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Yep, there is custard in the Bonjour Pain aux Raisins... they start out as a sheet of croissant dough (psst... it's from bakemark, but it's all-butter), spread generously with house-made pastry cream (or creme patisserie, as you like), golden raisins that are pre-plumped with a good soak, then rolled up, sliced, and baked. Most of the custard bakes into the dough and raisins, giving it that elusive soft, creamy, but not goopy texture. I work there, and it's one of the few things I still really like to eat (not that the other items aren't tasty... but you can only eat so many...). I also highly recommend the oatmeal raisin cookie- I used to eat several a day. Tryin' to cut back, but sometimes they break, and who wants to buy a broken cookie? Not you, but I'll gladly take care of that for ya. Those, and an almond or chocolate almond croissant top the guilty pleasures list (but who has time for guilt, really?).

I'm coming in late on this one, but had to add that my daughter, a pastry chef and Francophile who lived in France, confirms that Pain au Raisin does indeed have custard. She admits to having eaten them almost every day for breakfast, both in Paris and in Brittany, and, when I visited her, I too indulged.

And it could not have been almond custard, because she has severe nut allergies and can not eat almonds. (Yes, I know, makes it difficult for a pastry chef; she sometimes has to work in latex gloves.)

Edited to include her quote: "pain au raisin. Croissant in a swirl with vanilla pastry cream and raisins. And sometimes they would add chocolate chunks too. (Pain au raisin avec chocolat). Ummmm........."

St. Roger Abbey is part of the Fraternité de Notre Dame.

They sell at the Mt. Prospect Farmers Market; I just picked up a bag of pleasant orange madeleines. No raisin croissaints today. I am especially fond of their apple tarts but abstained this week.

I bought this on Saturday from the "Provence" vender at the French Market in Forest Park. The nice lady selling these and other pastries (along with olives, sun dried tomatoes, and (!) dolmades) said that all the baked goods were made in France. Hmm. The raisin bread was good and did seem to have custard involved. It did not induce ecstacy, but YMMV.

Kristen

Sorry about the crappy cell phone pic.

Mike G -

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07EFD91530F931A35754C0A9609C8B63

http://flickr.com/photos/bip/47081231/in/pool-brownandbeige/

Looks like you started something. We all want one of these things now.

Jim, I am guessing they were bemoaning the inability to get decent burgers and steaks a l'americain in Paris. And if you had trained them properly, they would probably have missed good sweet corn.

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d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

I was at Vanille last nite and found that they started making these again. Bought the last two and found them excellent as always. They had disappeared for a while, so I just wanted to let interested parties know they were back.

Hey Mike,

Are you still searching for these things? Because I'm pretty sure Bennison's in Evanston has what you want. They're only available in the mornings and seem to go fast, but I just had one and it was splendid.

Thanks, I'll try to check all these leads out!

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The Bennison's version is delicious, but has no custard.

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Man : I can't understand how a poet like you can eat that stuff.
T. S. Eliot: Ah, but you're not a poet.

Mike G., did you ever find the ne plus ultra of pains aux raisins? I saw some at 6:30 a.m. the other day at The Coffee Studio, but by 6:35, they had sold out. The person in front of me bought the last one. Next time I'm up early, I'll try one. They looked superb, by the way.

No, I wouldn't say I have (other than on my trip to Spain, but the point was, in the western hemisphere). I'll check it out, though hard to imagine when I'll ever be at The Coffee Studio that early...

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Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.

No idea if these are what you are looking for, but Antico makes their own in-house



Antico
1946 N. Leavitt Chicago, IL 60647
773.489.4895
http://www.anticochicago.com

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American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
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Boulangerie du Monde in Cedarburg Wisconsin.
W62 N588 Washington Ave, cedarburg, WI, 53012. (right in downtown).

This place is amazing and has a great assortment of pastries. I only had a croissant there but it was the best i've ever had outside of France! I often think about driving up there just for one!

In this week's Time Out Chicago, there's a "market watch" blurb about Penny Pastry.

Has anyone tried any of the delicious sounding goods from Penny Pastry? According to the article, he sells at the 61st Street Farmers Market and the Wheeler Mansion Market among others.

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-Mary

St. Roger is part of the Notre Dame order so both are right. Their pan au raisin is good but not enough creme patissiere. Le Boulangerie does a very good version as well as the best croissant in Chicago imho.

Fifille reports the best pan au raisin were the old Vie de France recipe ones. Newer versions lack the creme of the older ones.

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I used to think the brain was the most important part of the body. Then I realized who was telling me that.

Where ismLe Boulangerie located? I've not been there, I don't believe and I'm waiting for someone to top Hendrickx as best croissant in the city, especially on Monday's since Hendrickx is closed.

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Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening

I was just about to chime in on the excellence of Hendrickx's croissants, though I can't recall if I've ever seen pain au raisins there.

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A French colleague seconds this suggestion.