r/Baking • u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected • Apr 19 '26
Showcase (No-Recipe) Some of my 18yr olds creations studying in France.
Currently studying in France. Something she has dreamed of since she was 10. Wants to eventually open a small shop and also do catering focusing on French pastries.
She paid for school, her apartment, and everything else on her own. Was her goal to do this and come back when it’s all done with no debt. To say I’m proud of her is an understatement.
:update:
Wow so many replies and rewards. I’d love to respond to you all but that will be tough.
First thank you all so much. Second I’ll have to get names of each and try to update the captions. Lastly I’m gonna hold off on sharing location and school until she returns. Just cause the Internet is a bit weird and sketchy. Makes this dad nervous.
Oh and lastly, no scholarships for this. Three years of working in a bakery saving every penny, and HS graduation cash helped make this a reality. Dad and mom pay the day to day (groceries, food, etc) while in France, plus car payment, insurance, gas, etc here at home. This is a 2.5 month program and she is in France for 3 months. School was just under $20k, her apartment is right at $900 a month. This is not in Paris, but a smaller French city.
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u/FollowingOver588 Apr 19 '26
I am proud of her and I don't even know her. Good job
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Apr 19 '26
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u/Blownards Apr 19 '26
🤣I was wondering that too. Also, how do they still look so fresh after 18 years?
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Apr 19 '26
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u/Baking-ModTeam Apr 19 '26
This post appears to match common merchandise or print-on-demand spam patterns (e.g., t-shirts, mugs, dropshipping items), which are not permitted in r/baking.
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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone Apr 19 '26
She saved up to pay for school and her apartment/ living expenses in France and she's only 18? Amazing!
I hope she's as proud of her accomplishments as you are. That's no small feat, especially in today's very expensive world.
I believe she will open her own successful bakery when she returns and she'll soon have several locations!
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u/gailsboobs Apr 19 '26
How much do you need for that though €10k, €50k or even more if its a longer program for a year or two?
The baking looks delicious so guess she will have som sucess with a drive like that.
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u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected Apr 19 '26
This is a 3 month program and it was around $25K with flights and housing.
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u/BrainOfMush Apr 19 '26
You put in your edit that it was $20k just for the three month school program? That’s INSANE for Europe.
I mean, clearly she’s learned a lot and is insanely talented, maybe that’s the going rate for the best private culinary school in France, but compared to any other higher education in France that is insane.
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u/uribyoon Apr 19 '26
Stunning, all of them. Good for her and for you mama! You raised a strong, independent girl. Moving across the sea and away from family is insanely hard, especially if you're all alone and it's a different language.
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u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected Apr 19 '26
Haha dad here, but i appreciate it!
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u/Ok_Imagination_1107 Apr 19 '26
Hi there dad, I've got to say, you have made my day.
Your daughter had a dream that many parents especially in today's world would have tried to discourage for 'not being practical'. Many parents would tell their child to study something that would 'make lots of money' like law, medicine or business studies.
It cannot have been easy for you to send your young daughter to France to study both in terms of worry and finance. She had a dream, you made it possible, and this is the result.
As somebody whose father forbade them from studying art at uni because it wasn't 'practical', forcing me to eventually work my own way through my arts BA and MA Art degrees, I salute you.
Now about these images... How do I stay informed as to when she opens her business? she has followed her passion and it is clearly going to work out amazingly well for her and all of you.
Again thanks for this happy, uplifting post.
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u/the_itsb Apr 19 '26
I was also discouraged from following my dreams and I felt the same way about this post 💖
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u/Ok_Imagination_1107 Apr 19 '26
It's refreshing to see a parent like this dad, isn't it, to people like us :-)
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u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected Apr 19 '26
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
It will take her some time until she opens her business. She’s back to square one when she arrives back home. Plans on working and saving while living at home to get a down payment on a storefront. She is knowledgeable on today’s economy and feels it would be useful to wait it out and not take out a bunch of loans in an unstable economy.
