Confiserie Spruengli ★ 4.7
Founded 1836 on Bahnhofstrasse, 190 years in 2026. Luxemburgerli macarons, handcrafted chocolates, pralines, the canonical Zurich confectionery counter.
Worth the queue: Luxemburgerli
History
The Luxemburgerli was introduced at Spruengli in the 1950s by Camille Studer, a young pastry chef from Luxembourg who brought a light filled-macaron recipe from his homeland; the name is the Swiss diminutive for 'little Luxembourger'. Spruengli still does not sell them outside Switzerland; the cream filling is too perishable to ship. The current range rotates seasonally: vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, salted caramel, champagne, plus limited collaborations. The Paradeplatz flagship sells them at the front counter by the dozen, packed in pink-and-grey signature boxes.
Common allergens: Egg, Milk, Nuts
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 100g ground almonds (extra-fine almond flour)
- 100g icing sugar, sieved
- 75g caster sugar
- 2 large egg whites (about 70g), aged 24 hours uncovered in the fridge
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- Food colouring paste (pink, ivory, pale yellow, brown, ivory, lilac for the classic Spruengli range)
- For the buttercream filling: 100g unsalted butter (very soft), 150g icing sugar, 50g full-fat creme fraiche, flavours: vanilla pod seeds, raspberry puree (3 tbsp, reduced), 30g melted dark chocolate, or 1 tbsp Champagne (cooked off)
Method
- Sieve the ground almonds with the icing sugar twice into a clean bowl; this is the structural step. If you have a food processor, pulse them together for 30 seconds first.
- In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks. Gradually add the caster sugar in three additions, whisking to a glossy meringue that holds firm peaks.
- Add the food colouring paste to the meringue (a small dab) and whisk briefly to disperse.
- Tip the sieved almond mixture in all at once. Using a flexible spatula, fold and press the mix against the bowl in long deflating strokes (macaronage) for about 50 strokes; the batter should fall in a slow ribbon and disappear back into itself in 8 to 10 seconds.
- Fit a piping bag with a 7mm plain round nozzle, fill with batter. Pipe small rounds (2.5cm diameter; smaller than Parisian macarons) onto two parchment-lined baking trays, spacing 3cm apart.
- Tap each tray firmly twice on the bench to release air bubbles. Rest at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes until a skin forms (the surface should not stick to a finger).
- Bake at 145 degrees Celsius (fan-off) for 12 to 13 minutes; the shells should lift cleanly with a small foot. Cool completely on the trays.
- Beat the soft butter with icing sugar until light, then beat in the creme fraiche and chosen flavour.
- Pipe a small mound of filling onto half the shells, sandwich with the remaining shells, press very gently.
- Mature in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours before eating; this is when the texture is right (soft chewy interior, crisp shell).
Tip from the editors. Luxemburgerli are noticeably smaller and lighter than Parisian macarons; pipe 2.5cm rounds, not the standard 4cm. The creme fraiche in the filling is what makes them less sweet than French macarons; do not substitute.
Where to eat luxemburgerli
Luxemburgerli in Zurich
Cafe Spruengli Paradeplatz ★ 4.6
The mothership confiserie cafe on Paradeplatz, founded 1836, celebrating 190 years in 2026. Luxemburgerli, chocolates, the canonical hot chocolate.
Signature drink: Hot chocolate with Luxemburgerli
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