Macaroon Love.

That’s what I call it. I have fallen in and fallen hard. Crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle and filled with a creamy goodness that has to be tasted to be understood. Mmmmmmmmmacaroons…..

I had never tasted a classic French macaroon until a recent trip to Las Vegas. (I’ve had coconut macaroons and my friend Kathy’s are THE BEST . I will strong arm her for her coconut macaroon recipe and share it soon. Promise.)

My first French macaroon was a raspberry number at the Bellagio Buffet, “The best buffet in the world” according to my daughter when she was 1o. Bright pink and alluring, it was quite good. Surprisingly chewy and not overly sweet. I was intrigued. I ventured into the apple. Um, no. Not so hot. Both had a jelly filling, which I have come to learn is not the proper filling for a French macaroon.

A couple of days later I was wandering the Venetian and stumbled upon a hidden gem tucked in a corner next to the bridge that carries pedestrians across the street. Bouchon Bakery. Pretty little pastel circles all neatly lined up caught my eye…

Fetching, they called my name, particularly the caramel. I thought literal and expected a blob of caramel for the filling. No, no, no, no, no. The macaroon was crispier and chewier than its it’s poor cousin from the Bellagio and it had the most delicious creamy caramel filling. Heaven on my tongue!! I wish I could adequately describe how melt-in-your-mouth, fresh, creamy delectable it was. That filling. (Sigh). Exquisitely, surprisingly delicious.

Don’t get me wrong, they have other mouth watering pastries. However, these gems were all I could see!\

O.K. I’ll be honest. It was so good that I went back and ordered one of each flavor. Yep. Hey, it’s research for my blog!

Mind you these are not inexpensive macaroons, but they may possibly be as good as any you’ll get in France, and certainly among the best here in the States, with stores in New York, Las Vegas, and Beverly Hills, how can they not be great?!

Here are the macaroons I got from Bouchon Bakery:

Caramel-soooooo goooood. ‘Nuf said.

Vanilla bean– you can see the bits of vanilla bean in the cookie and in the cream filling. If your a vanilla purist, you won’t be disappointed.

Coffee bean– again, you can see the bits of bean in both cookie and filling. The filling is creamy and hints at coffee rather than screams it.

Chocolate– not overpowering in flavor, rich without being heavy. The cram filling is fudge-y.

Raspberry– light flavor in the cookie, the creamy filling is where the raspberry comes through.

Pistachio-the number 1 seller, it’s sweet and nutty with a true pistachio flavor. Not much of a fan of pistachio flavored desserts, this is surprisingly delicious.

Bonus: Peppermint– I got the last of the seasonal special flavors. Bright red with a white filling, it isn’t your traditional monochromatic macaroon, but just tasting it makes the holidays come flooding back!

What sticks me most about Bouchon Bakery’s macaroons is that the cookie consistency is wonderful; that perfect combination of crispy and chewy. Then there’s the fillings. Not one was a gelatinous blob. Each was soft, like fresh sweet cream and perfectly flavored.

Would I recommend Bouchon’s macaroons? Um, yeah!

Did I sit out side the cafe for an hour taking a bite of each one and making notes while taking pictures. Guilty.

For more about Bouchon Bakery visit their website at bouchonbakery.com. I didn’t see anything about delivery, so you have to go to them. Check out their website for info on locations. And if you’re ever in their area, visit! Let me knwo what you think of the macaroons. And if you’re not willing to sample them all, go for the caramel:0). You can’t loose!

Disclaimer: If only I had an affiliation with Bouchon Bakery, my wildest dreams would come true!