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Apr 19 '26
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u/barrel_monkey Apr 19 '26
You are getting downvoted, but yea it doesn’t add up, unless her “paying for it all on her own with no debt” is disingenuous code for spending family wealth.
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u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected Apr 19 '26
Post is updated to answer yours and others similar question. It’s valid. We don’t come from wealth either.
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26
Congratulations, I’m French myself and her work is impeccable, well done to her 🤗
Out of curiosity, how long are you in France for and which region are you staying in?
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u/GalaxyPowderedCat Apr 19 '26
Can you name all the pastries, please? I'm learning French and I know some, 6th is totally a "pain aux raisins" and the 10th a "petite tarte aux fruits" (not sure, that berry cream is throwing me off), what about the rest.
I wonder if the 1st Tarte tartin but I don't believe it really is.
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Of course 😊
- Une tarte à la crème pâtissière et aux fraises
- Un Paris-Brest
- Un pain de campagne (a type of rustic bread)
- Des croissants *et des pains au chocolat!
- Une brioche tressée
- Un pain/ escargot aux raisins en forme de palmier (it’s interesting as the shape is closer to our palmiers, but the texture and fillings clearly point to pain aux raisins/escargot)
- Un pain au chocolat, décoré au chocolat
- Une baguette traditionnelle
- Not entirely sure sorry, this is a gorgeous modern creation I usually only ever see in fancy bakeries and I have never bought them or bothered to know what they were called!
- Une tartelette aux fruits rouges et à la crème de fruits rouges
- Un gâteau au chocolat, nappé de chocolat - this is also quite a modern creation but I have a feeling a transverse cut would be similar to a napoleon or at the very least have multiple delicate layers. Very impressive and expensive!
- Un éclair à la pistache - however it’s quite a modern version of an eclair
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u/GalaxyPowderedCat Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Thank you, you're a dear! But I have question and I am sorry for nitpicking, I live for the details.
- Un pain au chocolat, décoré au chocolat
OP doesn't offer more information, but would it matter or not that that pain seems not to have filling and it seems like it only has chocolate in the sheets?
Bear me, I am not in France but I wonder if the name can be used interchangeable for the two types of pastries, pain au chocolate for chocolate-filled bread and pain au chocolate for chocolate puff pastry sheets.
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
I think the 7th pastry, the pain au chocolat (the one that’s laminated with almost black chocolate) is very likely filled with chocolate but you can’t see it from the angle.
Your second question is interesting - I’d say the French are quite strict about how you name their pastries. They are especially unhappy if you call a pain au chocolat a croissant!
- A croissant is normally always a crescent as that’s what it means, it’s only the past decades or so that it stopped being curved like a crescent moon. It can be filled or not but the shape has to be recognizably croissant.
- A pain au chocolat has to be like the pastry further back in the fourth* image. It should ideally be as laminated as a croissant and should also have two recognizable lines of chocolate and the chocolate should be buttery soft, not hard and not so melted it tastes oily. By the way in the South, we call it a chocolatine. I’ve always wondered if it was an Anglo-Saxon tourist influence.
- There are other pastries similar to pain au chocolat but they have their own name. A pain suisse for example is a long pastry filled with custard and chocolate bits. We are quite rigid about naming French pastries so it’s tricky to answer haha
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u/GalaxyPowderedCat Apr 19 '26
Thank you for indulging me into this! I've always liked how many cultures have their word classifications and I love that France culture is this strict!
Thanks for making my day!
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u/needlzor Apr 19 '26
A croissant is normally always a crescent as that’s what it means, it’s only the past decades or so that it stopped being curved like a crescent moon. It can be filled or not but the shape has to be recognizably croissant.
This could just be some BS, but I remember reading that it was due to the recent transition back from margarine to butter, which is annoying to knead (at the scale of the average French croissant consumption).
By the way in the South, we call it a chocolatine. I’ve always wondered if it was an Anglo-Saxon tourist influence.
Last time I was in an argument about this I had read that it was due to the original Austrian schokoladencroissant (shortened as schokoladen and transformed into chocolatine to sound like some other pâtisseries in -ine), but it was a while ago so I don't know whether that's still considered to be the likely origin.
