The Patissier Dictionary: Wittamer JAPON

This CNY, I believe many will indugle in good food, lots of goodies and visiting relatives and friends. If you are reading this, let me wish you a happy Chinese new year with this big fat orange ....eh no, it's actually Pomme Rouge: a red apple mousse tart from Wittamer Japon

Instead of using green apple, Wittamer boldly created this with red apples but yet the tartness remains. It is filled with tangy apple compote glazed with a shiny red gelee. The best part is the almond tart that is baked till crumbly and filled with a thin layer of apple jam. Seasonal items like this cost around 580 Yen.

We all know that bamboo, greenery symbolizes prosperity and a great year ahead. So, I've decided to feature this Green Tea Opera (525 Yen) here. Known as Opera Japonaise オペラジャポネーゼ, it uses organic green tea for its sponge, cream and ganache which was thick and intense. Unlike the typical coffee buttercream with chocolate sponge in a classic French Opera, this one pairs green tea with not just red bean, but black beans, kuromame. You can even taste bits of sesame hidden in the dark chocolate ganache, which certainly explains for the sesame macaron on top. Certainly something more complicated than a typical green tea opera found in Singapore. 

Interestingly, what does it remind you? a house? The name is Maison Blanche, and takes the shape of the original Maison Blanche building in New Orleans. Read here to find out more about Maison Blanche. 

Alternate vertical layers of raspberry mousse, mango mousse, almond sponge is topped with raspberry compote, then enrobed with a very sweet milky white chocolate mousse and finally glazed with white chocolate sauce. The base is not just a simply crunchy chocolate feuilettine like you find in most praline cakes, but a white chocolate crunch blended with dried strawberry bits. It was a X'mas special cake which reminded of a snow-covered house with chimney.

Photo Credit: WITAMER JAPON

Some frequent travellers could have heard of Witamer Chocolatier as their outlets are all over Japan. While the name suggests that they specialise in gourmet chocolate, they are just like any Patisserie in Tokyo, selling cakes ranging from 200 yen for an eclair to 580 yen for a petit cake like the above. Read here  for previous post on its Chocolate Croque Bar.

Available at Odakyu & Takashimaya department stores near Shinjuku JR Station,  Daimaru Tokyo Station, Seibu Department near Ikebukuro Station.

May your red packet be as fat as the red apple mousse tart! Happy Chinese New Year!
Check out the official website: http://www.wittamer.jp/index/index.html