers de Cipières“.  Philippe COSTE has been a beekeeper since 1998, when he placed his first hives on their family estate in  Cipières in the Maritime Alps, a village located in the Loup valley, opposite Le Cheiron.  Born into a family of farmers going back several generations, Philippe for a long time had devoted himself to th ..read more