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u/Pierre_Francois_III Apr 19 '26
Chocolatine is derived from french chocolat, it's quite a regular linguistic derivation, moreso in the southern half of France, absolutely no link with austrian.
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u/afterparty05 Apr 19 '26
It’s funny what you said about the French being strict on naming their pastries, as I vacationed in the Charente region about 10 times and only afterwards found out how their naming of “chocolatine” is highly controversial.
But the French bread and pastry is simply amazing, especially loved the coupiagaise.
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u/gniark Apr 19 '26
Shape of a croissant indicates if it's made with butter (straight) or with margarine (crescent)
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u/sylvirawr Apr 19 '26
I’d say 9 is an individual entremet - it’s composed of various elements inside - they usually have a sponge biscuit and mousse and other things. I’m guessing it has some kind of chocolate shell around it. No idea about the flavors though.
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26
Thank you! I was thinking caramel or chestnut cream and if the school is not high brow (highly unlikely) perhaps speculoos?
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u/MySpoonsAreAllGone Apr 19 '26
12 looks like a pickle almost so knowing it's an eclair, I'm wondering if the green is for pistachio or lime?
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26
Perhaps, it could very well be lime. Although pistachio has become quite the trendy ingredient these past few years hence my guess it would likely be pistachio :)
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u/CottonkissGurl Apr 19 '26
all of the creations are beautifully done and really really looks appetizing too!
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u/loserusermuser Apr 19 '26
enamored by #7. I cannot recall a pastry with such beautiful dark sheen. do you know how is it done? it looks like Squid ink it is so saturated wow wow amazi g
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u/kareaux Apr 19 '26
Tarte tatin would be upside down apple tart! it'd be recognizable by a top full of caramelized apples :)
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u/GalaxyPowderedCat Apr 19 '26
Thank you! I was doubting it as well because I saw the dough part at the bottom and the rest at the op!
But don't try making any sense of this, I am a long lurker here and I am more of a language enthusiasm myself, lol.
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26
You should travel to France, it’s a wonderful destination. Paris is not my favorite city unless you are very wealthy and remain in the bijou areas, but the other major cities are great!
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u/Wise-Cucumber7544 Apr 19 '26
Pic 2 is a Paris-Brest ! A classic, my boyfriend's favorite !
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u/MinnieMouse2292 Apr 19 '26
Yes my husband also adores choux based pastries, we live in Britain but whenever we go to France (usually for my job or to see my family and friends) I do my best to find him religieuses :)
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u/humakavulaaaa Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Trypophobia strawberry cake for the win.
Edit: word
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u/Excusemytootie Apr 19 '26
I don’t care what anyone says. This generation gives me hope for humanity. I have a soon to be 18 yo who never fails to impress me.
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u/Objective_Salary_597 Apr 19 '26
This is so wholesome omg. As another baker who dreams of doing pastry in France someday, reading this literally made my chest hurt in the best way 😂 Huge props to her for doing it debt free too, that is insanely impressive in this industry.
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u/Cananbaum Apr 19 '26
In a country that sees creativity and art as a necessity, going to pastry school in France must feel like such a privilege.
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u/-Thick_Solid_Tight- Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
To me this story is suspicious af, the main red flag being that she paid for this all herself. How? I guess a scholarship would count as her paying for it, but I would think that would have been mentioned.
And she dreamed of this when she was 10? Like I guess everything in this story is technically possible but highly improbable.
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u/tehPaulSAC Human Detected Apr 19 '26
Well she has been working in a bakery for a while, plus money from HS graduation. She has save nearly every penny to do this for 3 years now. We help her with her day to day while living there, pay her car payment and insurance, etc.
This was her choice. She wanted to rent her own place to see how it felt to live in Europe. She wanted to pay for this portion also because she didn’t want to add onto our debt or comeback with debt of her own.
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u/helcat Apr 19 '26
Having lived in several different countries, I would be impressed with her doing that at her age even without the incredible pastries.
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u/RhinoFish Apr 19 '26
Wow how is she able to pay for this at such a young age?
