The Food Diaries

A trio of Pierre Herme mini-Macaroons - new on the Spring menu

Mosaic (bottom left) - Vanilla macaroon biscuit, pistachio and cinnamon cream, with griottines cherries

Fragola (bottom right) - Macaroon biscuit, balsamic vinegar cream, strawberry compote

Mogador (top) - Macaroon biscuit, milk chocolate and passion fruit ganache

Milk chocolate and passion fruit truffle cups

I managed to track down Pierre Herme’s sumptuous milk chocolate + passion fruit combo which he uses in his macaroons.

Place a bowl over a pan off hot water and add 40ml passion fruit pulp (about 4 passion fruits, sieved to remove the seeds), 1 tbs heavy cream and 1 tsp honey till bubbling. Add 100g milk chocolate (Lindt), broken into pieces and stir till melted and smooth. Off the heat stir in 1 tbs butter. Place in the fridge for 4 hours to cool. Using a spatula, drop the mixture into the corner of a small plastic bag (to form a cone). Snip off the end of the bag with scissors and pipe into pre-made chocolate cups, or mini pre-baked tartlets also work well (I can find both at Marks & Spencers). Garnish with coconut flakes and passion fruit jam (or some apricots cut super finely also can work well).

Note: You could also ditch the chocolate cups and roll the cold ganache in cocoa powder to make truffles.

Pierre Herme opens macaroon boutique in London!

Ok - I’m not sure who forgot to send me the press release that celebrated pastry guru Pierre Herme made his debut in Selfridges 3 weeks ago, but this is very important news.

His milk chocolate and passion fruit macaroon easily makes my Top 5 best sweets of all time. A truly great dessert is identified at first bite, when you suddenly realise something truly important was missing from your life but you never knew what it was.

Can one have too many macaroons in one day? I’m not sure that is possible. Earlier the same day I popped into Laduree (another French institution now available across the Channel) where I was treated to their pistachio and coffee macaroons. Typically I had “sweetly” complained about something or other and the manager swept these onto the table. An easy way to get a smile on my face

Top 5:

- Pierre Herme milk chocolate and passion fruit macaroons

- Poilane’s caramelised apple puff pastry tart,

- Crumble (rhubarb, apple, plums - any combo will do)

- Pacojet ice cream

- Homemade madeleines