The wind was biting cold and whipped through my hair, but despite the weathers best intentions, it couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I was delirious with happiness; today would be the moment that I would try my ‘first afternoon tea’ and as a dessert lover I felt like a kid in a candy shop. You see when it comes to me, I’m a simple kind of gal; there are three things that really get me going and that is pugs, cats and food. So naturally when R Chocolate London asked if I would like to break ‘My Afternoon Tea Cherry’ (although they did not use those words LOL) I practically bounced off the walls with delight. And who better to have my first Afternoon Tea with than my partner in crime Giulia, who promised me that it would be an experience that I would never forget. Boy was she right, I might be so single that I can’t remember what a boy looks like anymore but at least food never lets me down. From chocolate infused wine to moreish scones with homemade clotted cream and fresh jam, R Chocolate London took me on a tasting experience that I would never forget.
Located just 12 minutes walk from Victoria station, R Chocolate London took the liberty of setting up camp away from the hustle and bustle of the urban drones that plague the streets and instead called the leafy, quiet community driven area of Belgravia its chosen home. The air was bitter cold but the thought of steaming cups of hot chocolate and chocolate infused wine was enough to have us practically running to the store, with unconstrained excitement. Small and intimate, R Chocolate London reminded me of a Viennese Boutique with its quaint and dainty charm. Wicker baskets were laced with autumn leaves and chocolate hampers gave a whimsical nod to the transition from autumn to winter. It was quiet as we arrived just after lunchtime, but we preferred it to be as tranquil as it was because we had more than just chocolate cakes to discuss… We were welcomed by two friendly members of staff who ushered us to our red booths and talked us through the menu, including asking us whether we would prefer champagne or CiaB – a crémant from Perpignan infused with chocolate. Otherwise known as ‘chocolate wine’, our server explained that R Chocolate London was the first stockist to sell ‘Ciab’ in the UK and we of course were intrigued to say the least.
The Ciab-contrary to what you might expect- had the appearance of prosecco or champagne, although it had slight yellow undertones and was delightfully fragrant to the nose. Created from 100% chardonnay grape, Chocolate In A Bottle is infused with delicate notes of hazelnut and cacao, which was not too dissimilar to hazelnut praline in taste. While infused with chocolate, the cacao balances out the hazelnut to create a surprisingly refreshing beverage that created a crisp contrast to the sweet desserts in our Afternoon tea selection. There was of course an underlying sweetness and the hazelnut notes almost felt creamy in the palette, but there more fruity acidity in the overall flavor that stopped the Ciab from being too sickly. I was hooked from the first sip and vowed to search the web so that I could buy some chocolate wine to get me through the drudgery of long winter nights. While the chocolate in a bottle was a welcome surprise, I was ready to get stuck in and sample the glorious desserts that had been calling my name all my life. Boy was I ready.
The Chocolate Wine Spoke To Me Like No Other Lover…
At £35 for non alcoholic and £45 with champagne or CIAB, the afternoon tea menu was reasonably priced but would the desserts win me over too? Presented on a charming steel dais, there were three plates filled with glorious cakes that made me feel like I was watching Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. I felt like Charlie who had won his golden ticket and marveled at the detail to presentation, particularly the contrast between bright desserts like the strawberry and champagne mousse in comparison to the rich chocolate mini loaf. We began with traditional and cacao nib scones served with fresh clotted cream and strawberry jam, which to me were the very definition of a quintessential afternoon tea archetype. The scones crumbled delightfully in the mouth with a slight nutty aftertaste which I rather liked, while the thickness of the cream was surprisingly not too heavy on the stomach and complimented the sweetness of the strawberry jam. To accompany our first ‘dessert course’ I chose a salted caramel hot chocolate while G went for a green tea to not detract from the sweetness of our desserts.
The Traditional Scones Were The Very Definition Of A Quintessential Afternoon Tea
The salted caramel hot chocolate was richly comforting and the undertones of sea salt felt pleasant to the taste. Yet I should have asked for a smaller cup of hot chocolate as not being a fan of ‘overly rich’ beverages or desserts after a while it was too sickly for me to consume. However G’s green tea was well stewed and had the right amount of bitterness to compliment the afternoon tea. Impressed by the scones I was even more gratified to find out that as someone who aims to be a more ‘ethical consumer’ that R Chocolate London uses chocolate that is sourced from the award-winning chocolate makers Original Beans, which are the first and only chocolate producer approved by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. In other words their ingredients are sourced from ethical beans and not made with additives or preservatives to truly encapsulate the high quality flavour of the ingredients used. Ethics aside, the cakes as a majority were truly splendid.
