The Most Luxurious Bakeries in Saint Petersburg | Paul Hollywood's City Bakes | Tonic

I'm visiting the baking capitals of the world volition in search of the people the places and the traditions that make the very best of baking la from the laid-back sunshine five of Miami to the European chic of Paris are super [Applause] [Music] today I'm in San Petersburg Russia see like man you calf nice this time I'm living the life of a Tsar Wow that is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen where the food is as rich is the culture and this is gold leaf your potluck amazing I follow in the footsteps of the glitterati Elton John Tina Turner Elizabeth Taylor Wow they've all stadium like I recreate some Petersburg's baking heritage that is 800 years of Russian bacon and stunning and I get the VIP treatment in Russia's finest food or look at all tooless you see I go to the ends of the earth just to find you good bacon when they built the magnificent city of San Petersburg it was all about showing off Russian culture and sophistication to the rest of the world with knobs on whatever the rest of Europe did the Russians could do it bigger and better and when it comes to baking Russia's all about traditional pies sugar-laden bakes and rich rye breads great comfort food to keep you warm inside and boy do you need it I kid you not it must be about minus 12 minus 13 with the wind as well probably minus 20 so I've got probably about four or five layers on the top about three on the bottom flare line boots and to be honest I'm still cold [Music] it might be a bit on the chilly side but this picture book city has so much to offer and that is one hell of a view looks like a massive meringue this is one of some Petersburg's most iconic buildings the church of our savior on spilled blood is so ornate it took 24 years to complete it's the only way to see the church of the spilled blood with snow hammering against it it's beautiful if I'm going to survive these temperatures I'm going to have to do as the locals do morning and get myself kitted out with a Russian ushanka hat not [Music] all right a little more there's no frilly ins for my first taste of Russian flavors I'm heading to some petersburg's most extravagant food hall [Music] kibbutz Elysees EV has been a firm favorite with the Russian elite since 1902 and the stores VIP attache Victor Guevara NOC is going to show me what my roubles could buy me how are you very good thank you what an amazing place this is it has got that opulence it's a bit like the food halls in London but I think it's another step up maybe well we trying to keep it imperial Class C for a Royal Society you know high society Hubert's Elysee AF hasn't always looked this glamorous during the Soviet Union it was state-owned and you'd have struggled to get your hands on the luxury goods lining the shelves today from the handmade confectionaries and the fine cheeses to luxury vodkas it's all here for the taking if you've got the money brilliant but I've spied the ultimate extravagance some of these caviar which is a good caviar all caviar is good and a good when you can buy it that's true now here that's a star John Imperial and that's the best one sturgeon caviar is the best I want to try all of it really I could see I could sit there was a vodka and trial or caviar different really honestly before I get too distracted there's one more departments I'd really must check out while I'm here there's something that very close to my heart some of the bread this is the traditional bread you cannot find anything more traditional you know and breads in Russia okay that's what I think of when I think of Russia I think of that rye bread do you think of a heavy rye almost the black rye and that's exactly stuff I'm talking about so thank you that's a great-looking loaf isn't it heavy which is what a rhyme normally is the Borodin Sookie is one of the most popular rye breads in Russia and was inspired by Russia's Battle of Borodino Wow the deadliest day in the Napoleonic Wars that is one of the most potent I've ever eaten it tastes it it's almost caraway aniseed flavor for heavy dense that is exceptional a Russian rye in one of the best food halls in the world not a bad way to start my trip but before I leave Victor's got one last treat in store for me [Music] the lavish surroundings of the stores grand dining room usually play host to Russia's high society but today I'm getting the VIP treatments with the room all to myself okay Victor's serving up some of the best sturgeon caviar this is decadence Russian style although is good I see your I started to sparked yeah it melts in the mouth it really does melt in the mouth that's the first Russian caviar I've ever had in Russia and it was delicious that was very very nice and I believe we need some vodka right now how do you say cheers and would you start over is really easy way Budhan start over yes that's right take this one for the team I could get used to this I've seen where the glitterati shot now I want to see where they stay in the heart of the city of woloson petersburg's grander squares is the five-star hotel Astoria [Music] since it opened in 1912 its welcomed some of the world's biggest names but I'm not here to schmooze I'm here to meet one of the brightest stars in Russian baking mice a monthly way to see the executive pastry chef at this beautiful hotel Hulya even over now she's apparently one of the best pastry chefs in some Petersburg so here to check out what real Russian baking is all about Julia