Holiday Tea Time at the Hotel de Crillon 2024 by Matthieu Carlin, a regressive winter snack

Overlooking the Place de la Concorde, theHôtel de Crillon is transformed into a magical setting. We step through the entrance, framed by glittering fir trees, to the other side of the mirror. From there, we head towards the Winter Garden. This is where Matthieu Carlin's tea time awaits you.

The pastry chef seduces the capital's sweet tooth with his natural-flavored creations that evolve with the seasons. And for this winter in Paris, Matthieu Carlin has designed a sweet interlude for us in this comfortable, comforting salon, where we happily take refuge while the cold reigns in the streets of the capital. Under a golden fir tree, we're about to discover the Hôtel de Crillon's Christmas Tea Time, an ode to the sweetness of winter and the joy of festivities, placed under the sign of sharing.

The package includes a choice of hot beverage (coffee, tea or old-fashioned hot chocolate), a beautiful display case featuring three savory pieces, three sweet pieces, a duo of brioches or scones, jams, clotted cream for a British touch, a few cookies and a whole gingerbread, which you can start tasting at the Jardin d'Hiver before taking home to extend this regressive break. You can also add a glass of champagne, whose fruity notes are a perfect match for this festive snack.

We start with the excellent pre-dessert, which rhymes chocolate and Christmas spices. The waiter pours a drizzle of hot chocolate to reveal its fruity, spicy heart.

We then return to childhood with the chocolate hazelnut barquette and the Linzer-style raspberry lunette, echoing the famous Alsatian jam tart, reinterpreted here in the pastry chef's own way through a cookie scented with freshly molded spices. A perfect accompaniment to the thick, creamy hot chocolate that will seduce even the greediest among us.

Afterwards, it's like a foretaste of a festive table. Between exceptional products and regressive sweets, Matthieu Carlin introduces us to the magic of the festive season. On the second floor of this Tea Time, you'll find the savory offering, featuring a Lobster, Lime and Pomegranate Roll, a BlackTruffle and ComtéCroque, and a ParisMushroom and Beef CecinaCroquant. Enough to delight lovers of refined savoury dishes.

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On the top floor, we find the sweet trio specially imagined by the chef for this festive Tea Time. In the style of a gustatory Christmas tale, Matthieu Carlin unveils three creations whose notes evoke sweet memories and bring together all generations. These include aclementine tart with Tahitian vanilla rice pudding and coconut shortbread, a refreshing mango and passion fruit heart, and a Vieux Cacaoyers and fleur de sel chocolate cracker that takes us back in time.

In the center of the table, traditional scones and brioches add a more French touch. The latter, filled with chestnut cream (less sweet than average to leave more room for chestnuts) or vanilla (the regressive sweetness par excellence), are simply irresistible. When cut, the sound of the crunchy puff pastry enchants us, while a flowing heart reveals itself to us.

Finally, let's move on to the centerpiece of this Christmas Tea Time: gingerbread! This one brings the added pleasure of sharing, as it's served to you whole, so you can enjoy it, if you like, in the comforting setting of the Jardin d'Hiver, or take it home to share a piece of this sweet experience with your loved ones.

Extremely moist, it's a real favorite: the blend of spices, freshly ground at the last moment (like those in the Linzer-style glasses) to guarantee this explosion of flavors, is the fruit of long research and dosage work on the part of the chef, and you can feel it. This skilful balance of flavours and texture produces a surprisingly light result, and you'll find yourself endlessly savouring this Hôtel de Crillon-style gingerbread! The gingerbread is also available for sale at the winter chalet on Place de la Concorde!

Christmas 2024 in Paris: the Hôtel de Crillon Christmas Market for great gifts
The Hôtel de Crillon invites you to the second edition of its Christmas Market on the weekend of December 7 to 8, 2024. During these two magical days, the palace welcomes a fine selection of trendy designer brands, dedicated to women and children, to inspire your Christmas shopping, enhanced by workshops and tastings, all in a dream setting! [Read more]

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This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.