Also known as a macaron and French macaroon, these colourful meringue-based almond treats have stolen the cupcake’s crown as our indulgence of choice. Here are the best places for macaroons in London and a macaroon-making class to try.
In varying sizes, colours, flavours and even textures, macaroons are a sublime delicacy.
La Maison du Chocolat
T: 020 72878500 E: customer@lamaisonduchocolat.co.uk
45-46 Piccadilly, London, W1
La Maison du Chocolat sell both chocolates and pastries worldwide in boutique chocolate shops, and fortunately for us do an all-chocolate-based range of macaroons. Ganache is at the heart of La Maison du Chocolat and the chocolate cream filling of the macaroon fillings are often enhanced with other flavours commonly used in truffles. The range includes Quito (chocolate macaroon filled with ganache), Guayaquil (vanilla macaroon filled with a vanilla-infused ganache), Romeo (coffee macaroon filled with an Arabica coffee-infused ganache), Salvador (raspberry macaroon filled with fresh raspberry-infused ganache) and Rigoletto (caramel macaroon filled with salted caramel ganache). A small macaroon costs £1.15 and a large macaroon costs £2.85. La Maison has a counter at Harrods and a boutique in Piccadilly.
Ladurée at Harrods
T: 0203 155 0111 E: salesuk@laduree.com
Brompton Road, London, SW1
The British craze for macaroons and their rise to domination arguably began at the Ladurée tearoom in Harrods a few years ago. With twelve Parisian tea salons around the world, Ladurée at Harrods is their newest tearoom and the perfect indulgent setting to enjoy a macaroon or two. Permanent flavours include vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, rose, raspberry, coffee, salted caramel, liquorice and orange blossom. They also have seasonal flavours including passion fruit and dark chocolate, raspberry, dark chocolate and lime, and dark chocolate for Easter. Macaroons are £1.40 each and as the packaging is almost as beautiful as the product, they make an ideal gift; the smallest gift box of six macaroons costs £9.80. There is also a shop at Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly, W1.
Patisserie Macaron
T: 0207 498 2636 E: info@patisserie-macaron.co.uk
22 The Pavement, London, SW4
South of the river, by Clapham Common, is the authentic French patisserie and café, Macaron. With such a name you know that macaroons are the speciality. They sell mini and medium sized macaroons in many colours and flavours; large macaroons are sold on order only. The most popular is the mini macaroon which costs £1 each and comes in many different flavours including raspberry, strawberry, passion fruit, chocolate, vanilla, caramel, cappuccino, blueberry, blackcurrant, pistachio, lemon and apricot. Macaroons are made on the premises – you can watch the chefs through a window into the kitchen – and flavours change each week.
Pierre Hermé Boutique at Selfridges
T: 0800 123 400 E: connect@selfridges.co.uk
Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London, W1
In February 2010, Pierre Hermé Paris crossed the Channel and opened an exclusive boutique at Selfridges, selling collections of macaroons and chocolates. Chef Pâtissier Pierre Hermé has a lifelong relationship with the macaroon starting in the mid 1970s and has produced a selection of macaroons for the Selfridges boutique including Rose, Pistachio, Chuao (dark chocolate and blackcurrant with blackcurrant berries), Medelice (lemon and hazelnut praline), Coing (quince), Mogador (milk chocolate and passion fruit) and Imagine (matcha green tea and sesame nougatine). Each piece costs £1.70 each and gift boxes start at £22.00.
PAUL
T: 0207 491 8957 E: rdewan@paul-uk.com
22 patisseries across London / 277-278 Regent Street, W1
PAUL, the French family bakery and patisseries, started as a small family bakery near Lille in 1889. They now have bakeries worldwide 2000 opened a shop in Covent Garden, and have gone on to open over 20 in the capital. No French bakery would be complete without macaroons and PAUL’s best-loved treats come in two sizes and six different flavours. Their soft Valencia almond biscuits are sandwiched with smooth butter cream filling; while the mini macaroons come in bags of 12 for £8 including chocolate, coffee, vanilla, pistachio, raspberry and lemon flavours. Large macaroons cost £2.80 each, and come in chocolate, pistachio, praline and coffee.
Yauatcha
T: 0207 494 8888 E: reservations@yauatcha.com
15-17 Broadwick Street, Soho, London, W1
The Michelin-starred Yauatcha in Soho specializes in dim sum but has been making waves selling a selection of Asian-inspired macaroons. Created in 2004 by Alan Yau, the tea-house-restaurant was a new venture following his Japanese fast food Wagamamas and Busaba Eathai Thai restaurant chains. The combination of dim sum, macaroons, cocktails and tea has Yauatcha packed to the rafters day and night. There’s a whole range of macaroon flavours including hazelnut, passion fruit, milk chocolate, yuzu chocolate, blackcurrant, earl grey, coconut, raspberry and lemon. One piece costs £1.50; a box of 6 is £7; and a box of 12 is £14.
Learn how to make macaroons at…
L’atelier des Chefs
T: 020 7499 6580 E: info@atelierdeschefs.co.uk
19 Wigmore Street, London, W1
We highly recommend the L’atelier des Chefs two hour ‘Marvellous macaroons’ class that runs on Saturdays from 15:00-17:00 for £72, and one mid-week class a month. Recipes include the classic macaroon with salted butter caramel, vanilla and praline macaroon, chocolate macaroons with honeyed ganache and raspberry and rose macaroons. Keep an eye on the website as classes sell out very quickly!