Nicole's Pretty Perfect Pastry has changed its name to Nicole's Macaroons ... we only make Macaroons now! Please visit our website www.nicolesmacarons.com

It's a Macaroonery

It sure has been a while since I have done any blogging. It seems I have been too busy 'macarooning'!

So just a quick update ... I am still completely in love with Macaroons, although they have certainly tested my patience over the last few months. I have had to upscale my operations four-fold in the last couple of months, with much gratitude to my ever increasing Macaroon-fan-base! I think that I more-or-less have the 'hang' of it now.

How blessed I am, at the end of each day, to accomplish the making of hundreds of delightful, delicious and pretty perfect Macaroon delights.

I now make about 24 flavours ... my current favourite is Dark Chocolate and Fleur de Sel.

For all of my Joburg clients who dont want to order the 'bigger' quantities directly from me, and who really don't have the time (or inclination) to trip out to 'Prehistoria' , I supply Tasha's in Hyde Park Corner in Joburg. Get there early ... I hear they are 'flying'!

For my Pretoria connoisseurs you can get a quick fix at Mythos in Brooklyn Design Square, or for the past week Isabella's in Waterkloof Corner or Groenkloof have been stocking my Macaroons.

For those of you out in the East Rand, Rizi's Baking Boutique takes on-line and telephonic orders for Macaroons and Petit Fours. You can find her on Facebook.

A Macaroon a day keeps all cravings at bay

An elegant Macaroon Tower for an enchanting wedding



Macaroon Tower in subtle shades of
brown, caramel and cream

I made this Macaroon Tower for Riette and Christo for their elegant contemporary bushveld wedding. They did not want a traditional cake and loved the tower as an alternative. The tower stood in the centre of the reception venue and received much praise from the guests. It looked particularly serene as the sun began to set over the panoramic bushveld view. This particular tower held about 260 Macaroons, which were made up of three flavours: Mocha, Vanilla and Salted Caramel.

Since I was a guest at the wedding, and a die-hard one at that, I know that all but two dozen Macaroons remained on the tower at the end of the evening. The Macaroons were a hit and it would appear that dessert is not the exclusive domain of women ... The Groom and his entourage were certainly not bashful when it came to satisfying their taste for all things sweet and chocolatey!



A mini Chocolate Cake accompanied the tower

for the 'Cutting Ceremony'



 

















Versatile and colourful ... the ethereal Macaroon.

Happy Birthday Savannah angel!

Hello Kitty Cake
Choc, Vanilla & Strawberry rainbow cake covered
in Vanilla Buttercream and pink Fondant

Handmade sugar paste bows and roses
adorn the cake, with royal icing piping detail

The infamous Macaroon Tower

Finally, after threatening for the past six months to make a Macaroon tower I finally did it, and it was not half as difficult as I imagined it might be. Granted, there is much room for improvement, but as a first attempt I think its pretty decent. I displayed it at a 'wedding cake tasting' event and the tower received good reviews from the patrons. A Macaroon tower or Croquembouche as it is more correctly termed is a very popular subsitute for a conventional wedding cake in Europe and more recently in The States.
Of course, the only way to really appreciate a Macaroon tower is to eat the Macaroons. I am therefore happy to report that by the end of the morning the cone looked decidedly naked. The flavours were much appreciated, with the coconut & milk choc combination taking first prize in the taste stakes. The other fillings that I used for tower were Raspberry & Litchi, Espresso & Hazelnut, Vanilla & Lime.

The Red Velvet ... still everybody's favourite

The Red Velvet Cake has proven over the past few months to be a best seller. It would appear that my clients (and their pets) just can't get enough of it. I decorated this one for a Birthday celebration with fresh strawberries and chil choc macaroons.