Laduree Christmas 2014 collection

Its only 20 days lefts until Christmas! Besides the never ending search for creative, witty, timeless … presents the discussion about what to serve your guests for Christmas or for all those like me, who have the pleasure of being invited, what to bring for your hostess starts tingling. One of the best answers might be one of the artful delights that Parisian pastry chefs create for Christmas!

Laduree Christmas 2014

The Laduree Christmas 2014 collection isn’t playing with the typical codes of the festive season! pic laduree.com

  • Laduree tropic Christmas collection including pinapple Macarons, vanilla rum Macarons and much more, laduree.com

Let’s start with the Laduree Christmas 2014 collection. This year Laduree leaves the obvious and goes for the unexpected! The inspiration behind the collection are the tropics!

Laduree christmas 2014 collection

For the 2014 Christmas collection Laduree drew inspiration from the tropics, Laduree 16-18 rue Royale, Paris, laduree.com

Laduree Christmas 2014

Baba Exotique from the Laduree Christmas 2014 collection, Laduree, 75 Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Laduree Christmas 2014

Baba Exotique from the Laduree Christmas 2014 collection, Laduree, 75 Avenue des Champs-Élysées

But its not only the internationally acclaimed Laduree, that brings out an artful Christmas pastry collection. There are many more pastry shops in Paris that reinvent the traditional French Christmas delights like the Bûche de Noël each and every year. Among them is Parisian star pattiseur Pierre Hermé, who is also responsible for the sweet treats of guest at the Royal Monceau in Paris.

Bûche de Noël

The Bûche de Noël is a signature Parisian Christmas pastry, which is artfully reinvented each year by pastry chefs in the city, pic pierreherme.com

Pierre Herme

… another incredible pastry from Pierre Herme’s Christmas collection, pic pierreherme.com

Jean-Paul Hévin, who has an incredible shop cum cafe, on Rue Saint Honoré in Paris just a stone throw away from the super hip concept store Colette, offers an incredibly joyful Christmas collection. My personal standout is the “Be Happy Buche”.

Jean Paul Hevin

Jean Paul Hevin’s “Be Happy Buche de Noel”, pic CKM

Pierre Marcolini, a Belgium chocolatier, who set up a new store on rue Saint Honore in Paris this year offers snowman chocolate sculptures and pralines with angular surfaces a little reminiscent of cut diamonds.

Pierre Marcolini chocolate

Abstracted snowman chocolate sculptures and pralines at Pierre Marcolini.

And now lets finish with my all time favorite Patrick Roger. Once again he offers his incredibly beautiful and extremely delicious “chocolate Christmas trees”, which are made by layering multiple almond pralines. A new feature in his portfolio for the 2014 Christmas season are cute little penguin chocolate sculptures.

Patrick Roger christmas tree

Chocolate Christmas trees assembled from almond and dried fruit pralines. Patrick Roger store, 3 place de la Madeleine

Patrick Roger penguin

Penguin sculptures are the topic of Patrick Roger’s Christmas 2014 collection, Patrick Roger, 3 place de la Madeleine

So what are your favourite sweet treats for Christmas? Do you prefer to go for comfort food or for elaborate haute cuisine creations?