French Macaroons in Orange County

Even if, through the clear glass window, they appear perfect in shape and flashy in color, it is not easy to find macaroons that are actually good to eat.

Sometimes they’re chewy and stick irretrievably to your mouth, others they turn into batter as soon as they lean on your tongue. By chance, we found a couple of places in Orange County where these cute, tiny pastries deserve a taste.

At Bon Epi Patisserie & Café, in Irvine, the Black Forest Macaroon is a must. Despite its pink, gaudy color, this chocolate paste treat comes filled with a milky cream and a candied cherry that is absolutely amazing. In their simplicity, even the plainer flavors, such as hazelnut and chocolate, gratify your cravings, maintaining a perfect balance between crispiness and juiciness.

At Paris In A Cup, a French tea room in Downtown Orange, macaroons are boasted as the house’s specialty. Peppermint, the seasonal flavor, was not unforgettable (the one we had was stable [see 6th sign of a bad macaroon on Serious Eats], probably because instead of being kept in the refrigerated display, they were stored in a not completely sealed glass vase).

Their Mocha macaroon, however, was nothing but superlative. While macaroons generally thwart one’s expectations with their excessive sweetness, this coffee delicacy has found a way to harmonize the sugary dough with the well calibrated bitterness of the Espresso filling.

…..Bon Appétit!

It would have been better if… the Peppermint one had been moister and the Chocolate one had had a dark, more bitter filling.