Macarons a Paris

Macarons are wonderful, beautiful little things that are sweet and scrumptious. Very difficult to make, but wonderful to eat and everyone has their own opinion on what makes a macaron great.

I can’t say I’m a macaron connoisseur, but while I love making macarons (any not always successful), I had the pleasure of sampling a bunch of different macarons while in Paris. It seems like every patisserie in Paris carries them and I just couldn’t help it, I’ve tried pretty much every one I came across…(I know what you are thinking: chubby). Yes, I admit, I’m getting chubby, but enjoying every delicious bite of it!

For me, while romping through the streets of Paris, basically 5 things struck me as elements to a macaron (you’ll probably have your own 5, please let me know if you do).

Colour – Macarons are bright and colorful. But sometimes that’s easier said then done. Too dark of a colour and it looks like are pumping it full of colouring. Too bright and it looks like it is radioactive. Not enough colour and well it just ain’t attractive.  

Crispiness – When eating a macaron, the all important part is the shell. It should be delicate but firm and collapse at the slightest pressure.  This is also telling of whether the macaron is freshly made or has been sitting for a couple days. The best macarons should fall apart as if it was cotton candy melting as soon as it touches your lips.

Chewiness – After the shell collapses, the second layer of the macaron should be nice and chewy almost like a jelly bean or sugus candy (but not as hard).

Filling – While there are different jams and fillers, this is where the great macarons are differentiated from the good macarons. Chefs can work wonders with this thin layer of yummy jelly.

Value – Yes, since I’m actually paying for them now, value is very important.  Many places are in the neighborhood of €0.7-2. In Hong Kong these same macarons will sell for HK$30-HK$50… so yah, they are much more value for money there.

 

Georges Larnicol
I highly recommend this place. Macarons go on average for about €0.70-0.80.  They are delicious and they also pack them nicely in boxes. Their expertise is in chocolates, but their macarons are awesome too. Some of the best I’ve tasted.

Ladurée
One of the, if not THE most famous place to get macarons. Be ready to stand in line with tourists like myself who will be buying boxes load of them.  It’s actually quite pricey, near €1.70-2 each, but they taste great, have good colour and you can pretty much have confidence they will be near perfect.  For the price, you are basically paying for a nice box that you can showcase again at home. You should also try out the other delicious desserts there.

Le Fournil Du Village
A famous patisserie in the village behind the Basillica de Sacre Coeur. However, I’m definitely not recommending the macarons. Hard…all the way through…

 

Biscuiterie de Montmartre
A new shop in Montmartre with beautiful decorations and awesome presentation.  But unlike other shops that are more than happy to let you take photos, they aren’t exactly welcoming and their macarons are a little on the average side. But they do look gorgeous at €1.5 each.

Boulangerie de Rennes

Delicious. The first macarons we had in Paris and pretty much set the benchmark. The cover was crispy and chewy in all the right places. Delicious. Not a whole lot of choices and the crowds there are usually buying bread of all types, but the macarons are definitely good.

Salon de The Trateur Patissier

They serve pastries, bread, Chinese fastfood, and cheap sushi. So why you may ask did I buy macarons? Well, there, you can buy macarons practically anywhere in Paris. Not cheap either. Almost €1.5 each. But they taste great albeit looks a little radioactive.

Gerald Mulot

They make lots of desserts and takeaway meals. Their macarons are also quite decent albeit a little hard in the middle. While getting your macaron fix, you should probably also try out the other desserts which are also delicious.

Dalloyau

A beautiful chain with terrific macarons. A little on the pricey side, but has made a name for itself not only in Paris but worldwide. I guess the only down side is that the name looks like its referring to my bottom after eating so many macarons… (Dai Lor Yau)…