and her Brigade are in the middle of preparing a traditional afternoon tea the highlight of which is her speciality a Titan of Russian baking the meadow fig honey cake this is a very traditional Russian cake called metallic or funny cake Kaneko yeah there is a nice history it goes to beginning of 19th century and our Queen Elizabeth she didn't like funny at all somehow they had a new pastry chef and she didn't know this detail and she wanted to impress her so he created a final cake and presented to her and she tried it and she actually loved it and that's became for favorite Wow so since that it's very common in Russia the classic version of this cake consists of layered Spanish but yulia's created a more refined version by ingeniously using a mix that is part biscuit part sponge the biscuit element is softened by the sweetened cream filling and the whole thing is finished off with a flurry of decoration and a fittingly regal touch this is gold leaf your potluck yes full of gold impression so this is so our honey cake would you like to say I think I will do look look at that so that represents to me a building there's the meringue again which when you think of the the church of the spilt blood there's the meringue then you have these peaceful little wafers raspberries sitting on the top of that and then pure gold on top of that it's not relent I've got to try some to mind if I took in so free that's my own softer them Authority oh baby yeah it's very fat and switched bill I'm either you just described me fat and sweet that's actually with the fruit that tartness grew from the fruit together with the whole thing is beautiful I love the fact that you live put it a twist on an old tradition so it's more biscuit like it starts off being quite brittle then as the cream softens it becomes more like a sponge but the texture of it is spot-on she's producing magic in a kitchen with Julia is not the only star who's been resident at the Astoria Madonna Gary Kasparov Rasputin and a supporter Elton John Tina Turner Elizabeth Taylor Wow they've all stadium they in her 30 years at the hotel Lydia LuAnn tuna has seen a fair share of movie stars and celebrities pass through the Astoria it's such an eclectic mix of people it's incredible in 1919 a certain Vladimir Lenin gave a speech from the balcony of the presidential suite thousands of supporters had gathered outside in the square to hear the leader of the Bolshevik Party make one of his many speeches that would lead to the creation of the Soviet Union this speech that's a great view isn't it but the history attached to it is just incredible I mean Lenin I mean Lenin was here talking to the people giving his speech there very poignant next this old dog gets taught a neat new trick a novel pastry ingredients guaranteed to knock his socks off vodka yes Russian vodka that's an excuse to have one of these in the bakery and I pay a visit to one of Russia's grandest of grand palaces Wow that is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen I'm insipidus Berg the jewel in Russia's crown there's an extravagance to life here from the food to the architecture and nothing is more extravagant than the Winter Palace the most jaw-dropping building I think I've ever seen it's just staggering it makes Buckingham Palace well look like a two-up two-down really [Music] with let's pick up the electric bill Oh [Music] inspired by my nighttime visit to the Winter Palace I've got the book so today I'm off to see the Czar's summer residence with the help of a couple of trusty friends I believe nice comfy rides and they race it okay just be nice right I'm in Pushkin Park which is about 25 K south of some Petersburg these guys here are my new horse power - horse power Masha and we skin [Music] I've heard that hidden away deep in this magical Park there's a little bakery that serves tasty Russian pastries now what I've got to do is find it just look at that scenery it's a real magical place to be it is a bit like a fairy tale it doesn't feel real and on route we pass one of the most stunning buildings in Russia catherine the great's bolt-hole a summer palace wow that is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen Catherine the first was a lady with expensive tastes hundred kilograms of real gold was used to decorate this Rococo Palace which was built to outdo even the excess and grandeur of Versailles it's just stunning absolutely stunning I'm not here just to look at the palace I've come for the baking in the grounds of Catherine Park as a modest little converted Church that serves up traditional Russian cakes fit for an empress oh wow what a great place yes now looking down here I recognize a lot of them so eclairs quiche pan eraser truffles but those on the end what what are these tanishka good are these very popular with the people at commerce yes I never quit look what you're gonna say about it tastes delicious yes it's very very good so in Britain we make a bread roll and we put cream inside it it's like a nice bun and that tastes like a nice book with curd cheese rather than cream but actually a kid cheese adds another element to it it just tastes beautiful this melts in the mouth so when you were growing up and you're a little girl did your family make this yes my grandmother and my mother do eat and meat oh and you do yes it'll taste of Russia right there I'll finish this one that delicious so far I've lived the high life tasting my way through summer Russia's best sweet treats but for my city baked and coming back