Australian foodies know the name Adriano Zumbo. The celebrity pastry chef has a reputation for setting the most impossible and complex sweet dishes for TV Master Chef contestants to replicate.  He is known as the Pattisier of Pain.

During a recent trip to Sydney, my friend Hubba went out of her way to take me to Zumbo’s patisserie in Balmain.

The sweet treats in the display counter looked amazingly tempting.

With so many sweet treats on offer, making a decision on what to take home was difficult.

I went for the Dirty Dani ($9) and Hubba chose Mangoes and Cream ($9).

Dirty Dani and Mangoes and Cream

We also bought half a dozen Zumbarons or macaroons as most other people know them.

We couldn’t wait to get home (back to Hubba’s place) to eat.

The Dirty Dani was delectable. Eight layers of deliciousness, consisting of caramel creme chantilly, passionfruit creme, salted caramel mou, hazelnut dacquoise, caramel crunch, milk chocolate plaques.  The crunch of the thin and delicate chocolate, teamed with the smoothness of the custardy cream, with the salted caramel cutting through the sweetness.  I was in heaven. Seriously.

Dirty Dani

Hubba’s Mangoes and Cream was fruity and smooth with a crunchy biscuit base.

I tasted the Mangoes and Cream, and whilst it was something special, pretty amazing even, it was no match for the Dirty Dani.  Chocolate and caramel are no match for fruit and cream in my book.

After much arguing, Hubba convinced me to take the box of macaroons back to Perth with me and share them with my husband Zorba.  On my insistence, I left Hubba the liquorice flavoured macaroon that she had chosen and decided to take the rest home.

It wasn’t until we were almost at the airport that Hubba and I both realised that I left the box of macaroons in her fridge. Tragedy!! She offered to do a u-turn and go home to get them, but there was no time. I had a flight to catch. Bugger bugger bugger. I left Sydney without even trying a Zumbo macaroon!

Hubba however did eat the macaroons and texted me several times to tell me all about them.

“Oh my God. Crispy thin wafer shell with a slightly gooey centre and then you hit the filling. The flavour explosion is unbelievable!”

Yes, thank you for that text Hubba, and the following five texts that followed.

I missed out on trying blackened vanilla, salted butter caramel, citrus, chocolate, and hazelnut. Just as well I have another trip to Sydney to coming up for a night before Easter!

Not macaroons, Zumbarons

FACT FILE

Adrian Zumbo Patisserie
296 Darling St, Balmain NSW 2040

Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sundays 8am to 5pm.