Just Desserts: Amandine, Beijing's Best Macarons?

Robynne Tindall, Contributing Editor | Aug 10, 2015 4:45 pm | Add a comment | 2337 reads

What makes a perfect macaron? A wafer-thin, eggshell-like veneer must give way to a slightly fudgy interior that still maintains a separation between cookie and rich filling. The macarons at Amandine possess these qualities and more.

In the hazy days of my first few months in Beijing, I used to frequent Amandine’s original location in Sanlitun Soho, so it was with a heavy heart that I moved on after their inevitable closure (Sanlitun Soho not being the most nurturing of retail environments). You can imagine my delight, then, to find that they had reopened within the Institut Français south of Gongti. The aforementioned macarons (RMB 10) take pride of place in the café’s small display case, the 10-plus varieties a riot of color. Creative flavorings, such as lavender or jasmine tea, are commendable, but lack balance – better to stick to classic flavors like raspberry and chocolate.

The rest of Amandine’s pâtisserie is an equal testament to the French culinary arts. The chocolate éclair (RMB 20) suffers from a slightly heavy hand with the salt, but in a way this only serves to make it more satisfying. Sticking with the chocolate theme, the tartelette choco-brownie (RMB 28) comes topped with a layer of ganache so shiny you can practically see your face in it. The ganache parts to reveal a layer of rich brownie encased in butter pastry, making for a rich dessert that is just crying out for un café.

With quality desserts like this at such reasonable prices we can’t help but feel that Amandine is a hidden gem that won’t remain hidden for long.

More stories by this author here.

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