Skip to main content
Epicurious

Mont-Blanc

Rectangular meringue with with chestnut cream.
Photo by Nicole Franzen

Angelina, the iconic Parisian tearoom, is famous for its velvety hot chocolate and its signature pastry, the Mont-Blanc.

Named after the highest mountain in the Alps, this dome-like construction of meringue and whipped cream is topped with thinly piped “vermicelli” of sweet chestnut cream. It’s a heavenly mix of textures—crunchy, airy, creamy—and the nutty flavor of chestnuts is irresistible. The classic mountain shape is difficult to make at home; it quickly turns into a toppling mess. Not wanting to get too technical, I played around with different ways to serve it: It works well in alternating layers in a cup or glass, but the winning format was suggested by my dear friend Laurence, who dropped by on a recipe-testing day. Together we made long rectangular Mont-Blancs to be divided into servings, and this is what I recommend.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local’ by Clotilde Dusoulier. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Note:

In humid weather, the meringues may absorb the ambient moisture and go soft. Under those circumstances, it’s best to bake the meringues as close to serving time as possible.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Palets Bretons
Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Mississippi Mud Cake
This cake was created from thrift and was supposedly named after its appearance, which reminded people of the muddy Mississippi River bottom.
Heavenly Halva Cake
Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Almost Cannoli Galettes
Cannoli and sfogliatelle require complex technique—making them is best left to the professionals. But a galette-inspired variation? That’s a snap to do at home.
Grasshopper Brownies
These decadent brownies feature a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture.
Grape Dumplings
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake
There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.