Best Macarons In Orange County
When it comes to desserts, every other pastry pales in comparison to the deliciousness of a macaron. The uniformity, the color, the rows and rows of crunchy, chewy goodness make the macaron one of those treats that is almost blasphemous to skip when it comes to indulging a sweet tooth. While loads of places offer them, not everyone can get it right. These simple cookies require insane attention to detail and when done right, wow are they tasty. Lucky for you, we did a bit of research. Here are a few places in Orange County to land fantastic macarons.
Layer Cake Bakery & Café
101 North Harbor Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 447-9591
www.layercakebakery.com
If environment heightens the dining experience as is suggested, Fullerton's Layer Cake Bakery, complete with it's modern, workspace-esque approach to confectionary creation remains a great place to enjoy a macaron. Operating two locations (the other is located in Irvine) sisters Ehrline and Liz Karnaga nail more conventional flavors like pistachio, chocolate ganache, and hazelnut. However, the sisters manage to shake things up a bit with local flair like their Boysenberry macaron and even a passionfruit entry that is a haymaker when it comes to color and flavor.
Le Petite Sourie
2801 MacArthur Blvd. Suite A
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 966-9969
Boasting a complete offering of French café casual staples including baguette sandwiches and properly pressed paninis, there is a degree of authenticity at Le Petite Sourie that ensures dessert is a can't miss. Positioned prominently among the essential pastries necessary for any French café, you'll find traditional selections like Earl Grey and Cinnamon macarons to pair with a robust cup of especially fragrant espresso. In terms of variety, Sourie sticks to the classics but manages to assert some color with offerings like Blackberry and even an orange macaron that embraces the natural spectrum of sweetness.
Sweet & Saucy Shop
7922 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Newport Coast, CA 92657
(949) 715-0920
www.sweetandsaucyshop.com
In terms of color and consistency, these circular delights already have that immediate ability to entice just about everyone. Ratcheting the presentation of the macaron however, The Sweet and Saucy Shop (with two locations – Newport Beach and Long Beach) churns out decorative macaron towers that are showstoppers. The biggest, which can hold some 55 macarons, not only looks amazing, but they are really good. Combining flavor profiles like salted caramel banana and the chocolate marshmallow graham mastery of a s'more, these macarons are next level throughout.
PiipaCakes
Irvine, CA
www.piipacakes.com
More of an online custom order operation, Sophia Van's Piipacakes is the Cadillac of tasty treats. Just how premium are we talking here? Over the top flavors include Black Sesame, Taro, Adzuki Red Bean, Mint White Chocolate, and something Piipa calls the "Velvette" – their take on the red velvet that comes in any color you choose.
Renauds Patisserie
6255 E 2nd St
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 431-2122
www.renaudsbakery.com
In making regular appearances on both the Food Network and Travel Channel, renowned pastry chef Renaud Gonthier is widely regarded as one of the best in the game when it comes to confections. As the co-founder of Renauds Patisserie, the brand has now grown to include five locations stretching as far north as Santa Barbara with the latest location to open in 2013 down in Long Beach. Crafting delectable treats using traditional French techniques, Gonthier's approach is rooted in meticulous finesse – resulting memorable bites every time.
Article by Ramon Gonzales.
