Coconut? Non. Artificial colors, artificial flavors, gluten? Non. All-natural meringue, buttercream, jam and ganache? Ah… mais oui!
What elevates a cookie from snack to sensation? From eating to experience? For La Belle Macaron pastry chef Isabelle Spike, it’s a passion for le mieux que tout — the very finest of ingredients, the most exacting, disciplined technique.
Truly, La Belle Macaron can hardly be called a cookie, nor does it bear any resemblance to the American coconut macaroon. While its origins may be debated — did the delectable delight originate in France or was it imported by Catherine de Medici? — there is no doubt its delicate texture, ruffled edges and luxurious fillings make it the stuff of confectionery dreams. Chef Isabelle uses only all-natural elements, or as she explains, “every ingredient is real.” Every flavor, every color is painstakingly hand-crafted from the highest quality fruit, tea, espresso, and cocoa. And every macaron, no matter the flavor, is completely gluten free.
The making of these divine little bites? Très difficile! Only the most disciplined, exacting pastry chef — “a finicky chef for a finicky pastry” — will attempt the macaron. The meringue requires a specific number of strokes to reach lofty perfection. Chef Isabelle hand-pipes each delicate disc onto parchment-covered baking sheets, peels and cools them, and fills each generously by hand. Only when the confectionery creation is perfectly executed does Chef Isabelle add the final stoke — ingénieux — a hand-brushed flourish of all-natural color reflecting un rêve accompli!
Saveurs a la Nature: Flavors of Nature
Bien sûr, the process of creating La Belle Macaron is very personal, and so is the enjoyment. Chef Isabelle has applied American authenticity to French tradition, offering six classic mouth-watering flavors year-round. Those seeking more adventurous taste sensations will enjoy her Saveurs aux Saison, flavors of the season.
Custom orders are available,
as are wholesale orders
in the Denver/Boulder area.
Contact us for details and pricing.
Les Classiques: Classic Flavors
- Café Mocha — a coffee-flavored shell with mocha buttercream filling
- Matcha Doubler — a green-tea shell with green-tea buttercream filling
- Chocolate Doubler — a chocolate shell with chocolate ganache filling
- Confiture du Framboise — a raspberry shell with raspberry jam filling
- Fleur de Sel Caramel — an almond shell with salted caramel buttercream filling
- Pistache — a pistachio/almond shell with pistachio buttercream filling
Saveurs aux Saison: Flavors of the Season, arrivez Summer 2010!
Beginning this summer, Chef Isabelle will offer seasonal flavors in addition to Les Classiques. Flavors including the very tempting…
- Gingembre Tangerine — an all-natural ginger flavored shell with a tangerine buttercream filling
- De Raisin — an almond meringue shell with a concord grape jam filling
- Chocolate Poivron — a chocolate shell with a chocolate chipotle ganache
Du Patissier: About the Pastry Chef
Personal chef and caterer Isabelle Spike lives beneath the Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado, a city recognized for its citizens’ commitment to la vie au naturel. Chef Isabelle is a fourth-generation professional chef who learned the arts of pastry and cooking from family as well as extensive self-study. She made her first pâte à choux and petits fours before she turned 10, and she hasn’t stopped experimenting since. Formally trained in theatre direction, playwriting, and theatre education, Isabelle plans to one day open her own company-based experimental theatre. Isabelle also enjoys sewing, antiquing, thrifting and all things design-related. She is happiest when creating — be it on the stage, in the kitchen or wherever she finds herself.
Find out about Isabelle’s latest adventures on Twitter or by email.