A decorative dessert featuring cream, puff pastry layers topped with raspberries, and a swirl of whipped cream, arranged on a silver platter – perfect for fruitcakes.

Saint Honoré

The Saint Honoré miracle:

Discover the fascinating history of the famous Saint Honoré cake.

When Santo announced to his nurse that he intended to become a priest, she was busy making fresh bread. The atmosphere in the kitchen was welcoming, the smell of baking bread filled the air with a sense of warmth and tradition.

"When my shovel sprouts leaves, you will be a bishop!” the good woman scoffed, laughing at the unlikely idea that the Saint presented to her.

And with those playful words, something extraordinary happened. To her astonishment and wonder, the shovel was covered in leaves, as if by divine intervention. This magical moment not only surprised the nurse but also transformed the lives of everyone around her.

Who was Saint Honoré?

Stained glass illustration of Saint Honoré holding an episcopal staff, with bakers making bread and a Saint Honoré cake below. The banner reads "Saint Honoré, Patron Saint of Bakers."

He was born in the village of Port-le-Grand, in Ponthieu, at the beginning of the 6th century.
Highly respected among the inhabitants of the region, many believed in his miracles and divine interventions.
He was ordained Bishop of Amiens and sanctified in the 11th century.

Such was his fame throughout Paris that the people of Picardy built him a church.
Later, in 1202, a Parisian baker offered 9 acres of land to build a chapel in his honor.

As a result, Rue and Faubourg Saint Honoré became world-famous, as did the pastry shop of the same name.

Why did you name a pastry shop after it?

Invented in 1847 by a young pastry chef at Chiboust bakeries, the Saint Honoré cake was initially a large brioche filled with custard.
That is, when Auguste Julien, the young pastry chef in question, founded his bakery, he revised the recipe, which became the one we still know today.

The cake consists of a base made of puff pastry, bread dough, or shortcrust pastry, surrounded by a ring of "petit choux" filled with vanilla cream and caramelized.
It is finished by filling the center with Chiboust or Chantilly cream and assembled in the shape of a crown.

In the 15th century, the first bakers' guild was established in Paris, in the church bearing its name.

In conclusion:
He is the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs!


Furthermore, the choice of Saint Honoré as patron saint reflects the importance of the baking tradition in French culture.