SF pastry tasting: Miette Patisserie

Some friends and I picked up some desserts at a high-brow San Francisco patisserie, Miette, to indulge a little...actually, a lot. These desserts were among the best I've encountered, and each one was beautiful, obviously created with lots of love and attention to detail! They skillfully packaged the pastries to preserve their flawless appearance, which obviously had us drooling to taste. We had macaroons (both chocolate and hazelnut), a fancy chocolate cupcake, chocolate pot de creme and a lime tart.

The macaroons surprised me-- I'm used to them being dry, airy and unsatisfying, but these were the polar opposite. The meringue was soft, glazed for extra yumminess, then glued to another meringue with buttercream. The chocolate macaroon was so rich and soft, I actually couldn't resist eating it before I took the picture *sorry:-)*

I was curious how the pot de creme would be packaged, as it needs to be in a container. It was in a small glass jar, allowing the customer to view the chocolaty goodness they are about to experience. The cream on top was only slightly sweetened, so I was anticipating a super-sweet dense chocolate goo underneath...not so! The pot de creme was also only slightly sweetened, which was perfect because the sugar didn't overpower the chocolate. The thick, creamy texture was still so rich, as intended, that the small portion went a long way!

We were given instructions to only consume the cupcake at room temperature...these people are serious about dessert! The cupcake was so pretty I was a little afraid to touch it with it's pretty little red candied peanut on top. Though the cake was moist and chocolatey, and the icing soft and creamy, I found this cupcake to be rather ordinary. I think a more apt word is probably "classic". I also must confess that I'm not the biggest fan of cake products.

The lime tart was the piece de resistance. I usually don't even consider non-chocolate desserts, but I knew I had to diversify a little...OMG this was by far my favorite! The lime curd was tangy but not too sweet, the housemade marshmallow cream on top was heavenly, and the graham cracker crust paired perfectly with the acid in the lime...I was expecting the standard pate sucrée, but this crust was definitely a better match for this dessert.

If you're ever in the city and craving sugar, this place should definitely be on your list! Their pastries are very reasonably priced, and they use organic and sustainably produced ingredients whenever possible. Miette definitely goes on my high-brow list! -K

Miette Patisserie
Ferry Building Marketplace, Shop 10
San Francisco, CA 94111