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    Home • Blog Posts

    Autumn-Winter Teatime in Paris at Angelina

    Published: Nov 1, 2015 · Modified: Jun 8, 2023 by Jill Colonna18 Comments

    Every time the clocks move to winter mode, it signals a new season of pastries in Paris. So, in true Teatime in Paris style, I headed to Angelina, who kindly invited me to choose from the silver platter to show you nine new gourmet patisseries that are gracing their Autumn-Winter collection.

    pastry collection platter at Angelina Paris

    What is Angelina Famous For?

    In 2013, the Parisian institution of Angelina celebrated its 110th anniversary. Just stepping inside you can imagine when this elegant tea room opened its doors in rue de Rivoli in 1903. Since then it has been famous and attracting the famous too. The Parisian aristocracy swooned in wearing their fineries and celebrities of the fashion world rubbed shoulder-fitting suits with the likes of Coco Chanel seated at the marble tables.

    Angelina sums up so well its Belle Epoque interior as being "an exquisite space, somewhere between serenity and indulgence." As we were there at teatime, the sweet Parisian rush hour, out of respect for the full house of clients I didn't take the interior. However, I did manage to take more photos of the tea salon upstairs for a private event later for their Christmas Yule Log (Bûche) collection.

    Angelina's Classic Pastries

    The platter consisted of the regular Classic collection which are available all year round.  What about the caramelised flaky vanilla mille-feuille (left); the Saint Honoré with its three little caramelised choux-filled puffs of vanilla pastry cream sitting on a ring of puff pastry and crowned with a swirl of whipped cream; the Paris-New York (a variation on the classic Paris-Brest - more on that later); a lemon tart with vanilla marshmallows - and a chocolate or coffee éclair.

    New Angelina Paris pastries

    Autumn & Winter Pastry Collection

    However, we were essentially here for a taste of the ephemeral new collection, highlighting the season with citrus fruits, exotic fruits; comforting chocolate or praline or the more sophisticated acidity of dark berries.

    From the left, there's the pear and chocolate charlotte; praline éclair with its traditional praline of hazelnuts (the French love this nut in their pastries); blackcurrant cheesecake; the bright red Babylone, an almond meringue biscuit with vanilla mousse, raspberry confit and strawberry marshmallow; the Black Forest (Forêt Noire); and the Calisson, a pastry take on the traditional oblong confection of marzipan and sugar icing from Aix-en-Provence (more in my article about French bonbons or candy).

    How could you choose? An absolute must was the new coconut and passion-fruit variation on Angelina's iconic pastry, the Mont-Blanc, which has been its signature pastry since 1903. The classic is a mound of chestnut paste vermicelli which encases light whipped cream and a meringue heart. You'd think with the chestnut purée and meringue that the dessert would be pretty sweet but that's what makes Paris's top pastries so special: they're surprisingly not as sweet as you'd think.

    Angelina new pastry collection Autumn-Winter 2015-2016 Paris
    The classic signature Mont-Blanc and the latest coconut and passion fruit Mont-Blanc.

    They're an ephemeral fashionable pastry catwalk on silver - even the elegant lemon and praline Religieuse looked ready to sit down next to us on the plush leather chair with her bright yellow hat tilted to one side.  It was a sign - but then the Joconde, the other new seasonal pastry just seem to say, take me, take me...and as I'm known to be mad about macarons. Guess what?

    Joconde macaron pastry from Angelina Paris

    Not the Only Joconde in Paris!

    The Joconde is one of the most expensive of the pastries and has a sumptuous cream of cherry blossom tea sitting on top of a large macaron shell.  Raspberries surround its blackberry and blackcurrant heart and it's finished off with a little macaron hat.

    Joconde macaron pastry from Angelina Paris

    The cream was so delicate and went beautifully with the light berries. Perhaps the cream made the macaron shell just slightly on the moist side.  It's certainly best to ensure that you eat this pastry on the day itself if you've bought them to eat at home. I love how this pastry is particularly light - and gluten free.

    Mont-Blanc black tea from Angelina Paris

    Angelina Paris Hot Chocolate: The Choc Africain

    Angelina's famously thick hot chocolate is named "African" since it's composed of three different cacao varieties: from Niger, Ghana and the Ivory Coast. It's even served with a pretty little pot of whipped cream - but seriously, that's sheer decadence since already a little goes a long way.

    For African Chocolate fans, there's also a pastry that goes with it. It's the Choc Africain, a chocolate brownie with pure dark chocolate mousse and cream.

    A pot of Mont-Blanc tea hit my perfect teatime spot, an ideal match to accompany such delicate treats with its hints of maple and candied chestnuts and apricot with toffee aromas.

    Paris-New York Choux Pastry

    Angelina Paris-New York pastry

    Don't ask me why but with such a dizzying choice, I even went for another to share - their classic Paris-New York. It's based on the classic Paris-Brest (I mention all about this in my book, Teatime in Paris, along with a macaron version and a Paris-Brest-Edinburgh). However, instead of the choux pastry filling of a hazelnut praline cream, Angelina's New York touch is to use pecan nuts for the praline and adds an extra crunchy pecan praline heart to it.

    Signature Mont-Blanc Pastry

    Our unanimous favourite from the tasting was the Mont-Blanc Passion-Coco.  Lucie in her excitement to pounce on it, realised afterwards that she'd been served with the classic Mont-Blanc (without the coconut on top) instead of the new version.  The staff were totally adorable and appeared immediately with the new version but as she had tucked into it wanted to finish and so we were even given a cute box to take it home with us.  We were reassured that we could easily eat it next day.  After all, one day of decadence was enough!

