With the renowned French brand, Laduree recently stealing the limelight and bringing macarons back into fashionable conversation material; I took the liberty to suss out a few other Patisseries at work with their versions of the sweet sandwich.
First stop, De La Creme where the Gulu Melaka Macaron ($2.40 per piece) offered a fusion of Asian flavors into this usually dowdy French pastry. I adored the coconut infused buttercream filling and squealed in delight with the flowy gulu melaka (palm sugar) surprise center; unfortunately, the macaron shells themselves weren't a thing of beauty, pasty white and severely unbaked in the centers with a clear show of squishy uncooked meringue. It led me to wonder how these macaron shells were unmoulded in the first place...
While we were at it, the Genevive ($6.90) became our next victim. Employing the magic of Valrhona chocolates in this dessert, white chocolate ganache is layered over 70% Guanaja chocolate mousse and then cast over a crispy praline feuilletine base. Composition wise, this was very similar to the Douceur we had at Patisserie G sans the dacquoise layer at the bottom. Having the crispy layer stationed at the bottom made for cleaner cuts and swipes at the rich confectionary.
Our next port of call is ET Artisan Sweets at the Grandstand along Bukit Timah Road. Decked our in pretty pastels, the shop front was a sight for sore eyes. The display case itself was quite a stretch with items ranging from macarons to cheesecakes and even freshly baked tarts.
Spoilt for choice, I did my ordering on a whim. A hunch and a slight glimmer of hope that my choices would speak volumes on behalf of the kitchen's standards. The Blueberry Macaron ($2.50 each) was a lovely shade of lilac. Despite it's less than smooth surface and lack of shine, the macaron shells were near perfect. Reminiscent of a strong flavor of almond, these delicate beauties gave way to a fruity buttercream within. The Yuzu Macaron did not disappoint as well, the complexity of it's citrus nature standing out in the curd fillings. I was beginning to understand why some have told me ET Artisan Sweets had some of the best macarons in Singapore.
The Black Sesame Cheesecake however failed to translate the seedy flavors of the black sesame. I should have been a better judge, it's faint grey color tint, a tell tale warning sign. Thank goodness for the Lemon Tart that wowed us with it's ingenuity. A thin layer of sponge lay buried between the crisp tart shell and the puckery sour lemon cream. A dam to prevent soggy tart bases, now that is surely the work of a genius since the sponge offered a twist with textural contrast as well. Definitely highly recommended!
Aside from it's range of confectioneries, ET Artisan Sweets prides themselves on their customised cakes. Splotches of evidence blotting the shop, these elaborate works of arts placed around the shop allowing customers to fully admire the prospects of having literally any cake they want. Service staff adding fuel to the flames with their beckoning that ,"yes, we can even cover the whole cake with macarons if you wish!" when I gushed about the macarons after my meal.
On a separate note, Mothers' Day is around the corner, what are your plans to surprise the most important woman in your lives?
42 Siglap Drive
Singapore 456167
Website: http://www.delacreme.com.sg/
ET Artisan Sweets
200 Turf Club Road
The Grandstand #01-35A
Singapore 287994
Website: http://www.etasweets.com/
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