down to earth with a good honest Russian pie I'm headed to a place now that apparently makes the best pies in st. Petersburg a subject that is very close to my heart and indeed my stomach Stoller is a chain of 13 traditional bakeries and cafes with a well-earned reputation for producing finely crafted Russian pies and with 40 mouth-watering varieties each stuffed with the delicious savory or sweet filling from rabbits to apricots I'm going to be spoilt for choice the smell in here is incredible these pies look amazing could I try a little piece yes thank you from palaces to pies the Russians do everything on a grand scale if these taste half as good as they look I'm in for a real treat chicken and rice it looks amazing now [Music] you're talking to taste amazing the pastry is good very full but one thing you gets me it's quite sweet it's a bit like a brioche but it looks like a bread but it flakes like a puff pastry I'm still unsure what it is like many winning formulas Stover's exact dough recipe is a heavily guarded secret which is why it's keeping me guessing back home I normally make a pie using short crust or hot water crust pastry for here the pies are much more elaborate they add yeast so it's a cross between a pastry and a dough it's then sweetened and layered with butter welcome to my kitchen what a fantastic master baker alexander VAR CF finishes off the mix with a typically russian touch vodka yes vodka Luke Russian vodka Russian original vodka in that's an excuse to have one of these in the bakery hyeri we need let's vodka I'm gonna need a pool table probably a dartboard - wow that's incredible I'm obviously not gonna find out the exact dough mixture but I would love to find out how they make their pies that's so good this is with mushroom potatoes and cheese well yeah but these pieces here how you making these just a hand walk so you're rolling it out yes cooking it with the only hand work only hand okay Paul okay you're stretching this yeah and laying it on pushing it down and then you're putting layers and layers on yes yes this is almost like doing a latticework on the top so it's really russian ancient tradition that's passed down it's a Russian soul in this fight you know yes I think you're right the amount of work that's gone in there is so impressive but that gives me an idea of I love Alex's passion I hate the pies are fantastic but I think it's my turn now and I'm gonna do a beef version but today city bake I'm going to make a traditional closed oblong pie called a coolyback and alex has even letting me get my hands on some of his secret pastry dough thank you although this recipe would work just as well with shortcrust pastry first you'll need to gently roll out the dough until you have an oblong piece about 30 by 15 centimeters we have our base there we're gonna put a little bit of our grounding outside a little bit and that just helps it stick basically when it all comes together again now the filling for this is beef stock egg which has been cooked and shredded beef mince and I've got cooked onions now all those go together with some seasoning and you end up with your filling for the pie so if I try and shape this into the middle it smells amazing yes okay and now pinch it yeah yes once the center parting is stuck together fold the ends up and flip the pie over place it on a baking tray and paint with egg wash so again the egg wash going on is gonna help anything that goes on top stick to it so it bonds to it and it gives it a beautiful shine and a good rich color as well yes now normally when you take of that stage you could bake it like that and eat it like that not a problem thoughts Russia takes it to another level these are the bits that you're gonna use to decorate yeah yes Alexander's already stamped out some of the shapes with a pastry cutter and the rest are done by hand okay and how long in Russia have they've been making cool about from 12th century Wow yes this is 800 years ago yes look so Nate this is freestyle you know this is just freestyle oh yeah we're freestyling a pie yeah nice one last glaze and it's good to go in the oven just look good now that's gonna be baked off 200 for an half an hour yes 200 okay fantastic while we bake this off we're gonna have a little bit of a vodka well it'd be ashamed off to dip into that bottle that's lovely this grape doesn't love the color gorgeous flake on it look at that [Music] Wow the pastries got a little bit of sweetness in there and without beef filling with the onion it melts in the mouth that is 800 years of Russian bacon right there and stomach absolutely Thank You Ellis and get about spot off I've absolutely fallen in love with some pizzas burger it's unbelievably beautiful but the baking was fascinating modern baking in Russia is almost identical to the rest of Europe but they still hold on to their own baking tradition cooler back being the ultimate if I had known some Petersburg was gonna be this pretty I would have come many many years ago this is a truly magical city

Channel: Tonic

Views: 527,970

Keywords: Paul Hollywood, paul hollywood's city bakes, city bakes, city bakes full episodes, paul hollywood munich, Paul Hollywood full episodes, City bakes, city bakes paul hollywood, full episode, full episodes, season 1, season 1 episode 8, tonic, tonic channel, what to eat in saint petersburg, Tonic, russian typical food, russian caviar and vodka, edible gold

Id: U_phAjuBfUE

Length: 22min 57sec (1377 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 11 2020