Charli Boulangerie
Almond Croissant
Éclair Café
Tart Tatin
Cherry Clafoutis
Bolus – Caramelized AOP Butter Pastry with Pastry Cream and Raisins
Tortillons – Laminated AOP Butter Twist
Located just steps from Mer du Nord and thus perfectly situated for dessert as the fish stand sells none, Boulangerie Charli falls somewhere in the upper-middle of Brussels enormous range of boulangerie and patisserie, the Belgian “Bolus” a specialty not seen anywhere else in the city while the seasonal Clafoutis is equally worth ordering.
Originally opened in late 2009, owner Charles Reboulet taking a truly organic route from flour and free-range eggs to AOP Butter, Charli features treats ranging from breakfast Viennoiserie to several styles of pastry and although tightly packed the limited seating options offer a full view of the glass-enclosed kitchen, several young men and women still baking, folding or rolling even at 14h30.
Abrupt in their interactions, likely a result of heavily toured location as other bakeries came across more friendly, bites of the almond croissant showed a twice-baked iteration slightly compromised by too-sweet a filling while the Éclair had undoubtedly suffered from shelf-time, the coffee filling nice and smooth but the choux a touch soggy.
Intrigued by Totillon, it’s flavor something like a Palmier with laminated layers well separated, this selection proved superfluous in the face of the Bolus which ate like a Kouign Amann spiraled around raisins and pastry cream, the tart tatin compromised by the choice to use a crust thicker than 5cm while the Clafoutis was nearly perfect for an individual portion with pudding-textured cake rife with butter cradling stewed cherries.
http://www.charliboulangerie.com/