Yin Yang (White & Black) Macarons

A few weeks ago I was finally able to visit a French restaurant with the hope of trying bouillabaisse. Unfortunately I did not realise that their lunch menu and specials was only available on weekdays and lo and behold, I was there on a weekend. Instead, they offered brunch and light lunches. Oh well, c'est la vie!

I was actually there because of a rumour that Baroque makes one of the best macarons in Sydney, rival to that of Adriano Zumbo or Lindt Cafe.

I was rather intrigued by this "amazing jasmine flavoured one". I had to check it out.

After a nice light lunch, I spoilt myself by buying not 1 but 10 macarons (plus 3 at the table). TEN! I am just a little obsessive.



Top row: Jasmine, jasmine, coffee, cherry and pistachio, black truffle.
Bottom: Jasmine, coffee, rosewater, blackcurrant, jasmine.




Plate: Jasmine, strawberry and passionfruit.


Ok I lied, it was shared between 2 people. Six each isn't so bad, is it?

Oh yes, jasmine was worth all the hype ♥. In fact, they are currently the best flavour I have ever tasted. A trip to Adriano's seems to be in order.

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Now onto the good part: the tasting!

Biting into a well made macaron is blissful. The outside 'shell' is crunchy and crisp and extremely light. It is also very delicate and will easily be crushed. The inside is then chewy, but not overly chewy! It should not be hard or unpleasant. If it's hard, it may either be too cold, too dry or...weird. I find that if you keep macarons in the fridge overnight it will be hard, but tends to soften a bit when left at room temperature.

Once through the almond shell you will reach the middle that is usually comprised of a flavoured ganache, cream or viscous substance. This part is the most important because it is the key to giving the macaron flavour (the shell tastes like almond malt or meal).

Baroque has beautifully made a smooth, creamy and thick ganache that I am a fan of. It makes my toes wiggle! The jasmine macaron is a clear winner above all macarons with it's lovely pure white shell and jasmine scented ganache that melts in your mouth and tastes like sweetened and creamy jasmine tea. Sorry, but everything pales in comparison. This is closely followed by Lindt's salted caramel and strawberry and vanilla macarons.

Ahhh, truly decadent and sugary...

The other Baroque macarons did not leave as big an impression on me as jasmine and black truffle. Jasmine because it was epic, and the black truffle because it is pitch black, cost $6 (the others were $2.50, ouch) and would be the most interesting.





The colour is not very accurate. I assure you that it is very black.




This is what happens when you bite into a macaron. It is so delicate and crispy that the entire thing pretty much collapses into itself.

Or maybe I have unladylike hands.

It was surprising. I did get a hit of truffle, quite a stronger hit than I thought. Baroque did not skimp on the flavour. The savoury, musky, earthy flavour of truffle was balanced well with the sweetness of the ganache.

However, I probably won't eat this again. While I do like the occasional sweet-meets-savoury, I think I would rather my macarons be sweet. Truffle is a very strong, distinctive and unique flavour.

Baroque is a French bistro, bar and patisserie located at The Rocks, Sydney. Go and enjoy the sights, the weekend markets and the fresh ocean air on a nice blue day.

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*All opinions are purely based on my own experiences. This is just how I like my food, but I am just your average amateur foodie with a bit of a wee obsession.