Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Lille-based pâtissier Frédéric Vaucamps riffed on an 18th-century cake recipe called the “merveilleux” and found himself at the helm of a Europe-wide empire. His version of the meringue-based confection replaced the traditional butter cream for an ethereal dome of whipped ganache in modern flavors like praline, speculoos, rose, and coffee feathered with white or dark chocolate shavings. The merveilleux come in four sizes—the smallest can be boxed for gifts. There are also brioches and breakfast pastries and the traditional Lille gauffres, delectable cream-filled waffles. You’ll know his boutique by the giant, glittering chandelier and lines snaking down the sidewalk.
