Sweet Treats From The South: Le Petit Duc and Biscuiterie de Provence

Biscuiterie de Provence BonneBouffe Blog

Here at BonneBouffe, we’re always adding new brands and products to our range of French food online. Now, we’d like to introduce a new selection of cakes, sweets and savoury biscuits from Biscuiterie de Provence and its sister brand Le Petit Duc. Get ready to take a virtual trip to the beautiful French South.

Six generations of tradition

The history of the Biscuiterie de Provence is a true family affair. The adventure began in 1883 when Joseph Bédouin founded a business supplying herbalists with apricot kernels, cherry stalks, linden flowers and Provençal almonds. Almonds are at the heart of the Bédouin story, with successive generations producing and selling almonds in all their forms – even recovering and repurposing almond shells for industrial use. In the 1960s, twin brothers Jean-Paul and Jean-Louis Bédouin began using almonds to make cereal bars and biscuits. In 1995, they founded the Biscuiterie de Provence.

Today, the Bédouin family owns three brands, all renowned in France and beyond for the quality of their products. Biscuiterie de Provence and Le Petit Duc both offer a range of treats. Croquettes de Vinsobres, the third brand, is a historic manufacturer of traditional Provençal almond biscuits. You’ll find a number of products from Biscuiterie de Provence and Le Petit Duc available to buy in our online shop.

Nougat, cakes and calissons

You can’t talk about Provençal almonds without mentioning nougat. Soft, chewy and subtly sweet, the Biscuiterie de Provence/Le Petit Duc nougat bars are made to a family recipe in traditional copper pans. You can choose between almond, pistachio, pine nut and Cévennes nougat, which contains mixed nuts and chestnut honey.

Biscuiterie de Provence BonneBouffe Blog
Biscuiterie de Provence BonneBouffe Blog

Calissons (“little hugs”) are another beloved Provençal speciality with a long history, dating back to the 15th century and the reign of René of Anjou. These distinctive little lozenge-shaped delicacies combine ground almonds and candied fruit in a smooth paste that’s coated in fine icing for an extra touch of sweetness. 

Biscuiterie de Provence and Le Petit Duc also offer a range of soft almond-based cakes in rich and indulgent flavours. These include lemon, vanilla, hazelnut, orange and Valrhona chocolate. There’s even a calisson cake made with Le Petit Duc’s delicious calisson paste. 

Savoury biscuits

If you’re more in the mood for a savoury snack, Biscuiterie de Provence has plenty of choice. Try their almond croquets in rich regional flavours such as tomato and espelette pepper, local Drôme garlic, goat cheese, Nyon olives, and pistou and parmesan. For the authentic Provençal apéritif experience, pair them with a classic pre-dinner drink such as pastis, Kir Royal, or sweet vermouth over ice. But they also go beautifully with a simple glass of French red or white wine.

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BonneBouffe’s mission is to bring you the best authentic specialities, both sweet and savoury, from Provence and across the whole of France. We’re always discovering new classic and seasonal offerings for our range, so if you’d like to stay updated, just enter your email below to join our mailing list.