Has the thought of baking frightened you ?Well I must admit that I am happier and more confident cooking savoury treats than baking.After watching Masterchef Oz and seeing amazing Macarons I knew I had to eat these beauties.It was then Madame Macaron came onto my radar two years ago.At that point the talented Viveshni Joseph had stalls at various markets around Durban.When planning the #Durbanbloggermeet in 2014 , we approached this very generous soul for some sweet treats.Each blogger was spoiled with Macarons and delish Cake pops.Since then my friendship with Viveshni has grown and my very talented friend has ventured into her  very own Macaron and Baking classes.After attending her very successful Media Launch last week,I appreciate the beautifully crafted Macaron even more.
I chatted to Viveshni and found more about Madame Macaron……
1)Picking the right name for a business is very important.How did the name Madame Macaron come into life?
I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the right name and it was my sister that had the epiphany to call the business Madame Macaron. I immediately loved it because it embodies the fun but classy spirit of the business
2) What sets Madame Macaron apart from other baking services in South Africa?
I’m not formally trained , so a great deal of my knowledge is from practical experience and I feel that it makes me more flexible when adapting to new trends. Also I pour a lot of my creativity and passion into my products, so my macarons are usually not your run of the mill single coloured macarons. Also being Indian, I have the opportunity to tap into the Indian market with new flavours. For example, the range that I do for Diwali includes burfee, chana magaj, elachi, rosewater and chai macarons. I try to think out of the box and leave my customers with a product that they will remember.
I see the versatility in the macaron and I’m more than happy to experiment. Two of the products in my macaron range are the mini macarons that are just 2cm in diameter and are extremely popular , and the new addition, the giant macaron that is 20cm big and makes a perfect birthday or even wedding cake.
3)
What have been your professional highlights and achievements thus far?
The business has expanded from just macarons to a range of goods from cakes, cupcakes, cake pops and other confectionery. We also do special treats for holidays like Diwali and Christmas. We now also deliver macarons nationally to all major cities via overnight courier. We offer a unique subscription service in South Africa called the Macaron of the Month Box where a set box of macarons get delivered monthly to your doorstep every month.
Last year I was able to host a Cuppa for Cansa and raise a substantial amount of money for the Cancer Association. I have also partnered with them for an upcoming event later this year.
I was mentioned on Elle.co.za as their Durban pick for their Little Black Book of Bakers
 The highlight of this year will be the Macaron classes.
4) In ten years where do you see Madame Macaron ….
My goal is to have branches nationally and have my products on the shelves of major food chains throughout South Africa. I have a range of products that are on the drawing board at the moment so hopefully that is more of a short term goal.
I want Madame Macaron to be the name and brand that you associate with not only macarons but also delicious, quality products.
Now for the fun part ….Viveshni has several classes something for everyone…
“When planning the classes one of the key points was that it had to be a class that didn’t feel like a class. So learning while having fun and taking processes that seem overly complicated and making them more doable for the everyday baker.”
There are different classes available
The Full Macaron Class R580 – incl. hands on macarons class, silicone macaron mat, Ateco piping nozzle, branded apron and notebook, and 12 macarons to bake, decorate and take home, tea/coffee, cupcakes and cake, a demonstration on packaging your macarons as gifts and fun giveaways.
The Macaron Demo Class R420 – incl. interactive demo, silicone mat, Ateco piping nozzle, branded notebook, 12 macarons to fill, decorate and take home, tea/coffee, cupcakes and cake, and fun giveaways.
The Follow-Up Macaron Class R150 – This class is for those that have attended The Full Macaron Class and The Demo Class and want to troubleshoot their macaron making and perfect their shells using their own ingredients.
Bake Your Cake & Eat It R520 – Learn to bake a cake from scratch and as well as make a delicious buttercream to ice it with. The class includes a branded apron and notebook, Ateco piping nozzle, tea/coffee, sweet treats and fun giveaways.
Decorate Your Cake & Eat It R350 – Bring along your own un-iced cake and learn different piping techniques to ice it. The class includes a branded notebook, piping nozzle set, tea/coffee, sweet treats and fun giveaways.
Beginners Cupcake Class R360 – Make 12 cupcakes from scratch and learn how to pipe on buttercream using different techniques and nozzles. The class includes a branded notebook, piping nozzle set, tea/coffee, sweet treats and fun giveaways.
To make a booking head over to www.madamemacaronsa.com . For all readers of SpiceGoddess you qualify for a 10% discount if they quote #MMacaronClass when booking.Wohoo now thats pretty cool.
 WAIT……
So as you all know I won a lovely prize last week at the #MMacaronClass launch which included a beautifully branded Madame Macaron and a voucher.I have decided to spread the love.I will be giving the voucher to one of you lovely readers.The voucher is for 24 Macarons valued at R240.To win this sweet treat, you need to do the following:
1) Follow @verushka143 and @madamemacaronsa on Twitter.
2)Follow Spice Goddess and Madame Macaron SA on Facebook.
3)Tweet “I want to win Macarons with @verushka143 and @madamemacaronsa #MMacaronClass”