Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Best Macarons in Singapore

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Since I've tried French macarons from our honeymoon in Europe, I got hooked.  I just love how colorful and delicate and oh-so-pretty they are and the taste and texture is unlike any other dessert I've had. Luckily, Ladurée opened it's first Southeast Asia store in Singapore less than a month after we got back from Paris! Although warned about the long queue, I went and got 8 pieces of those sweet little luxuries in a pretty limited-edition Singapore box to show my warm welcome and support.


I heard Ladurée's macarons are flewn to Singapore from Europe 3 to 4 times a week and that makes them even more expensive than when we had them in Paris.  A piece of this famous macaron is SG$3.80, except for the Golden Chocolate flavor which is double the price.  Although I love macarons, I wasn't planning on spending much on them when a piece could very well get me a decent meal.

So... 


I decided to embark on a sweet adventure -- the "Month of May: Macarons" project. I searched for the best local macarons in Singapore, as local macarons will for sure be a less expensive solution to satisfy my cravings every once in a while.  I personally think Pierre Hermé macarons are the best and I had high hopes that I will find something close to it's standards.  I tried macarons from the many different pâtisseries/bakeries I can find, and shared the fun experience with my husband.

First I tried was Canelé at Raffles City.  I think it is the most known macaron brand in Singapore. I tried their signature flavors: Fleur De Sel, Hazelnut, Feuilletine and Rose.

Presentation: ★★★☆☆
Texture: ★★☆☆☆
Taste: ★★★☆☆

The macarons are fat and big compared to what I know macarons  to be. The shells doesn't really crack, inside they're chewy instead of soft & smooth, and the flavors are okay. Macarons are SG$2.50 each.


Next is Sweet Spot at Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  They only have six flavors so I got a box of all the flavors: Wild Raspberry, Chocolate Mint, Strawberry Basil, Passion Fruit, Salted Caramel, and Dark Chocolate. The packaging was really pretty and the box even seals with magnet.

Presentation: ★★★★☆
Texture: ★☆☆☆☆
Taste: ★★★☆☆

The macarons were like regular cookies, they were not soft and smooth at all even after putting them out of the refrigirator for more than 10 minutes. Macarons are SG$2.70 each.



I saw The Icing Room at 313@Sommerset and although they are known for their cakes (and not macarons), I gave it a try since they were there and they were pretty cheap. I chose to try the flavors with nicer colors: Cassis, Earl Grey & Blueberry, Passion Fruit, Tiramisu, Lemon, and Sesame & Charcoal.

Presentation: ★★★☆☆
Texture: ★☆☆☆☆
Taste: ★☆☆☆☆

Honestly, they were so bad I wasn't able to finish eating them all! Haha. Macarons are SG$10 for 6 pieces.

As I researched online on Singapore macarons, I came across  Hediard at Tanglin Road. It wasn't at a very convenient location for me but I went to try it anyway. I was disappointed when I got to the shop because they only sell pre-packed macarons: 15 pieces and I can't even choose the flavors. The only per-piece macarons they sell are the big ones, so I got to try only one flavor: Coconut & Pineapple.

Presentation: ★★★☆☆
Texture: ★★☆☆☆
Taste: ★★★☆☆

The flavor was true to the name but I wasn't impressed by the flavor combination and the texture wasn't good so I did not finish the whole piece. Big macarons are SG$9.99 per piece and the 15-macaron pack is SG$39.90.


Next is Centre Ps at Tiong Bharu Estate. Again, not the most convenient location but I'm glad I tried it. I got Chocolate Lavander, Passion Fruit Peach, Hazelnut Praline, Champagne, and Rose.

Presentation: ★★★☆☆
Texture: ★★★☆☆
Taste: ★★★☆☆

I love Rose and theirs was really good although the macarons' texture wasn't consistently soft and smooth. Macarons are SG$11 for 5 pieces.



Bakerzin at Vivo City was a delight. Their macarons are so nice and pretty, I tried all six flavors: Rose, Pistachio, Chocolate, Mango, Raspberry, and Yuzu.

Presentation: ★★★★★
Texture: ★★★☆☆ (3.5, no half star) 
Taste: ★★★★★

The Mango was a pleasant surprise! Their macarons have good texture, although it wasn't consistent with all their macarons. The flavors are rich but not overpowering. It's definitely a good buy at SG$8.90 for 6 pieces of macarons.

One of the most mentioned macarons in Singapore is TWG so I obviously had to try it. Their macarons are very uniquely flavored and named, I tried six out of the twelve available: Camelot Tea & Praline, 1837 Black Tea & Blackcurrant, Moroccan Mint Tea, Lemon Bush Tea, Bain de Roses Tea, and Grand Wedding Tea with Passion Fruit & Coconut.

Presentation: ★★★★★
Texture: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Taste: ★★★★☆

TWG's macarons are infused with their signature teas. I'm not a tea drinker but I could imagine what a delight these savory macarons would be for tea lovers. Macarons are SG$2 each.


I found the best local macarons when I tried Antoinette at Penhas Road. Out of twelve available flavors, I tried six: Rose, Pistachio, Violette, Praline, Charlotte, and Tahiti.

Presentation: ★★★★★
Texture: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Taste: ★★★★★

Their macarons are at par with Ladurée! The flavors are sumptuous and the texture is divine. Best of all, macarons are reasonably priced at SG$2.50 per piece! Next time I crave for macarons, this is definitely where I'm going :)


Have you tried macarons from the shops I mentioned? Would you rate them differently? 
Do you know any other good pâtisseries or bakeries I could try? Do share and  leave me a message! :)

16 comments:

  1. Jones the Grocer! Their salted caramel macaron was good & it's $1.50 per piece

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  3. delifrance is pretty good too & Obolo at i12katong is really yummy too

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    1. Ooh.. we just moved to a new condo which is 3-minute walk to 112Katong! I better check that one out too! Thank you! :)

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  4. Hi,

    Sorry to have disturbed you. I have a favour to ask from you, not sure if you could give me the Ladurée Singapore Limited Edition box as seen above in this post? I am a BIG fan of you and will always read up your posts. I hope you could help me out please? Just the box will do. Please? Hope that you can give me a reply even if it is bad news? Thank you very much.

    Yours sincerely,
    Keily

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    1. Hi! Where are you from? I can check out the store if they still have those boxes for you :)

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  5. Hey! Thx for makin thid blog it helps me to know which places for Macaroons now! ♥

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    1. You're very welcome! Thanks for visiting my blog :)

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  6. Hey! After reading it i just wanna ask . Of all the macarons you have tried , which one were the most tastiest of all ? Is it the one at 313 Somerset bc it has most rated stars by you ? Sorry i just couldnt get the right meaning for 'they were so bad' haha . Reply me asap ! (:

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    1. Hi! The best local macarons for me is from Antoinette. If you love tea, TWG macarons are great too. Those are my top macaron places to go to in Singapore because they're really good and affordable. If you're willing to splurge then definitely go to Laduree! :)

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  8. Hi, which of the above is less sweet? Love macarons but they're usually too sweet for me!

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    1. Macarons are sweet and should be taken in little amounts.. i guess that's why they make them into those little cute sizes :) But the less sweet ones I've tried are from, again, Antoinette, TWG and Laduree. They have the "just right" taste and flavors in my opinion. Hope that helps!

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  10. I havent tried them yet and will let youbknow once i get the chance. Thanks for the recommendation!:)

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