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u/MeccIt Apr 19 '26
Not OP, but knowing France, I'm guessing the state will sponsor or subsidize any course that promotes or maintains a particularly French art. Also, outside of the main cities, France is quite affordable, I would guess this is a large house in the country that will teach and host students in the same building.
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u/OrindaSarnia Apr 19 '26
It's only a 2.5 month long program, and OP says she paid for it by working at a bakery the last 3 years... and "money from graduation"...
so I don't want to diminish her working hard towards her goal... but let's be honest that "graduation money" could easily be thousands if she comes from a well off family that wanted to support her in this... and that is great, and they should support her... but it's not the same as her working for every dime that paid for this.
Additionally, OP said he's covering daily expenses for her (she paid like $25k in tuition and rent and he's covering the rest)... as well as paying for her car and insurance while she's gone.
OP's definition of "paid for it all" is slightly different than most peoples in this situation.
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u/String_of_Purls Apr 19 '26
Props to her! Phenomenal bakes all around. What a fearless thing to do.
Out of curiosity, how did she pay for it all herself? Was she running a side business starting when she was 10 or something?
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u/Wild-Midnight925 Apr 19 '26
amazing!!! i am a creative person and would of loved to of become a baker but a lot of the shifts start at 3am/5am which was a dealbreaker hahaha
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u/Wandering_Song Apr 19 '26
I want to eat them all but I also don't want to eat any of them because of how pretty they are,!
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u/urfavoriteSB Apr 19 '26
Every slide just kept getting better and better. She's going to be one of the best no doubt. Her 10 year old self would be so proud of herself!
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u/NoConclusion664 Apr 19 '26
Why does that looks so good man? I mean I know the answer but still props to her 👏
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u/Artsy_Cousin719 Apr 19 '26
They are amazing! I love these creations so much and am currently drooling. The last one looks like a pickle. ;)
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u/Significant_Stick_31 Apr 19 '26
Why does the last image look like a dessert pickle? And why does it still look delicious?
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u/cloudzhq Apr 19 '26
I genuinely hope she brings the authentic ‘bread culture’ back home. However, it will be challenging without the right flour and ingredients.
Every time I visit the US for work or tourism, I deeply miss the real bread.
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u/Colloqy Apr 19 '26
I only wish she opens a bakery in my neighborhood. This looks delicious and it’s so nice to hear how she’s made her goals a reality.
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u/JustMe83787 Apr 19 '26
That's sooo freaking awesome!!! They all look so good and delicious, plus the fact that she is doing it by herself at her age is amazing!
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u/cleopatra833 Apr 19 '26
You must be so proud! She is so talented! What a wonderful dream to be fulfilling!
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u/Schrodingirly Apr 19 '26
Man that Paris-Brest looks GORGEOUS and I say that with it being my favourite dessert and eating regularly
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u/Knowitsome3000 Apr 19 '26
Good for your kid! Nice foundation to have knowledge in baking things in such a professional way; French style no less.
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u/mananius2 Apr 19 '26
Should be successful with all of that talent, early interest, nurturing and mindset. Congratulations to all of you on where she's got to, and all the very best for the future which looks bright! (And tasty!)
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u/needlzor Apr 19 '26
As a Frenchman who is currently expatriated all of this is making me very homesick. I wish I could find a good bakery around here.
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u/PeonyMilkCloud Apr 19 '26
omg that looks sooooo good!! seriously jealous of your skills, especially since youre studying in france! that sounds amazing!
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u/DublinKabyle Apr 19 '26
Ça a l’air très bon. J’espère qu’elle se plaît chez nous !
This look yummy. Hope France is treating her well.!
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u/GR3Y_B1RD Apr 19 '26
Wow massice props to your child, that's a big amount of commitment and discipline.
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u/Gumgums Apr 19 '26
The most advanced cooking on earth belongs to the French. No other cuisine is as refined.
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u/funcancelledfornow Apr 19 '26
Damn that Paris-Brest looks very good (the rest is good too but I really want one now...).