Feast Your Eyes On This Beauty Of An Afternoon Tea
While I was obsessed with the strawberry and champagne mousse, layered atop a vivid pistachio biscuit, G enjoyed the mini chocolate loaf which she proclaimed had the right ratio of cacao to texture, meaning that it was not too rich to taste. For me the weakest desserts were the mini chocolate loaf which I found to be a little dry and too rich for my personal preferences while the 80% grand cru mousse with a hazelnut, sea salt and caramel center sounded appetizing but not being a lover of dark chocolate was too bitter for me to finish. But when it comes to R Chocolate’s more fruitier, lighter desserts I was hooked left,right and centre.
In particular their raspberry trifle with genois sponge, raspberry coulis, custard and Chantilly creme, was the ultimate crowd pleaser in my opinion. The tartness of the raspberry juxtaposed with the Chantilly creme was the very definition of a ‘foodgasm’. In fact lets face it, we might have all faked orgasms in our time but this love affair was 100 % real baby. I was still reeling from how -excuse my French- f**king amazing the raspberry trifle was, so the mini lemon drizzle cake and Victoria Sponge had a lot to live up to. Soft and plump, with generous Chantilly and raspberry filling the Victoria sponge was moist while the lemon drizzle cake was slightly dry but washed down with CIAB still created a welcome palette cleanser. To finish we had salted caramel elephants in milk and white chocolate, which were wonderfully salted and melted delightfully in the mouth. We ended up staying far longer than we imagined and while we almost certainly overstayed our welcome, the staff were extremely friendly, polite and was more than welcome to regale us with beautiful stories wrapped in chocolate bows and sparkles. It was magical.
How Cute Are These White Chocolate Salted Caramel Elephants Though?
Have You Ever Had Afternoon Tea? If So What Were Your Thoughts?
*Disclaimer please note we were given complimentary afternoon tea in exchange for this post but all opinions are my own and not biased by PR samples or complimentary food.
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My mouth dropped at “chocolate wine.” Now I’m going to have to find a place located close to my one-stoplight town that sells or serves it!
Now that’s my idea of an afternoon tea. I do love them. We usually have them when we’re visiting my in-laws or when they come down to visit us 🙂 This just looks really lovely. xx
I love afternoon tea, probably because I can’t say no to a scone with cream. Amazing post. You are an incredibly talented writer.
What a scrumptious, lovely place to go to for your first afternoon tea! Pictures look great and it sounded very chocolatety and yummy! I love going for afternoon tea – it’s even better when you can have procesco too isnt it!
Oh wow Ana! What are you doing to me? I am salivating!! That looks absolutely amazing, those layered trifles look like the most amazing things ever! And the elephants? Too cute!!
Oh this place looks so lovely. The chocolate sounds amazingly tasty. The chantilly creme?! Yum!
Oo absolutely delicious! Afternoon tea is one of my favourite treats (even if I almost always end up feeling sick from so much yummy food) and to have it in such luxurious surroundings must have been bliss 🙂
Chocolate wine? Okay please send me some this way. Everything looks delicious.
Oh this looks absolutely gorgeous. Yum. I love an Afternoon Tea. Although, London is a little far to travel just for it. I will be sure to add a visit here in when I plan a trip! 😀
Afternoon tea is my favourite thing to do ever! This looks amazing and seriously white chocolate salted caramel elephants?? My two favourite things together!
I’ve had afternoon tea once ! It was amazing but to be fair it wasn’t as fancy looking as this ! Those elephants OMG !
Oh my goodness the strawberry and champagne mousse look divine! What a treat to get the afternoon with such a feast!
I was so laughing when you said afternoon tea cherry and break int eh same sentence. I have had afternoon tea and it is delightful. This one looks extra special.
Oh my goodness those desserts look gorgeous! The little elephants were so cute!
Ooo I am all about the chocolate. Those snacks look amazing. I haven’t had tea in such a long time. I need to do this with my daughter one day.
What cute looking chocolate elephants. Those treats look amazing. I bet you had such a great time.
Oh wow, this looks amazing. I would love to have afternoon tea and a special chocolate one looks perfect
Wow it looks and sounds amazing. We are massive fans of afternoon tea and you’ve just reminded me that I need to get one booked in ASAP. Your first experience sounds lovely
Ahhh…how I wish we had more little shops here in California that served tea along with beautiful mini desserts, scones and finger sandwiches. Tea time is such a fabulous tradition in other parts of the world, including London where you live. I’d love to see it carried over here too!
