Help me indulge my sweet tooth in Paris
 

Of all the French delights, I'm most looking forward to sampling the sweets throughout our upcoming stay. I love it all - chocolate, cakes, pastries. I've never met a food containing sugar that I didn't like.

I'd love to hear some suggestions for the sweets that have hit high notes for you, plus where to find them.

Thanks!

As the comedienne Roseanne said, the only thing wrong with fat is there's no sugar in it.

You will find sweet indulgence almost everywhere in Paris. I suggest that when you pass a patisserie, press your face against the glass (no drooling), see which beautiful item looks most tempting, and give in to that temptation.

In bakeries, you may opt to skip the croissant for a sugary beignet with an apple or strawberry or raspberry filling.

I will eat almost anything with raspberries or pears in it so my favorite pastry is Bavarois Framboise, a sponge cake and raspberry mousse confection. Also Opera, a multi-layer dessert with mocha cream.

Don't ignore the sidewalk crepe stands. Be a little adventurous and try some of the Tunisian desserts you may see in various parts of town.

Perhaps you should order a copy of the Encyclopedia of Classic French Pastries by Susan Whatley and see what looks good to you there!

One of my favorite pastry shops is Patisserie Lenotre on 44, rue d'Auteuil over in the 16th, by the Michel-Ange metro stop. Has won awards for best in the city.
http://www.10best.com/Paris/Restaura...ies/index.html

Laduree is a famous name in Paris. There is a pastry shop and restaurant on the Champs-Elysees and a tea salon on rue Royale. Here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/jtp9s.

Creme brulee. Often.

Check out David Lebovitz's website. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/index.html David is former pastry chef from Chez Panisse who now lives in Paris and leads chocolate tours around the city. He's written several cook books including The Great Book of Chocolate so he really knows his stuff. To top it off he's one of the nicest, funniest people you'll ever meet. Whether or not you want to take a tour he has lots of info on the site about great places to go.

If you like really sweet items, I would say to get a "fraisier" from a patisserie -- in case the name is not visible, they are almost always frosted pink and have a sliced strawberry on top.

Hi P,
http://www.amorino.fr/ for terrific gelato.

Berthillon for French ice cream.

Laduree and Pierre Herme for chocolates and Macarons, Pain au chocolate and almond croissants.

In addition, any shop that has a display that interests you.

((I))

Ultra sweet : you can try a more 'ethic' choice almonds/honey/pistachios with "La Bague de Kendra", a tiny algerian (but they do most of the mediteranean and middle east receipes, if those incluse almonds) pastry chain
The are the supplier of more than one embassy or official reception
There is a shop Rue Saint Maur(11th) and one rue de la Convention(15th)

OOOPs , it's KenZA, not Kendra

Ohhhhhh . . . I definitely should have eaten lunch before I checked on this thread. :)

This all sounds like heaven!

Oh, Chocolate...sigh...Paris....sigh...
Peirre Herme , Laduree, the little patisserie on the corner, the markets, Le Notre on rue Cler, Angelina's...If you are a chocolate lover, you will never lack for opportunities to make yourself happy :)

A better question would be "Help Me to Avoid Sweets in Paris" - that one would be impossible to answer.

You can't walk two steps without some decadent creation calling out your name from a patisserie window - 'Paucie, choose me, choose me', or a crepe stand on the street.

No matter what neighborhood you are in - it is a Parisian conspiracy, and you cannot avoid it. They are out to get you, and they will.

Be sure to drink diet drinks and use Equal, they neutralize the effects of the sugar, leaving room for more.

Enjoy.

Nina

I'd leave DH in a minute for a real whipped creme swan (creme puff).

Nina

Yea! I 'm so glad I found this post. Leaving Monday. Wish they had a chocolate tour available. Oh well, next time. That link is now on my bookmarks

I hope that comment about diet drinks and equal was meant in jest.

Off to pack my stretch jeans : )

Paul's Boulangerie for wonderful pains au chocolat and hot chocolate that's even better than that at Angelina's.

Paves from Michel Chaudun at 149 de la rue de L'Universite. I brought some home in April and keep them frozen. They don't look as good as when fresh but still taste delicious. I have twelve pieces left but it won't be long before they will all be eaten. Have a wonderful trip.

We always get a pastry from Gerard Mulot on rue de Seine for the plane ride home. It is a small consolation for leaving Paris. I love the chocolate & raspberry ones and DH favors the tarte au citron. I wish more bakeries here made those little cakes but maybe it is better that they don't.

Laduree, Laduree, Laduree. Just wander from location to location.

This is one response to my trip report on our visit to Paris in May:

Author: thit_cho
Date: 05/31/2006, 03:40 pm
This is the best list I have seen yet on what to do in Paris:

"Desserts:
Crème brulee
Tarte tatin
Profiteroles
Laduree macaroons (box of the miniature size of one each of 15 of the 16 flavors; we passed on the licorice)
Laduree raspberry tart and chocolate éclair
Banana cake with ice cream and gooseberry conserve"

Besides that, we had pain chocolat for at Paul’s, lemon meringue pie (strange), Nutella crepes, chocolates from Cacao et Chocolat, and Berthillion ice cream cone (crème caramel—OH MY GOODNESS).

I have to agree with the previous post, though--Laduree, Laduree, Laduree.

I had a near-death (in a good way) experience at Angelina's. The hot chocolate is to die for...it is thicker than any I've ever had. And if I remember correctly, you can get it milk, white and dark! But coupled with torte, opera cake, or any other number of rich pastries, it's a recipe for a sweet tooth overload, and I can handle my sweets....usually!

Also, for interesting chocolate ice creams, on Rue St. Louis on Ile St. Louis, not Berthillon, but walking away from Notre Dame on the right, about 1/4 to 1/2 way down on a corner, is a chocolatier who also sells ice cream and unfortunately I don't know the name! I had two -- a raspberry white chocolate and chocolate mendiant that were just exquisite.

Enjoy! You'll be spoiled for choice and will probably find some none of us has mentioned so far!