Angelina is one of my favourite salons de thé (tearooms) in Paris. It's only a stone throw away from the Louvre museum, opposite the Tuileries Garden, hidden beneath the arcades of Rue de Rivoli and within sight of the Eiffel Tower.
This tearoom was founded in 1903. In the old days, the fashion designer Coco Chanel and the writer Marcel Proust used to take their five o'clock tea here. King George V of Britain had his own engraved glasses here. Today, the famous artists Catherine Deneuve, Britney Spears and Patricia Kass are regular customers.
Their Chocolat Africain is arguably the best hot chocolate you can find in Paris. It tastes like a melted chocolate bar, an extremely rich concoction.
Chocolat Africain got its name from the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast, a former French protectorate), origin of its cacao beans. It is, by far, the richest, darkest, and sweetest hot chocolate available in the city. It is so thick it could be poured over ice cream.
The thick, frothy beverage is served in a pitcher, accompanied by a bowl of whipped cream to complement it and a glass of ice water on the side, which seems to acknowledge you'll need a chaser to offset the richness.
Angelina is also very famous for their 'Mont Blanc' pastry which is a meringue base filled with whipped cream and sweet chestnut puree.
During my quest for the best, the Angelina's Chocolate L'African recipe from 'Hot Chocolate' by Michael Turback is by far the closest to the original.
Paris Angelina's Chocolat L'Africain (Hot Chocolate) Recipe
(adapted from Hot Chocolate by Michael Turback)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk (full cream milk)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (I use double cream)
- 1 tsp confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
- 4 oz / 125 g Omanhere bittersweet chocolate, 72% (you can use any brand of bittersweet chocolate)
- Whipped cream
Method
- Combine whole milk, heavy cream and confectioners' sugar and heat over medium to high heat until bubbles appear around edges.
- Remove from heat and add chocolate that's been chopped.
- Stir until melted (you may need to return it to low heat).
- Serve with whipped cream.