Discover Benelux | Chocolate and Luxury Pastries for Easter | The Best in Flanders
Bringing a slice of happiness to the table TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTOS: HANSSENS BAKERY
Making people happy with a warm welcome, beautiful pastries and delicious cakes: that is what it is all about for Wouter Hanssens and his team at Hanssens Bakery in De Pinte, near Ghent. “We bring a smile by pure taste and warm charm.” “During gloomy times, we all need to enjoy a slice of happiness. And with our pastries, cakes and coffee rolls, that is exactly what we bring!” grins Hanssens. For 18 years, Hanssens Bakery has baked delicious delicacies, all made with pure and natural ingredients, with no additives. “We bake top quality products, create our own recipes and make the classics in our own style.” Appearance and colour are important elements. “People like to see colourful treats; it makes things even more festive.” This can particularly be said for the upcoming Easter breakfasts. “These are even more special family breakfasts, compared to those
of a regular Sunday morning. We’ll have extra luxurious coffee rolls and cakes, with chocolate and red fruits. Perfect for the season, and the Easter holiday,” smiles Hanssens. Throughout the year, Hanssens Bakery adapts its pastries in accordance with the changing of the seasons. “In springtime, we use a lot of colourful fruits and lemon, whereas during autumn and winter, chocolate is more in demand.” Hanssens Bakery offers an array of cakes for special occasions. “Cake is a part of any celebration,” he concludes. “And we want to make you even happier during that celebration, with the lovely cakes we bake here in our shop, and also custom-make. That way, we can make your smile even bigger!”
Web: www.bakkerijhanssens.be
Get ready for the haute éclair It is time for the macaron to move along! Right now the name on any self-respecting foodie’s lips is the ‘haute éclair’. Set to open this spring in the hip Belgian cities of Ghent and Antwerp is Chez Claire, a unique new venue specialising in luxurious haute éclairs. With 13 mouthwatering flavours including pistachio, salted caramel crisp and triple dark chocolate, Chez Claire offers a new and seriously improved version of the classic éclair. The foodie hotspot will also offer its own brand of champagne, ‘Cuvée Claire’, so that you can delight in your favourite flavour éclair on the spot, accompanied by a glass of bubbles. In the mood for something less decadent? You can also enjoy a good cup of coffee. And if you want to take your éclair away with you to indulge in later on, Chez Claire offers gift wrapping. Chez Claire is the brainchild of Dries Henau and Yuri Vandenbogaerde, who rose to fame in 2012 with their innovative WASBAR concept, combining a laundrette, café and hairdressing salon allowing customers to get a drink or a 54 | Issue 51 | March 2018
TEXT: ANNA VILLELEGER | PHOTO: CHEZ CLAIRE
haircut while waiting for their washing. For the design of Chez Claire’s interior, Henau and Vandenbogaerde have once again teamed up with Pinkeye, the design studio that worked with them to develop WASBAR’s award-winning concept. Chez Claire will also offer haute éclairs which are suitable for customers with food intoleranc-
es, and the patisserie chef is already experimenting with vegan éclairs to ensure something delicious for everyone. Web: www.chezclaire.be Facebook: chezclaire.be Instagram: @chezclaire.be