This Ottawa pastry shop makes a perfect Paris-Brest, inspired by a century-old French tradition
The hazelnut eclair at Elina Patisserie on Sussex Drive layers light choux pastry with mousseline cream and roasted nuts for a delectable treat.
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Elina Patisserie
443a Sussex Dr., 613-808-0995, elinapatisserie.ca
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m., to 5 p.m., closed Monday
In France, a classic Paris-Brest pastry is shaped like a circle and meant to resemble a bicycle wheel. But at Elina Patisserie on Sussex Drive, owner and pastry chef Elina Olefirenko’s deluxe version of that delicious confection is more reminiscent of, let’s say, an O-Train.
Don’t hold that against it. In its straightforward, eclair-like glory, Olefirenko’s Paris-Brest ($11) is still a beautiful sight. Furthermore, it tastes even better than it looks, with an ultra-smooth, light, and not-too-sweet mousseline cream sandwiched between lengths of delectable, lightly crunchy choux pastry. A crowning slather of hazelnut purée plus some roasted hazelnuts take this treat over the top.
Olefirenko, a Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa graduate who now teaches at that elite culinary school in Sandy Hill,?straightened out her Paris-Brest for pragmatic reasons. “It’s easier for people to eat,” she says.
In its native land, the Paris-Brest dates back to 1910, when a p?tissier created it to commemorate the grueling cycling event that continues to this day, demanding that its riders cycle from Paris to Brest on France’s western coast and back. That’s a trek of about 1,200 kilometres. It’s been said that high-calorie Paris-Brest pastries became popular with cyclists to fuel their rides. Surely this is wishful thinking rather than sound nutritional advice.
I don’t recommend doing anything quite so strenuous after enjoying a Paris-Brest by Olefirenko. You’d be better off reflecting on your indulgence and good fortune with a sip of superior coffee at her jewel box of a shop while gazing out at life on Sussex Drive.
Finally, if a Paris-Brest’s nuts or mousseline cream aren’t for you, I can vouch for Olefirenko’s refined and eclair-shaped take on tarte tatin, that homey apple-based French pie, and also for her honey cake with walnut and sour cherry, which nods to her Ukrainian heritage.
Do you have a favourite place to get a little treat in Ottawa? Send Peter Hum an e-mail to share your picks.
Other treats of the week:
Sin-Namon churro cookie at Toro Eats & Treats
Maritozzi at Roberto Pizza Romana
Supreme croissant at Hugo Cafe
Smoked salmon croissant at Choux Atelier
Apple cider doughnut at Red Door Provisions
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