What a grand chocolate adventure! I’d love to try the salted caramel hot chocolate and the raspberry trifle. Yum!
This looks delicious! I don’t know if I’d be more excited for fresh scones or one of the trifles on display! YUM!
Oh that sounds amazing – I think the strawberry and champagne mouse would be my favourite.
I love going for afternoon teas and this looks divine! Little chocolate treats and bubbles, what’s not to like x
I’ve never had an afternoon tea like this before. Looks delicious! Anything with chocolate and I’m there.
Wow! This is really wonderful for a afternoon tea and a chocolate. And the elephant chocolate is so cute. All of it is delicious!
I’m a huge afternoon tea fan, and this one sounds fab! x
Oh gosh that looks so beautiful. I love afternoon tea but don’t get to go very often as I’m always tied up with the kids. I’m looking forward to being able to treat myself again in a few years. The little cakes and sandwiches look like a really great mix of textures and flavours
I’m a huge afternoon tea fan. This one looks amazing, far better than any I’ve had so far! Everything on the stand looks and sounds so delicious. I’m going to have to try making cacao nib scones for myself…and also track down chocolate wine yum!
This sounds like an amazing time, I have wanted to go for afternoon tea for a while now. This totally gave me the push to finally check an afternoon place out.
What wonderful treats. I would love to enjoy this in a relaxing afternoon.
You had me at chocolate wine! Wow, this whole thing looks super magical x
This afternoon set looks amazing and delicious. I want to go and try this out for myself. Thanks for sharing.
I reviews R Chocolate’s afternoon tea recently and it is just stunning. That chocolate infused sparking wine is delicious. We are actually ordering some for Christmas. I love their involvement with charities as well, such a brilliant ethos for a company.
Oh my what a treat!!!! Prosecco and goodies . My type of afternoon tea 🙂
I love afternoon tea! Who doesn’t love tiny sandwiches and dainty cakes? Those chocolate elephants look amazing!
That afternoon tea looks amazing and looks such a great I definitely feel jealous as i do love a good afternoon tea.
Chocolate wine sounds delightful and as for the desserts, I could quite easily polish them off x
Afternoon Tea was one of my favorite experiences while visiting London! There’s something so charming about the presentation of the desserts and pastries, and just makes for such a great overall experience. Glad you enjoyed yourself!
Sondra xx
prettyfitfoodie.com
Oh I love a afternoon tea, this sounds amazing and a lovely treat
Oh, what fun! Worth a flight over the Atlantic from North America just to visit this place. I am swooning over that raspberry trifle. That plus just a bite of a chocolate would would be perfect. A new must-do if I ever get to London anytime soon.
I have a question…..do you get to take home any treats that you can’t eat? I was thinking for 35.00,you would get a nice take home bag….
I love Afternoon Tea – I think it’s a real treat to go out for this very British of traditions! The stand filled with the cakes and pastries looks so delicious!
Sounds yummy!
I’ve never been to an afternoon tea – this sounds delightful
What a nice afternoon out this would have been. The desserts looked delicious and they definitely had eye appeal. I would have chosen the chocolate wine to taste and I am a fan of hot chocolate.
I love Afternoon Tea but yours is absolutely fabulous! The presentation of the dessert is so lovely, what a treat you had! I checked the website of R Chocolate London… goodness they have an amazing assortment of pastries.
You know what? I think you should write a novel:-) I’m not kidding. Your writing makes me feel like I’m with you there and eating those scones and drinking G’s green tea. Great post!
Btw, I love teas and I love desserts even more, so your post is my kind of literature😀
OMG! Ana, I bet this is one of kind food and afternoon tea experience. Its a jaw dropping, mouth watering post hehehe, I am imagining the chocolate wine, the strawberry and champagne mousse and the white chocolate salted caramel – and all those dessert on a beautiful plate arrangement.. I want please!
I love this afternoon tea traditiona, but can’t have it too often as it is usually too much to eat. White chocolate with salted caramel is something I look forward to taste.
Such a lovely afternoon tea experience. The dessert looks so appetizing!
I’ve had afternoon tea once ! It was amazing. Really captivating article. Great one!
Oh my goodness how delicious does this afternoon tea sound! I would absolutely love to have an afternoon tea soon it has been way to long since I got such a luxury.
Can’t believe this is just around the corner from Victoria Station! I’m adding this to my February list of things to do in London, can’t wait, always wanted to go for English Tea.
So far from I live . But love to read your post , I love to having an afternoon tea and some sweet with chocolate based . Yummy and relaxing