Growing up in London’s W2 area, there were a few areas we were always warned not to go. Basically, anything west of Westbourne Grove or north of Lord Hills Bridge. In fact, travelling home on what is now the Hammersmith & City line (formerly the Metropolitan line) I would almost hold my breath until we were at Royal Oak. Despite the intense gentrification of these areas in the last few decades, that early conditioning is carved deep.
Le Choux, a wonderful bakery specialising in French choux, sits at the northern end of Ladbroke Grove, very near the huge Sainsbury’s I once caused a panic buy of wine in. I’ve never visited Choux because: see above, despite promising myself I will ‘next time’. I drool over their bakes on Instagram. They are famous for their little choux buns filled with all manner of good and greatness.
But they also sell what might be the best chocolate chip cookies in London (possibly farther afield too). They reminded me of the famous Van Stapele cookies in Amsterdam. Testament to how good they are is that I make really great cookies and in a recent face-off, my children often went for the Le Choux ones over mine. Le Choux’s are unapologetically big and heavy, but using all natural ingredients; banish all thought of commercial cookies from your mind. The price reflects this at £3.20 each (not bad I think for good ingredients), or a box of six for £18 – or £21 will get you glorious nationwide delivery plus postage, so anyone with the readies can benefit.
There are six variations of chocolate chip: milk or dark chocolate with salt; hazelnut and gianduia; a triple choc; pecan and caramelised white; and butterscotch and dark chocolate.
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