After a general training in cooking, Claire Heitzler turned to pastry.
She became an apprentice at Thierry Mulhaupt, in Strasbourg, then clerk at Troisgros, in Roanne. She then joined Georges Blanc in Vonnas, stayed at the L’Oranger restaurant in London, then became pastry chef at Alain Ducasse’s Beige restaurant in Tokyo, at the Park Hyatt in Dubai and, in 2009, joined the Ritz Paris.
In 2010, she was appointed pastry chef at the Lasserre restaurant, where, a few years later, she offered a menu called “sweet sequence”, based on the … sweet flavor. Voted Pastry Chef of the Year 2013 by Gault-Millau, awarded the Excellence Award for Best Pastry Chef awarded by Relais Desserts in 2014, in 2015 she became pastry chef at Ladurée.
I’m a fan of citrus
The entire fruit can be used in the kitchen, from the flesh to the rind. The latter is not always used and it is a shame because it concentrates the flavors of citrus.
My favorite ? Dekopon, a Japanese citrus fruit that can be placed between orange and clementine, with soft and supple flesh. Otherwise, I love clementine.
For example in a cake, with zest in the dough and pieces of supreme on top, to bring flavor and a little moisture to the cake.
Pistachio-raspberry, one of my favorite alliances
For a long time I didn’t eat pistachio, I didn’t like it. I understood why when I started this profession: in pastry making, it is often cut with bitter almond and added with coloring. The real pistachio is on the contrary sweet and delicate, and since it is also rich and generous, the raspberry, tangy and lively, brings it a perfect balance. A tart made with a sweet dough and a pistachio cream garnished with pieces of raspberries, it’s so good!
Vanilla, my cute sin
I love vanilla, especially in ice cream, I can eat liters of it. Above all, you must not leave me a teaspoon next to a pot! I also really like the vanilla éclairs. In Paris, there are few, but in Alsace, where I’m from, it’s common. When I was little, I bought some in secret …
My menu, when I receive friends
I cheat a bit, because I am lucky to have a cook husband! In general, I therefore let him prepare the starter and the main course. For my part, in salty, I prefer to work cold: the aperitif, salads … On the other hand, I take care of the dessert, often a pie.
I love fruit, everyone loves pies, and it’s also the easiest thing to make at home. It’s hard to compete with household appliances when you have professional equipment available the rest of the time! My last pie? A Bourdaloue, with a crispy sweet dough.
At Easter, I like dark chocolate
And particularly the notes of a relatively acidic cocoa. Otherwise, in times of stress or pure indulgence, I fall for milk chocolate and caramel, or white chocolate. For Easter, I declined the traditional frying in the form of small Ladurée pastries, and imagined a series of little bunnies of all colors.
My closet basics
At home, I always have lemons, avocados, edamame in the freezer, and quinoa. An express dinner? I prepare a salad made with quinoa, avocado and snow peas.
I have a crush on sweets …
Good filth that goes well, Dragibus or Smurfs. I know very well that it is not good for your health, I do not understand this urge to eat chemical things. But that’s how it is, I can’t resist.
I worked 3 years in Japan
And I love Japanese culture and food. When I go there, I enjoy sobas (buckwheat noodles) and shabu-shabu, a fondue where the food is cooked in a broth, of incredible delicacy. In pastry making, I love their little brioches filled with red bean paste. On the other hand, I have never been tempted to introduce Japanese ingredients in my pastries. In France, we use yuzu or matcha in all sauces, but when we have tasted them in Japan, the quality of those found here does not stand up to the comparison.
Putting matcha in a pastry to put it in is not interesting, just like cooking with frozen yuzu dough. I respect this culture and this cuisine too much!
Gomasio, my favorite condiment
I buy this mixture of sesame powder and salt in Asian grocery stores. I put it in all my salads, or whenever I prepare fish or shrimp.
To read :
30 exceptional recipes explained step by step, with notes from the chef.
High level, for seasoned pastry chefs.
“Claire Heitzler, pastry chef”, éditions du Chêne.
