GrubDaddy: Chocolate Almond Croissants

Oh chocolate almond croissants - how I love thee. My obsession with chocolate almond croissants started the last time I was in Paris in 2010. I sadly found out upon my return to the US that bakeries at home have not realized the power of this combination. Chocolate croissant, yes. Almond croissant, yes. A chocolate almond croissant, [insert confused look here]. Needless to say, when GrubDaddy and I arrived in Paris on June 10, the search was on for the best chocolate almond croissant in the city. Here are the highlights and of course the winner...

The chocolate almond fake out - delicious, but only almond inside. After this experience, GrubGirl learned how to say - c'est cette croissant avec deux chocolat et aux amandes? Asking if this croissant has both chocolate and almond.

The heavy hitter - this baby must have weighed at least a pound. It had a good chocolate to almond ratio, but it was way too dense. The perfect chocolate almond croissant needs to maintain a flaky and crispy outside with a soft and delectable almond paste and chocolate combination inside. Close, but not close enough heavy hitter.

The First Tried, Never Beaten, Gold Medal Awardee

Les Delices de Parmentier

142 avenue Parimenter (11th arr)

Near the Goncourt metro stop

How could it be? The patisserie closest to our apartment in the 11th arr. ended up knocking all the other chocolate almond croissants out of the park. It was the first place we tried, and it should have been the last. The croissant shell was incredibly flaky and crisp, and it had the perfect sprinkling of powdered sugar and sliced almonds on top. Inside was an amazing injection of almond paste with multiple sticks of chocolate (none of this one stick of chocolate garbage).

If you are in Paris, you must go. Try one of everything at this patisserie. Especially my favorite. GrubGirl insists.