Monday, March 14, 2011

Chocolate and Macarons on the brain

I realize I've just written about hot chocolate but I made such a wonderful chocolate related discovery last week that I just have to write about it.  The name Benoit Chocolats isn't exactly the sort that inspires the imagination so I'd passed by the store many many times without going in.  Sure, they had a beautifully arranged window but so does every other chocolate place in town. What finally prompted me to go in was ironically enough, their macarons. You see, we'd started a sort of inquiry into the matter of finding the best macarons in Paris. A difficult task I realize but well, someone has to do it right?  We'd already tried about 4 macaron places without yet finding a definitive answer to our question  when I realized that this place, Benoit Chocolats, in fact had macarons. So in the spirit of fairness, I had to buy some to taste.


I don't know why it took so long for me to step in the store. Their macarons and chocolates are amazing. Both are still made by hand and by their own traditional recipe. They carry only the traditional flavors namely caramel, vanilla, pistacchio, lemon, cassis, rose, coffee and caramel, but each flavor is wonderfully distinct without being overwhelming. They are also freshly made each time so you run no risk of buying a stale batch. Unfortunately we ate all the macarons before I could take a photo so I can't share it with you.

And their chocolates have that wonderful handmade artisanal flavor. Nothing industrial about their production. In fact, they are one of the few chocolate makers that still make their own caramel and ganache that they then put in their chocolates.  For their efforts, they've received the distinction of being one of the 12 best chocolate makers in Paris.  Their winning chocolate is this to die for citron and coriander flavored chocolate. Its just heavenly. I don't know how they managed to blend the three flavors so seamlessly and harmoniously  that each is recognizable yet not one of them overwhelms the other.  These are seriously addictive!

3 comments:

  1. Yummmm, I want salted caramel macarons! :-) So far, which shop sells the best macarons?

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  2. Beautiful post, as usual. You just brought me to choco-heaven!!! :) :)

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  3. oh those look so good! i am all for artisanal chocolates and i'm sure you have more choices there. i found one - oh but just one! - that makes their own chocolate and ganache nearby...have to keep my eyes peeled.

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