Ever since I returned from my school year abroad in Paris, I have been on a quest for delicate luscious creamy macarons. Unfortunately, every time I purchase them in the U.S., I am disappointed. Why is it so hard to find decent macarons in the United States? The ones at La Maison du Chocolat are not bad. But, they're overwhelmingly chocolatey. Many times, they even taste too greasy.
Yesterday, I went to Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery in Manhattan and was jumping up and down with excitement when I saw macarons. They looked just like the ones I had at Ladurée in Paris. Except, when I looked at them closely, I noticed that the layer of cream in the middle was much thicker and heavier. A bite into a macaron from Bouchon Bakery is more like a bite into a heavy creamy delicious cake. Although it tasted quite excellent, it lacked many of the characteristics I love about the macarons I've tasted in Paris, mainly its lightness and slightly crunchy exterior and creamy interior.
Can someone recommend a shop where I can find a decent macaron?


When plain old chocolate chip cookies aren't quite special enough for the holidays, it's time to turn to a professional. By this, we don't mean that you should buy cookies instead of baking them, but to ask well-known pastry chefs to send you batches of their favorites under the guise of holding a holiday bake off. It worked for the 







