Delectable delights made the old fashioned way at Honey Cake Patisserie in Highcliffe

HIGHCLIFFE has a new patisserie on the high street serving up a stunning array of French pastries including Brest de Paris, eclairs, fruit tartlets and rum babas.

Honey Cake Patisserie also specialises in gelato, handmade in small batches and with only the use of natural flavours.

Co-owner Charles Lebas said the gelato is made the “old fashioned way”.

“We use only real flavours,” he said. “So the berries in the berry flavour are real fruit, the bananas flavour uses real bananas - we don’t use any artificial flavours at all.

“I guarantee once you have tried our ice cream you will never go back to anything else.”

Ice cream flavours include pistachio, hazlenut, chocolate and cherries and cream, and there are also a range of sorbets. A single scoop is £2.95, £5.50 gets you two scoops and a triple is £6.95.

Alongside the gelato offering is an incredible display of patisserie, with favourites like croissants, pain au choclat and pain aux raisins.

These can be enjoyed with excellent coffee in the bakery’s cosy coffee shop, which is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 3pm on Sunday.

Born in Normandy, Charles is also co-owner of the highly rated Bistro My Way, a French restaurant also on Highcliffe’s High Street.

He came to England in 2006 and has worked with some of the most famous chefs in the country, including Gordon Ramsay, in Michelin-star restaurants and hotels.

A chef for 24 years, he says he learnt his patisserie skills from his mother, who was “always baking”.

“She is a great cook,” he said. “I was always watching her and learning. Patisserie is my great love; I love the tradition of it, and I realised there was no genuine French patisserie anywhere in the area.

“I make everything in the shop apart from the macaroons, which are supplied by a fantastic local producer.”

Honey Cake was named after an Eastern European cake variety, which is on offer at the patisserie.

Those who like their ice cream served with an additional treat can opt to have it on waffles or crepes.

A crêpe aux fraises contains strawberry, raspberry coulis and Chantilly cream; crêpe au chocolat is topped with homemade chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream; and a crêpe normande is served with toffee sauce, caramelised apple and Chantilly cream. You can add a scoop of ice cream or sorbet to any for an extra £2.

Prices for crêpes range from £6 for a simple sugar dusted one to £7.50 for some of the more exotic pancakes.

You can also add ice cream to galettes, which include Gaufre Chocolat, Gaufre Martiniquaise, Gaufre aux Fraises and Gaufre Normande. They also range from £6 to £7.50.

A variety of savoury galettes are served including Fermière: ham, cheese and egg; and Norvegienne: smoked salmon, cream cheese, egg and spinach.

Paninis are also on the menu, with fillings including brie and chutney, and mozzarella and grilled vegetables.

For more information, go to www.honeycakepatisserie.co.uk