    Mont-Blanc Angelina Paris Passion-Coco

    Remembering the exclusive raspberry version from the Bac Sucré event in June (from the Angelina boutique in Rue du Bac), this version hit a very-special-pastry-nerve. The coconut whipped cream was so delicate with just a touch of passion fruit in its heart.

    With a sprinkling of coconut on top, it guards its snowy traditional resemblance of the Mont-Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe.

    Every year, we're lucky that a new Mont Blanc variation comes out and each winter, it's a sheer beauty. If it this pâtisserie was on the catwalk, it would be the bride in the finale.

    Angelina Tea room rue de Rivoli Paris macarons

    Angelina's Macarons

    How could I take you to Angelina's and not mention their ten classic macaron flavours? Chocolate, pistachio, lemon, coffee, vanilla, blackcurrant, caramel, chocolate-passion, raspberry and their speciality, the Mont-Blanc.

    Angelina queues at rue de Rivoli Paris

    Do you Need a Reservation for Angelina Paris?

    To avoid regular queues like this, I strongly recommend you reserve a table like we had, especially for teatime. That way the special queue-saving time can be used instead to stroll off the desserts in the Tuileries Gardens across the road. If you haven't booked, expect to wait about 15 minutes minimum, especially on weekends.

    Parisian Mont-Blanc macarons from Angelina

    I'll leave you with a few Mont-Blanc macarons, my favourite here, filled with a chestnut cream and topped with crushed meringue. If you're in Paris around the beginning of  November, Angelina usually host a special Mont-Blanc day featuring variations on their famous dessert.

    So, after all that - what would you choose?

    Angelina Tearoom
    226 rue de Rivoli
    75001 Paris
    Tel: 01-42 60 82 00

    Metro: Tuileries

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    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

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    1. gotaram

      April 12, 2017 at 11:47 am

      These pastries looks so beautiful~ I want to visit Angelina now~ Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Rose

      August 11, 2016 at 7:20 am

      We chose the Paris-New York pastries. It was, of course absolutely divine but I could have sworn I could taste hazlenut in the cream, even though it has a pecan on the top! No complaints. I have to admit that I find the little container of cream served up with it seems over the top. Do you really need it with such a rich, creamy confection? I didn't use it.

      Reply
    3. Francois Girondut

      November 12, 2015 at 8:14 pm

      Beautiful photos and excellent post. I have to go to Angelina's now...

      Reply
    4. Ann

      November 06, 2015 at 3:34 am

      Honestly, I'm intrigued by the Mont-Blanc Coco -- would never think to pair those tropical flavors with chestnut. Curious to try it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 06, 2015 at 11:24 am

        You'd love it Ann. I even say I prefer it to the classic ...

        Reply
    5. Parisbreakfast

      November 04, 2015 at 7:40 pm

      Did you see their special upside down Mont Blanc Jill?
      Only on for 1 day..who knows why? The base was chestnut and the topping was...cream?
      Either sublime or desperation.

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 05, 2015 at 12:39 am

        I could only see it on instagram since I couldn't make it into Paris during the day - alas. That's why I mentioned it for anyone who could make it in today on this post. Lucky mont-blancers.

        Reply
    6. Thomasina

      November 03, 2015 at 10:56 pm

      I would definitely try the Mont Blanc with chestnut cream. I have passed this establishment but I had no time to queue and I knew it must be a great place. Sounds like the way to spend an afternoon in Paris Jill. Also so lovely of them to give you a box to take home. The new pastries look and sound incredible.

      Reply
    7. Lucie

      November 02, 2015 at 7:14 pm

      I LOVED this place in Paris! The staff were so friendly, their patisseries are sublime and the winter collection mont-blanc's fruitiness is worth the wait in the queue! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 02, 2015 at 8:06 pm

        I hear you Lucie. Yes, the staff were adorable which all added to the charm of the place.

        Reply
    8. Christina @ Christina's Cucina

      November 02, 2015 at 7:01 pm

      I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that I didn't have a clue about Angelina 2 months ago! 🙁 I was SO NEAR BY! Everything looks sublime, and honestly, to only choose one signifies a special kind of torture! I'm a coconut fiend, so the new coconut pastry would definitely be one of my choices, but I also love praline, so the Paris-NY Brest would have to be in there, too. Oh, and one of the eclairs and DEFINITELY the hot chocolate! I need to leave now...my saliva is messing up my keyboard. 🙁

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 02, 2015 at 8:05 pm

        But I thought you were in good hands and did Rue du Bac? Angelina has a boutique there but not the tearoom as they have here in rue de Rivoli. All the more reason for us to do Paris together next time Christina ...

        Reply
    9. Liz

      November 02, 2015 at 11:54 am

      Oh, my. The choices. The decisions! What an amazing array of sweets---Angelina's is such an iconic patisserie---thanks for sharing the winter collection with us. YUM!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 02, 2015 at 8:03 pm

        I wish we only had decisions like this to make Liz. I couldn't believe that tray that arrived for you!

        Reply
    10. Jean-Pierre D

      November 02, 2015 at 9:14 am

      That Mont-Blanc with the coconut does look good. I love the classic version but this new one sounds delicious Jill.

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 02, 2015 at 8:02 pm

        I can absolutely say I even prefer it to the classic Jean-Pierre.

        Reply
    11. David

      November 02, 2015 at 6:19 am

      The Choc Africain would be my choice but, honestly, I usually go to Angelina to drink the chocolat à l'Africain! I love it, and there is nowhere else in the world that has it!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        November 02, 2015 at 8:01 pm

        David - imagine the double whammy together! Sure that would keep you going for a while ...

        Reply

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