Patrick Agnellet’s Pastries in La Clusaz and Annecy

A few weeks ago, I was telling you about Philippe Rigollot’s pastry shop in Annecy. For me it was an unmissable destination when going on holiday in that area. Admittedly, this goes back to last summer so my article is a little late, but I still wanted to introduce you to this chef (for those of you who don’t know him yet, of course!). It turns out it was only shortly before we left that I realised there was also another renowned pastry chef in Annecy, Patrick Agnellet, a member of the Relais Desserts. Another address to try out…

And it is while out for a stroll in La Clusaz that we stumble, by chance, upon Patrick Agnellet’s shop. A sign of fate? In any case, it’s hard not to be won over when looking at the window display — all the desserts are splendid. After a lovely 2-hour hike, we sit down on the terrace of a small restaurant near the church, all the while knowing that dessert will not be taken here!

Patrick Agnellet’s Shop in La Clusaz

I really love the look of this shop — it’s warm and authentic. The little church square is really lovely, in short the location is ideal. From this first visit, we will leave with one dessert each. We will return a few days later to the same shop (La Clusaz being slightly closer than Annecy from our holiday rental) to try several other desserts.

Tasting the Pastries

La Promesse

ladyfinger biscuit, crushed strawberries, vanilla emulsion, crispy hazelnut sablé, whipped cream with strawberry pulp

Verdict: this is the first dessert of the chef’s that I try, and I can already tell it’s going to be good! (any pun is purely coincidental :D). This dessert is simply delicious. I chose strawberry and vanilla, flavours I particularly love, but what really won me over was that strawberry taste — like biting into a fresh strawberry. The ladyfinger biscuit is soft (as well as being elegant, presented this way) and the little hazelnut biscuit at the bottom adds just the right amount of crunch. In short, a little marvel!

La tartelette frisson

almond sablé pastry, raspberry ganache, fresh mint emulsion

Verdict: if La Promesse was a real revelation for us, this tartelette frisson was quite the opposite. Yet it’s beautiful and well made — but the problem lies in the name of the dessert. We were in the mood for freshness and fruit. And besides, the mint/raspberry combination needs no introduction — it works (and we love it!). Unfortunately, we really looked for the raspberry… and found chocolate (not mentioned in the name). In the end, instead of a fresh mint/raspberry dessert, we had a chocolate/icy mint tartelette. A perfect dessert for after eight fans but that’s absolutely not our thing. A shame. Rest assured, this dessert was the only ‘disappointment’.

La tartelette myrtille

sablé pastry, almond cream and fresh blueberries

Verdict: not being a big blueberry fan myself, this dessert was tasted by my dear husband, just as much of a foodie as me. It’s hard to go to Haute-Savoie without succumbing to a blueberry tartelette — the local classic. Personally, I love the look. These blueberries look incredibly attractive with that shiny glaze. It’s incredibly indulgent too since the blueberry compote is arranged in the shape of a dome. My partner really liked it, without being completely blown away. A beautiful tartelette, very prettily made in its own right.

Le Candi

madeleine biscuit, tangy raspberry coulis, lime pannacotta, strawberry emulsion

Verdict: I found this dessert beautiful and the flavours won me over straight away. Clearly there is decorative work hidden beneath the glaze (you can probably spot some little dots?). It’s a bit too subtle (I hadn’t noticed at first glance) on the individual version but apparently much more visible on the large format version. We loved this dessert — it’s fresh, it’s light, it’s exactly what you expect from a dessert like this. The only slight downside was the lime pannacotta which escaped us during tasting (and I’m still looking for it in the cross-section photo). Apart from that, it’s an excellent dessert with a really lovely look!

Le Cécile

verbena madeleine biscuit, apricot compote and crémeux, almond crunch

Verdict: this entremets caught my eye with its shape and colour. And then its flavours too: verbena, apricot… flavours I don’t usually go for. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised by its lightness, its delicateness and its flavours, as honest as they are fresh. And that little crunch really adds something extra. The only downside for me was the white chocolate shell which I found a little too thick. Apart from that, it’s an excellent dessert that brings a lot of freshness at the end of a meal.

Le 3 stars

layered dark, milk and white chocolate mousses on an almond chocolate biscuit

Verdict: I was excited to try this cube-shaped triple chocolate dessert. I love this shape and those little chocolate plaques on the sides. I don’t usually like white chocolate, mind you (and in fact I had never had a triple chocolate dessert before, but this little treat tempted me). No disappointment with this dessert — it’s very well executed. No surprises either. The white chocolate isn’t too prominent (which was perfect for me). Overall, it’s a dessert I found surprisingly light and greatly enjoyed.

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