Patisserie Academie
Coffee
Almond Croissant and Bread Pudding
Chocolate Wrapped Éclair
Mille Feuille
Chocolate Apricot Tart
Cherry Pastry
Getting away from the tighter medieval part of Bruges, streets opening up and more populated by locals than travelers, Patisserie Academie at Academiestraat 4 serves as a sort of ‘melting pot’ in a city that occasionally seems rather rude, the service perhaps not quite as friendly as that found amongst Brussel’s greatest artisans when it comes to those speaking English, but more than good enough to warrant a look at the pastries natives have grown to love.
Offering a sizable dining space, windows letting in the rare sunlight seen during Belgium’s late Spring, deciding where best to invest one’s appetite at Patisserie Academie is the sort of ‘first world’ problem that different sorts may fear or embrace, and with several items unlabeled with any number of exotic ingredients the Staff’s willingness to answer questions may seem a little brisk at times, yet for those persistent the answers come fluently as all three clerks on Saturday were sure-footed in French, Dutch and English.
Eventually settling on a Double Espresso and three pastries to dine-in, an equal number boxed and kept at the counter to-go, suffice it to say that Patisserie Academie’s Bread Pudding rectangle fails to execute on par with most as nuance is lost in density while the Almond Croissant sets the bar high by way of open arches of butter beneath a golden exterior with light almond filling at its center.
Pulling better shots than several, the Coffee roasted ‘nearby’ according to the clerk, those wondering about the oddly ‘wrapped’ Éclairs should rest assured that this is no ‘trick’ to make-up for lack of the Choux’s quality, the dark chocolate adding to the pastry’s crunch rather than masking it while Cocoa infusing the Custard base of an Apricot Flan was surprisingly restrained yet decadent.
Laminating a pocket in which to pour and bake Stewed Cherries, the tartness here actually quite bracing yet enjoyable as it did not trend too sweet, final tastes from Patisserie Academie included a textbook Mille-Feuille that had actually just been finished minutes before, the crisp break and soft custard offering a brilliant juxtaposition undoubtedly benefitted by fresh stacking.
http://patisserieacademie.be