in 2005 when I got married it was all about the cupcake. Everyone was having cupcake towers for wedding cakes, and cupcakes were everywhere. There were little cupcake bakeries popping up left, right and centre, much to my delight.
I baked around 400 cupcakes for my wedding day. It was ambitious, but with the help of Lil Sis, I did it. It was on trend, and they were well received. Actually, I don’t think the guests cared if they were trendy or not, who doesn’t love a cupcake?
But now the humble cupcake has competition… the macaron.
I was a macaron virgin, until the past weekend. I’ve seen them everywhere {as I did when the cupcake was in vogue} but had resisted the temptation. I knew that if I was going to try one, I didn’t want it to be some mediocre, crumbly creation. I wanted it to be the real deal. We visited the Lindt cafe on the weekend and they had a box of six, so we snaffled them up.
Oh sheer delight! The macaron is delicious. It’s beautifully sweet, and a great contrast of biscuit to sweet ganache. In our box of goodies we had milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, olive oil, strawberry and passionfruit. Strawberry and passionfruit are a little bit lovely.
Have you tried the macaron? Do you think it’s the new cupcake?
I think I much prefer them to cupcakes to be honest!
Have you seen this artwork by Chris Chun?
http://chrischun.bigcartel.com/product/macaroons
He paints food and recently painted macaroons. The painting makes me hungry!
I do! I did a post on it a few weeks ago , saying exactly that, also that I think it's the stylists new prop. They are everywhere! 🙂 So funny, you held out trying one until you found a good one. Imagine trying one from Laduree in Paris!
Oh yes, I definately think Macaroons are better than cupcakes.
My cousin is a chef and he trained with one France's best pastry chefs… somewhere along the line while there he learnt how to make macaroons, he makes the best macaroons, slight crunch on the outer but such a melting softness in the middle that pours all over your taste buds with such a flavoursome sensation.. yumm, I'm going to hve to get him to mail me some now..
I've wanted to try one for a while, and after seeing Adriano Zumbo's Masterchef challenge, I feel like I NEED to try one. I might just go and find one to try today! x
I love macaroons. So far I've only had two – one at a market and one that my sis made on the weekend (the sis with the 2 month old and 2 year old, who lives in a remote rural area – how does she do it!?).
I don't really want a macaroon tower though, I just like one (or maybe two) with a good coffee and a good read.
I've tried Adriano Zumbo's from his awesome bakery in Balmain and they are the best.
Agreed! We were lucky enough to have desserts from Adriano Zumbo at our engagement party three (3!) years ago. The macaroons didn't last long at all.
Ohh, I have never eaten a macaroon, they do look yummy. But I think my love for cupcake will never end.
Nope never had one and I'm not sure I want to try one….they look very sickly sweet to me and I'm not a fan of super sweet things.
Hmmm maybe I'll change my mind one day tho….and be surprised in the process.
Oh, I totally agree. The macaron is definitely the new cupcake, the new black, the new Kylie. It's the most amazing thing and I have to say in Australia, Zumbos are definitely the best. Lindt aren't bad but because Zumbo bakes fresh and the turn over is a lot faster, the macarons are definitely superior. My two favourites are fleur de sel and passionfruit/chocolate. Awesome.
mmmm,I think the cupcake will always will always be number 1 for me; the rich buttery texture, the vanilla icing or the chocolate…
yep always the cupcake 🙂
I've never tasted one, but I have seen them everywhere. Your post and these comments are making me think I am seriously missing out on something!
I too think cupcakes will always be my number one. But there's something very tres chic about the macaron. I haven't tried one yet, I think my only option to try one will be to make one which I will do when I get some free time.
I've always been a cake/cupcake gal until I was told I had to be gluten free for life and then I discovered Macarons.
I love them. The Lindt ones are amazing.
I've even just brought a cookbook on them.
They look like divine macarons Telle. I agree they are the new trend and I like the taste of them more although I think the cupcake could be more accessible to a home cook. My Mr wouldn't believe me that they are different to a macaroon with the coconut etc. until we saw them on Masterchef. And @coffeecakesunday/Kirst, I'd be happy for you to practice your macaron skills on me (see previous comment). 🙂
As delicious as macaroons are, I'm still a cupcake girl. I love the texture of cake too much, and there are so many more decoration possibilities with cupcakes.
Now i'm quite hungry…
I had my first macaron in Paris, at Laduree–where the macron was invented! I had no idea what the hell I was eating, but it was delicious.
I think you are right, they are so trendy right now when I had never even heard of them a couple years ago. To be honest though, I prefer the cupcake–much more substantial and frosting-licious.
I told my Mum over a year ago that the Macaron was the new cupcake. She totes didn't believe me, but added them to the wedding list none the less. They are now the most popular sweet order.
Fads are interesting. Personally I think you can't go past a good scone or pikelet or even a patty cake with sultanas. But then, I'm dead-set uncool…
Try ones by Belle Fleur! They are absolute heaven! I learned early in the macaron fad that I'm better off paying someone else to make them for me. My attempt was a sticky, sugary mess.
I tried them for the first time in Ladurée, and they were absolutely delicious, especially the rose ones. However, I've found that I don't really like then from other places. I'm more of a cupcake person, but yeah, I agree that they're getting massive.