Patisserie Valerie: A Cake Paradise

If you haven't heard of Patisserie Valerie before, it is time for you to change that. I know cupcakes are the choice at the moment, but there are sweet treats that SO much better. Cupcakes are all about look, but I'm more interested in the taste, especially if I'm paying a few pounds for it (in money and weight, I suppose). There are cafés dotted all over the UK, but if there isn't one immediately in your area, you can order online for delivery (in a 20 mile radius) - and let's face it, it is probably worth it for one of the big celebration cakes.

Speaking of which I would absolutely love this "Profiteroles Valerie Style" for my wedding (I'm getting married in 2015 - are any of you feeling generous?) - I'm not hugely into traditional cakes but I could certainly get on board with this!

Anyway back to the cafés; I went to the branch on Manchester Deansgate on Sunday, braving the crowds of Christmas shoppers and market goers. Luckily my fiancé and I only had to wait five minutes for a table, which is pretty good going as the line is usually quite a bit longer. We were directed to a table at the back of the main floor (there is a smaller seating area in the basement) which was out of the way of the queue at the front door, but unfortunately next to the toilet; not really a problem until someone leaves the door open.

However we placed our order - the only snag being that there wasn't any orange juice as they had run out - so we opted for chocolate mousse cake, a double shot espresso, and an apple juice. There is an extensive menu with many sweet and savoury options, but we were on a special mission as we didn't buy advent calendars this year:

This cake NEEDS to be tried; it would put any advent calendar to shame, even those fancy Thornton's ones. This is why it is so good: there is a layer of chocolate sponge which is almost heading towards brownie consistency, which is then topped by a layer of the most delicious chocolate mousse (this is the largest layer and the best). There is a dusting of cocoa powder on the top, finished off with a profiterole on one end, and a dark chocolate button on the other.

It is big enough to eat as a meal in its own right, albeit a fairly calorific one. My suggestion would be to buy one and ask for two spoons, or eat half and ask for the rest to be wrapped up to be taken home. The staff seem happy to do this as they operate a takeaway service anyway. My fiancé describes this cake as "an amazing taste that he can remember even when he isn't eating it" and I just think it is absolutely divine.

Having been to another similar type of café, Maison Blanc in Winchester, I can say that every experience I have had at Patisserie Valerie has beaten it hands down in terms of selection, taste, and service. So go on, treat yourself - it will be so worth it.

Score: 4.5 stars out of 5