© Jonathan Perugia
London's best macarons
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By Charmaine Mok
Posted: Fri Mar 18 2011 -
Delicate and delicious, more refined than the standard macaroon, these tiny bite-sized French almond cookies are notoriously difficult to make and so command a high price. Time Out finds the best places in London to indulge in them
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Bougie Macaron & Tea
3 Russell St, WC2B 5JD (020 7846 4980/ www.bougie.co.uk). Covent Garden tube.
This curious little tea room in the heart of Theatreland features classic macarons (the owner is from Paris) to eat in or takeaway. A small but sweet range includes a very fragrant vanilla macaron (speckled throughout with vanilla seeds) and zesty lemon; rose and cappuccino is pretty but less successful. The meringue is also drier than others, but there’s no doubting the well-made fillings. At £1.70 each, however, they are enthusiastically priced for a relatively unknown newcomer. The pre-bagged selection is better value, at £4.50 for four.
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Café On
www.cafe-on.com; check website for stockists and market locations.
The tagline here is ‘French cuisine, Asian flavours’. At the moment, Loretta Liu’s inspired macarons are primarily sold through her website, but an increasing number of cafés in south London (such as Couleur Café and Le Petit Boulangère in Clapham) are stocking her creations; she also does the food-market circuit, including the Real Food Festival on the Southbank. Flavours buck the trend, and little embellishments (a sprinkle of crushed pistachios here, a vibrant paintbrush slick of colour there) elevates each treat from plain to outstanding. Recent flavours include mango with yuzu and lychee martini. Prices vary, but on our last visit, it was £5 for 4 (£1.25 each) or £12 for 10 (£1.20 each).
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Ladurée
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL (020 3155 0111/ www.laduree.fr/en). Knightsbridge tube; 71-72 Burlington Arcade, W1J 0QX (020 7492 9155). Green Park or Piccadilly Circus tube.
At the London flagship of the revered Parisian patisserie bigwig, tourists and ladies of leisure alike descend daily to take tea and pastries. The dainty macarons reflect the jewellery-box interiors, though the flavours are more on the conventional side (rose, lemon, raspberry and so on, but there’s shocking black liquorice and orange blossom, too). Ladurée’s macs are definitely on the sweeter side. Each macaron is £1.50 to take away, or £1.80 if you’re eating them in the tea room. Read more
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Lanka
71 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1 8UY (020 7483 2544/ www.lanka-uk.com). Chalk Farm tube.
This prim little Primrose Hill patisserie and café showcases French pastries with Japanese sensibilities. The macarons are pale and pretty, delicately flavoured with oriental favourites such as green tea and black sesame. At 90p a pop (£1.10 if you eat in), these beauties are the best value macs in town. Read more
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Pierre Hermé
13 Lowndes St, SW1X 9EX (020 7730 3663/ www.pierreherme.com). Knightsbridge tube. Selfridges & Co, 400 Oxford St, W1U 1AT. Bond Street tube.
Pierre Hermé is known among fanatics as the master of macarons and the Picasso of pastry, and his creations are unlike many others (reflected in the lofty pricing of £1.85 per sweet). Simple flavours are not his forte: off-the-wall combinations are often released in the manner of haute-couture collections, with editions such as white truffle and hazelnut or strawberry and balsamic vinegar sending fans into a froth. If anything, the fancy French names for each flavour will delight: Mogador (milk chocolate and passionfruit); Arabella (milk chocolate, banana, ginger confit); Métissé (carrot, orange, cinnamon). Visit the clean-cut counter at Selfridges Food Hall or the shop proper in Belgravia.
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13 comments
Bougie Macaron doesn't exist any longer.
I have recently ordered 32 pieces of macarons online from Bougie. The parcell was sent by Royal Mail although I did ask it to be delivered by Fedex was completely damaged and the macarons were all cracked!!!! I spent £50 on those macarons which were not edible at all and were smaller than a 2 oiund coin.
I must agreed with Michelle the macarons are well overrated. I would never buy from Bougie again.
Bougie Macaron is the most over rated macarons ever!!!
Thank you Charmaine for your lovely article. It has been appreciated. Just like to point out there is a slight error in the pricing as the pricing you have stated is only for our Charity Fund Raising Projects.
@Keira.
Come back and let everyone know if you ever get to try the Scottish macroon - made with mashed potato!
Oh thanks! I had no idea... I've now discovered a new type of cake... the coconut macaroon :D
Worth mentioning Sketch, which are not only excellent macarons but a damn site cheaper than PH or Laduree. For many years Sketch has quietly delivered the best high end patisserie in London, although to be honest that isn't saying much.
Good thing you missed out Yauatcha. The dim sum is lovely but their patisserie consistently looks like a dream but tastes like cardboard.
Great selection indeed! Even if more known for their excellent dim sum,Yauatcha would deserve listed for their macarons and French great pastries. Please next best's London baklava! Carrot Cakes! Cookies! :-)
I know what I'll be doing when next in London!
@Keira no, they're different things.
Macaroons are bigger and different in texture (more chewy and dense) and appearance. Essentially a delicious British delicacy enjoyed by Thora Hird and Alan Bennett! Macarons are French - what this feature is about. They are exquisite in appearance, texture and taste. I ordered some from Forman and Field http://www.formanandfield.com/ earlier in the year for a friend's 40th Birthday treat - fantastic and very favourably priced compared to most other suppliers. They are never going to be a cheap cake option but are most definately worth it. My favourites are pistachio and lemon.
No, she doesn't, Keira
Macaroons are the chewy, made with coconut biscuit. Macarons are exactly what this article talks about.
Because random strangers mouthing off aren't enough verification, here's the wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaron
I think you mean Macaroons...