I never need an excuse to eat chocolate cake in Paris or anywhere. It is my favorite dessert in the world — those light or dense layers of cake with sumptuous thick frosting or silky ganache. One bite of chocolate cake is a game changer to my day.
Below are two spots for a delicious mouthful of chocolate this Valentine’s week, alluring enough to replace your Valentine.
La Grande Épicerie
On Monday, the winds blew me into my favorite store in Paris, La Grande Épicerie, a treasure trove of gourmet delights from around the world, which is connected to Le Bon Marché in the seventh arrondissement of Paris.
I usually select my favorite fresh pesto and slabs of cheese while browsing the transportive aisles of every food-lovers’ dream. This time, I headed towards the bakery station when I spotted the featured Valentine’s cakes stacked up behind the pastry display case. I ordered a gâteau au chocolat et framboise to go.
It was a rectangular chocolate molten cake that had a sweet tang of raspberry nestled in the dense chocolate center for the perfect pop of Valentine’s red.
La Grande Épicerie
38 Rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris
Aurore Capucine
On Thursday, the rain was pelting down on a busy rue in Paris and gusts of 20 mph winds threatened to swipe my hat, so I turned my head towards the window to my right and glimpsed a slice of frosted chocolate cake wriggled slightly ajar.
Two details piqued my interest: 1. It is rare to see a frosted chocolate cake in Paris cut into a triangle-wedge, the French preferring longer log-shaped cakes, and 2. This cake was freshly glossed and sliced, only one piece pushed out invitingly.
I quickly swung the door open into the whimsical world of Aurore Capucine, a tiny little treasure trove of a bakery with heart-shaped cookies, mini cakes, and candied dried fruits and truffles.
My cake was wrapped securely in parchment paper and tucked into a bag for my rainy trek across the Seine.
Once home, I served myself a cold glass of milk to accompany it. The slice of cake was moist, with a crunch at the bottom from caramelization in the oven and a dark chocolate glaze about a half an inch high, reminiscent of thick, luscious frosting from across the ocean.
As you can see from the photo below, the slice was generous and my bite was too.
Aurore Capucine
3 Rue de Rochechouart
75009 Paris, France
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