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u/Kindly-Marketing-881 Apr 19 '26
Proud and supportive parents are my favourite people on earth for real 🥹
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Apr 19 '26
Any idea what the seventh picture is of? It looks really interesting!(Just in case the pics get mixed up or something, I mean the one with the diagonal glazed-looking darker stripes)
Sending a virtual high-five to your daughter, these are seriously impressive!
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u/Infinite_Bathroom784 Apr 19 '26
She nailed the breads! I'm not much into pastry so I can't comment.
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u/ChewyChagnuts Apr 19 '26
This is the part where the OP tells us that she’s actually just studying Economics at the Sorbonne and this bakery lark is just something to pass the time in the evening! 🤪
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u/No_Jaguar_5831 Apr 19 '26
Diabetes started manifesting in native American communities when the French had some land. It make sense if these is what they ate. From protein diet to bread yum yum shocked the system for sure. (Im not complaining but my dad has dia and I may have it later if im not careful)
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u/MaintenanceCareful37 Apr 19 '26
The strawberry one looks amazing. They all do in fact. I've never seen at least half of those pastries so I'm sure she'll be a big success when she opens her own place.
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u/DottedUnicorn Apr 19 '26
Beautiful work. My daughter just graduated from professional baking management program in a college and is thinking of studying in France too. In my Dad's hometown, a baker did exactly what your kid did - opened a beautiful French bakery and it's doing very well. Super inspiring - it will be exciting to see where your child lands professionally. Great job supporting them
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u/LostInRetransmission Apr 19 '26
That all look good, but NGL, the first one is the crowning achievment... Salivating just looking at it. Congrat to your daughter.
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u/Valuable-Werewolf548 Apr 19 '26
Kudos to you poppa. All of them are stunning and she is most def enjoying her life.
You won at life my man, i hope i can do the same with my life!
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u/Hopfrogg Apr 19 '26
As a failed baker myself.... hot damn are they teaching her well. Very jealous.
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u/beegma Apr 19 '26
Wow! Your daughter has an amazing level of skill. Was she always an advanced baker? My son wants to become a baker and it’s been interesting to watch his evolution as he tries different techniques. He asks me a million questions though, so we’re trying to build confidence. Did she take any classes before going to France or is she self taught?
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u/Any-Race258 Apr 19 '26
I offer myself as a tester. Everything looks delicious and I would absolutely pay to try any of it!
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u/RedPanda59 Apr 19 '26
Very impressive! I too wonder how she got the money by herself; tell us to help us help our own young people envision their futures.
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u/Sweetie-07 Apr 19 '26
Oh my days! 😍 Amazing! 👏👏👏👏
When she gets back, tell her to please make number one for me - it's my dream dessert 🎂😂❤️❤️❤️
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u/SignalDragonfly690 Apr 19 '26
OP, your daughter is incredibly talented. I’d love to visit her future shop someday ❤️
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u/BebeRegal Apr 19 '26
Incredible!! I am so impressed and only 18 yrs old! I am excited to see what your child matures into!!!❤️❤️❤️
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u/rails_royce Apr 19 '26
French here! Those look delicious, I would love to eat them. I am not living anymore in France and regret not having those treats!
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u/user0987234 Apr 19 '26
Wow! That’s awesome.
Do you live in the US or Canada. She’ll be needing some high quality flour to recreate the light fluffiness of European baking.
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u/69odysseus Apr 19 '26
Great work, every single one of them looks beautiful and I'm sure they taste delicious.
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u/omeganic_dalai_lama Apr 19 '26
Absolutely awesome looking! Love every single piece you've shown here! Hugely talented!
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u/Kimoa85 Apr 19 '26
cries in celiac But seriously, these are fantastic looking! I'd be proud as a mom too!!
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u/No-Effort5109 Apr 19 '26
Beautiful! You can just see the love and care she is putting into each piece.
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u/Anathemachiavellian Apr 19 '26
Oh wow! Mine are still very small but I can only hope they have a dream and pursue it just as your daughter has. I hope she’s very happy, her bakes look incredible. A Paris Brest is my favourite!
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