Pierre Herme’s New Singapore-Exclusive Pandan & Kaya Macaron Is Made In France

To create the confection, “I paid particular attention to the balance and precision of the ingredients. The ganache is infused with pandan juice and a touch of pandan essence, blended into white chocolate to achieve a delicate aromatic creaminess. The kaya brings roundness and indulgence, with notes of coconut, while the almond biscuit enhances the overall harmony of the macaron,” he shared.

The pale green macaron bears a bold red brushstroke, each one hand painted, as “a tribute to the Singaporean flag”, he explained. "I wanted the design to remain elegant and understated, allowing the cultural references and flavours to express themselves with emotion.”

Like all Pierre Herme macarons sold around the world, the Singapore-exclusive macaron will be made in Herme’s hometown of Alsace, France, and transported to ensure consistency in quality. Pure pandan juice sourced from Southeast Asia is used, as well as desiccated coconut from Sri Lanka.

At first bite, a vanilla fragrance and an almond nuttiness bloom into the clean flavours of creamy pandan and toasty coconut. There is very little of the egginess you’d expect from kaya, but instead, an elegant distillation of its essential ingredients, giving way to the long and lingering floral finish of pandan. It tastes nostalgic while still being a surprisingly unique take on a familiar flavour.

“Kaya was an obvious choice for me, as it is one of Singapore’s most iconic and emotionally resonant flavours,” Herme said. “It embodies comfort, heritage and everyday rituals that are deeply rooted in local culture. The challenge – and the pleasure – was to reinterpret such a familiar flavour through the lens of haute patisserie, respecting its identity while elevating it into a macaron experience.”

To match that intention, naming it ‘The Jardin Peranakan’ “reflects the idea of a sensory garden – lush, layered and rich in aromas and memories.” As other creations also have “jardin” in their names, it “echoes my universe of taste architecture and creativity, while ‘Peranakan’ pays tribute to a unique cultural heritage renowned for its refined cuisine, colours and traditions. Together, the name expresses a meeting point between French haute patisserie and Southeast Asian heritage.”

Each Jardin Peranakan macaron will cost $4.50. A set of four The Jardin Peranakan macarons will be available in a Singapore-exclusive box featuring illustrations of durians, the Merlion and other local icons, by artist Whosming. This is the first in a series of four Singapore-exclusive designs that will be unveiled progressively throughout 2026.

Will there be other Singapore-inspired macaron flavours in the near future? “The Jardin Peranakan marks my first Singapore-exclusive macaron and opens the door to future other local inspirations. I remain deeply inspired by Singapore’s cultural richness, and I see this creation as the beginning of an ongoing dialogue with the city,” Herme said.

Pierre Herme Paris in Singapore is at Weave at Resorts World Sentosa, 26 Sentosa Gateway #01-234. More info via Instagram.

Photos: Pierre Herme Paris

Source: CNA/my

The original version of this story first appeared in CNA Lifestyle.

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