I was favorably impressed by my first visit to Les Halles bakery in the France pavilion at Epcot. I’ve been back several times since then and continue to think this is one of the best counter service dining venues at Walt Disney World.
During a recent trip to Epcot, I took my husband for his initial taste of Les Halles. As his introduction to the bakery, I bought him a raspberry macaron.
Macaron at Epcot's France pavilion
During a trip to Paris and Disneyland Paris in 2010, we become obsessed with macarons. I’m not saying that lightly. We sampled macarons at Pierre Hermé, Angelina, Ladurée, and a dozen more locations throughout Paris. I’m a professional 😉
Macaron display at Ladurée Paris
Raspberry macaron at Angelina in Paris
For those of you who have yet to be initiated into the cult, French macarons are meringue-like cookies made from ground almonds, sugar and flavoring. The ideal macaron shell is glassy crisp on the outside and deliciously light and chewy on the inside.
Generally two shells sandwich an intensely-flavored filling of cream, ganache, chocolate, jam, or fruit. Macarons are different from macaroons, which are heavy and often blended with coconut, though the two words are sometimes pronounced the same.
Ceci n'est pas un macaron!
Back at Epcot, the macarons are of the large fruit-filled variety, quite close in appearance to the Angelina confection above.
Isn’t it gorgeous?!
Here’s the inside with the jam, cream, and fruit exposed.
But of course the key question is: “How did it taste?” Well, the flavors are spot-on.
The fresh raspberries are intensified by the concentrated taste of the raspberry jam. The sweet cream provided a balancing contrast to the tart fruit. The cookies themselves were not quite as crispy crisp on the outside as I might have wanted them to be, but the inner shell had the perfect bite to it.
Would I rate it a 10 compared to Ladurée? No. But it’s a pretty decent 8, and considering the fact that I get to Epcot a lot more than I get to Paris, I’m willing take what I can get :-).
It’s definitely something we’ll be buying again next time we’re at Les Halles. And prior to this week, my only real complaint was that they only have the one flavor available. I wanted MORE flavors! And wouldn’t you know, that complaint has been alleviated!
Les Halles JUST released a new box-o-macarons! Check out these beauties!
Now we’re talkin’!
Have you tried the Epcot macarons? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Erin Foster is the Disney Food for Families columnist and a behind-the-scenes guru here at Disney Food Blog! Check out more of her posts here.
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I sampled this in May and I was disappointed. Mine wasn’t crisp. It was good for a pastry, but not as a macaroon.
A must do next time we’re at Epcot….if they’re half as good as Ladurée, they’ll be fab!
I can’t wait to try that box of macarons!
!!! I want a box o’ macarons! Are the flavors preselected?
Any idea on the price for the box of macarons?
I was at Disney last weekend and I got the box of macarons! They were $10 and were really worth it! Especially the raspberry one!
Well. Now that I saw that box of macarons, I will forgo cleaning the house tomorrow. I have some eating to do.
OMG!!! Dream come true! I was the one who moaned and groaned after you did the review of the Boardwalk Bakery reopening and their misuse of the “macaron” when it was clearly an American macaroon. I too long for the taste of a macaron to bring me back to my days shopping the streets of Paris. So glad they have the sampler box – thats precisely how my box looked that I bought at a bakery in Paris. Cannot wait – so glad for this review. This will go at the top of my list for things to try. May even have my bro send me a box:) And thanks for doing such an in-depth look at the macaron/macaroon difference. That kind of stuff really fills my tank. I love this blog:)
These are a big trend in the big US city were I live, but I’ve never had any yet. I do, however, get almond macaroons at the seashore and we love them. I’d like to try one in WS on my next trip (I’m going to have an impossibly long list for my next trip :)).
You have just made my day! I will be getting that box next month. Do you happen to know what flavors there are?
Cannot wait to try these. Going on my list.
have never tried macarons, but these look yum, will try these soon. thanks for the recipe!
I’m not at all embarrassed to report that I once went to the Laduree in New York last year and ordered one of each flavor they offered. OBVIOUSLY I ate them all in one sitting (they were lighter than air – how could you not?). The vanilla was a revelation. I can’t wait to try the ones at Epcot!
I went to epcot Monday specifically for that little box of macarons. They did not disappoint. The yellow one was the best…banana, mango…maybe just an overall tropical flavor? Whatever it was, it was wonderful. I dropped the chocolate one on the floor of spaceship earth. It was still delicious (:
Hi,
I was in Epcot last week and tried the box of Macaroons, and they were absolutely amazing. The cost was about $10.00 for the five cookies, but after I tasted them I would have paid more because they were so good. I tried to stretch them out over one evening, but I only made it about an hour and then they were all gone. YUM!
Thanks
I tried the macaron at Epcot last weekend. I am still thinking about it. It was absolutely amazing. Now, to try and find something similar in flavor here in the Midwest…
Shared a box of the mini macaroons with my wife after the Guess Who set tonight. They were terrific. Instant sugar rush. Wish you could pick the flavors you want. Some were better than others. Chocolate was best followed by pistachio.
We are here now, just discovered the raspberry macarons…LOVE THEM. Did not see the box of minis, so therefore I must go back before we leave. Best thing for me and my daughter are that they are GLUTEN FREE. Chef confirmed it. One of the best gluten free treats at disney! Wish I could get the recipe.