Let's start with the greatest mystery surrounding this viennoiserie: its origin. Its name might lead you to believe that this leavened puff pastry filled with vanilla custard and chocolate chips was created in Switzerland. Yet, you won't find any pain suisse in our Swiss neighbors' windows. According to the Grand Larousse gastronomique, a French culinary encyclopedia, "brioche suisse" refers to pain aux raisins topped with white icing and filled with candied fruit, which is not the case for the "suisse" as it is commonly made in France – there are no raisins or icing involved.
It is worth noting that in Belgium, there are also "couques suisses," which are a raisin brioche topped with white icing. This viennoiserie can be found in the United Kingdom as the "Belgian bun," which becomes a "Swiss bun" when the raisins are omitted. In France, some bakers refer to this viennoiserie as "pépito" or even "drop."
While the pain suisse remains wrapped in mystery, we do know what makes it a success. Its subtlety lies entirely in the quality of the ingredients and the fine balance between the leavened puff pastry – or croissant dough (not a brioche dough) – the custard and the chocolate chips. With the very high quality of pain suisse in the Paris area, the biggest challenge was to pick just five.
At Maison N'cho, vanilla-scented and fluffy
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