Quality before quantity

Les vraies richesses, 11 rue Léger, Sherbrooke, Québec

A long time ago, when a certain pizza chain introduced a new type of pizza crust, a colleague of mine derided the move, arguing that what matters in a pizza is the filling, and not the crust.

Is the same true for apple pies? I don't think so. The crust of an apple pie should not get in the way of the apple experience, but if there is too little crust, it cannot hold enough apple to fulfill my expectations.

You don't often hear the term minimalist applied to desserts, but it is the best way to describe the tarte fine aux pommes created by bakery Les vraies richesses. Note that its name can be interpreted as a play on the word fine which can mean refined, delicate as well thin or slim.

It consists of a beautiful, flaky, puff pastry base covered with a layer of custard topped with thin slices of apple. I am not a big fan of puff pastry, but this thin and delicate crust was really good.

However, I was tempted to ask: where is the apple? Apples are a big part of what I like about apple tart, after all. I can live without cinnamon, I can live without a crust that I can sink my teeth in, but I do expect to sink my teeth into a good layer of apples. On that level, this pie left me disappointed.

On the positive side, a slice of this pie has a lot less calories than the apple cheesecake I reviewed earlier.

But be careful when you shop at this bakery. You may come back with a lot more than apple pie. You may not be able to resist their delicious breads and viennoiseries. And I won't even mention their mouthwatering cakes and pastries. You have been warned.