A box of Macarons (1.85 EUR/piece)
What Ladurée is famous for is their Macarons and not their Macaroons. A difference of the letter o can mean different pastries! The colourful Macarons that we recognise in cafes are made of almond flour, granulated sugar, egg whites, and confectioner's sugar. Macarons are commonly filled with jams and ganaches.
I travelled across the EU to queue in line with my hungry international travellers for these Macarons at the Champs-Élysées branch (convenient location since it's in Paris' shopping district). Be thankful for the long queue as it allows you to decide on the flavours you want! At the time of visit, there were 18 permanent flavours. The interior was elegant with covings were painted gold and walls were painted in the same celadon colour as the exterior. It gave an elegant stamp and sumptuous atmosphere to the patisserie.
The Macarons were like pillows of heaven. They had a smooth surface, a soft interior and flavourful jams or ganaches. Please be aware that they maybe a little sweet! MUST TRY.
Service:
Awesome friendly staff on my day of visit. Some how they were alright with photographs.
Recommended:
- Macarons (Salted Caramel, Pistachio, Vanilla and Rose Petal)
The long counters!
Nice gift boxes which you can purchase to store your macarons.
One of the many gift boxes on sale.
There will be a menu with the flavour of the macarons being offered. Or you could pick them based on how pretty they look!
Friendly staffs all ready to pack your macarons!
Rows of Macarons!
There are other pasteries being offered. You can try Laduree's signature pastry, the cream puff.
Row of pastries being offered.
Various pastries being offered.
The exterior of Ladurée (Champs-Élysées)
Macaron Science:
The meringue-based cookie rises upon baking due to the steam released from whipped eggs. However, they will not rise to your liking if they aren't mixed to the right consistency (Stiff Peaks- Click here to look at different types of peaks). Proteins are found in egg whites that forms a foam structure when the egg white proteins unfold and join together between positively and negative charged parts of the protein (McGee, 2004). Addition of sugar will hinder protein transformations and ultimately prevent the formation of large air bubble. Adding the sugar at the right time will give the right viscosity of the whites and dense meringue. The end result should be light and airy with a slight chew. Dense enough that there is no obvious air pocket.
What you need to know:
- If you are going to eat it on the go and have no intentions of keeping the box, just tell them the quantity of macarons. They will either serve the macarons in a paper bag or if you ordered 24 pieces, you will get the free flimsy box! (you will have to pay for a pretty box)
- The gift boxes are a collectors item. If you are interested in collecting them, you can check out there prices over here.
- As the macarons are light and delicate, it is strongly recommended that you get the gift box (strong study boxes) if you are bringing them home for friends and families.
Ladurée (Various Branches)
Ladurée (Champs-Élysées)
75 Avenue des Champs-Élysées
75008 Paris, France
Opening Hours: 07.30am - 11.00pm (Mon-Fri)
07.30am - 00.00am (Sat)
07.30am - 10.00pm (Sun)