September 2nd, 2011 
Photo Credit: Bethany Zuniga
As a dessert lover and chocolate addict I love nothing better than walking into a bakery and smelling the sweet smell of…happiness. Vallée d’ Brume in Temecula is a heavenly little patisserie that greatly exceeded my expectations. I went there with a very good friend of mine who is a fellow dessert lover and we tried more desserts than I care to admit!
This bakery is in Temecula at the Bell Villaggio European Village. It has a very homey vibe; the walls are painted in warm, inviting colors with lots of wall decor. They have plenty of seating plus a cute outdoor patio complete with a fountain which allows you to pretend that you’re eating pastries at a cafe in Paris.
Photo Credit: Bethany Zuniga
The server working behind the counter was very helpful and made the difficult job of choosing desserts a bit easier. The first dessert we tried was a puff pastry that was topped with a delicious, light custard, fresh berries and an apricot glaze. The custard tasted very authentic, not heavy and overly sweet like some can be. The strawberries were plump, fresh, and extremely flavorful. I was in heaven. From there we moved on to an Italian inspired cannoli. Again, fresh, light and better than any cannoli that I have tried. The shell was airy, the cream filling was perfectly sweet and the chocolate on the ends was top-notch. Good quality chocolate is key to a delicious dessert and this was way above average. Our next selection was a peach and blackberry mini-cobbler. This was a highlight for me. The cake was moist, not too sweet, and there was a light sprinkling of large granule sugar on top that added a little crunch and complimented the softness of the peaches perfectly.
Using the tiny shred of will power that we have, we got the rest of the desserts to-go. After absolutely gorging ourselves, we sat and enjoyed a wonderful cup of house brewed coffee and the girl working came over to ask us if we would like more coffee or a glass of water. I don’t know if this is standard for an order-at-the-counter place but I got the feeling that knowing this was our first visit, she wanted to make sure that we had a positive experience so she went the extra mile. I was very pleased with the friendly service and quaint atmosphere.
Photo Credit: Bethany Zuniga
When we got home (and unbuttoned our pants) we continued on our dessert extravaganza and just when I thought it couldn’t get better, it did. There was the most marvelous flourless chocolate cake that really, well, took the cake! Some flourless cakes can be too bitter and lack a good chocolate flavor. This one was smooth and the flavor was amazing. They sell these in smaller servings and I thought it was the perfect size for such a decadent treat. The last dessert we sampled was very unique and so surprisingly delicious. I’m sure it had a formal name but I cannot remember what it was called. Our server described it as an almond crust topped with lemon meringue, a dollop of raspberry jam, and covered in chocolate. It honestly sounded a bit strange but the combination was wonderful! The raspberry jam really complimented the lemon flavor and the almond crust had this very light but unique flavor. Dip the whole thing in their delicious chocolate…heavenly.
We were so pleased with our experience at Valle d’Brume. Their pastries are truly unique, full of flavor, and very fresh. They had so many other pastries and desserts that looked so great: giant custard filled cream puffs, gallette cookies, decadent cupcakes, strawberry shortcake mousse cups…the list goes on and on. If you are looking for a patisserie that won’t disappoint and has a huge selection, this is the place for you. It would be perfect for a gathering of girlfriends, a casual date, or just a delicious Sunday afternoon.
WHERE:
Vallee d’Brume
41413 Margarita Rd.
Temecula, CA
Ph. 951-491-0930
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 to 6:00 p.m.
