The Brussels Chocolate Shop Tour, Stop #7: Wittamer.

I walked out the door of Passion Chocolat (Stop 6#), turned right, walked a few steps, and BAM! There was Wittamer. They were so close, I was completely caught off guard, and a little bummed – this did not give me much of a walk to burn off any chocolates eaten thus far.( I’d come to find that I’d definitely make that up later on.) But I was content nonetheless, to enter my next destination on the list…

Stop #7: Wittamer.

Wittamer was pink. That was the first thing I noticed.

pretty in pink.

Now I like pink. Just ask anyone who knows me. This place was super pink. I’d even call it Super Pinky. I didn’t mind. For most of us, pink = sweet = desserts. And Wittamer sure had some good ones. In fact, this was the first shop that had actual desserts other than chocolates. There was a whole display case dedicated to pastries incorporating chocolate in some form.

it’s a pastry party.

I teetered along the fence of getting a straight up piece of chocolate or going with a full on pastry. The tour was technically a chocolate shop tour so I should probably get some chocolates, but the pastries had chocolate in them and I’ve eat nothing but chocolates for dessert for like, 24 hours now….

I went with the pastry.

hello, happiness.

I selected the Nid Marron.  I had no idea what was in it. I’d never seen anything like it before. I could not wait to get back to the hotel and try it out. I carried it around to two more shops and about 20 tourist locations before finally going back and digging in.

make her open the box.

I placed the box on my little balcony table and delicately opened it. I could not believe how beautiful it was up close. Not to mention, it’s heavenly smell.

c’est bon!

I took a bite. I hadn’t planned on eating the entire thing, but after that first bite, there was no turning back.

as beautiful on the inside.

I still didn’’t really know what I was eating. I tasted a little chocolate….something nutty….whipped cream….custard? It was flat out fabulous! I needed to know what made this pastry hands-down one of the best I’ve ever had. So I started googling. I looked up “Nid Marron Pastry” and found a recipe entirely in French and some photos, all from the same blog post,  also in French, which showed various versions from different shops in Paris (some of which I visited on the  Paris Patisserie Tour, but I did NOT see this bad boy anywhere – I would have remembered).  What I did learn from this French blog was that this dessert was apparently also known as a “Mont Blanc.” So…I googled that and there it was.  And there were even some recipes, in English!

Hallelujah! Mont Blanc, here I come!

Next up, way out on the other side of town – Stop #8, Zaabar: the Ikea of chocolate shops.