Macaroons..

(pic from http://myberlinerluft.com/)

I believe the craze with macaroons started by Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette -movie. I have always loved everything made from almonds and these treats were not an exception. Actually macaroons have now came my absolute favourite pastries.

The first ones I tasted were made by my dear Mother to my graduation party (pink ones!). The other memorable moment was when I ate a nice selection of them in Paris sitting in the park "Jardin des Tuileries" near the Louvre..

The Ladurée macaroons are probably the most famous ones (the same café where Carrie was eating pastries alone in Paris in a scene of SATC). Nowadays there are so many tastes to choose from. My favourites are the ones with the flavour of vanilla, pistachio and whitechocolate. I have made them also myself; from hasselnuts filled with nutella, black ones filled with liquoricetoffee, violet ones with the marmelade of forest fruits.. I still don't manage to make them pretty enough but the taste has always been good!

For inspiration I recommend to visit the following sites:
www.puregourmandise.com
http://www.laduree.fr/