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Brittany
A long stick of satin-finish sugar, pulled on a hook in the copper cauldrons of a peninsula confectionery — and, on summer evenings, to be savoured whilst still warm.
Confectionery from Brittany.
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In 1946, Yvonne and Raymond Audebert, confectioners, decided to set up their family business in Quiberon, which had become a popular holiday resort. There, they invented the niniche with salted-butter caramel, an elongated lollipop. It was on Quiberon's Grande Plage that the couple began selling this sweet.
The name was chosen, explains the manager of the factory visitor centre, 'so that children would remember it'. For four generations, Maison d'Armorine has kept this family savoir-faire alive and still makes the niniche in Quiberon. It is said to have been voted 'Best Sweet in France', a title that Port d'Attache considers to be what made its reputation and earned it the name 'Niniche de Quiberon'.
Not all sources date the birth of the niniche in the same way. The website Le Gourmeur writes that it was 'created in 1936 in Royan by Raymond Audebert' and that it 'appeared in Quiberon in 1946' with the establishment of his confectionery on the peninsula; Port d'Attache gives the same chronology. The company itself has the niniche invented by the Audebert couple in 1946, in Quiberon. Sources do agree, however, on the name of the Audeberts and on the year 1946 in Quiberon.
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To make their speciality known, the Audeberts introduced the warm niniche, served straight from the cauldrons. The ritual continues on summer evenings on Boulevard Chanard, 'just as it was when it was invented'. Le Gourmeur recommends it warm rather than cold—the way it is most often eaten—for extra indulgence. Morbihan Tourisme makes it a 'must' after a walk or a swim on the Grande Plage.
The founders' children and grandchildren expanded the range, notably with salidou, a salted-butter caramel. According to the article featured on the company's website, the niniche is exported as far as Asia, and prestigious Parisian houses order it.
'Niniche' does not refer only to the Quiberon lollipop. The niniche bordelaise, created according to Port d'Attache in 1906, is a small cube of soft caramel and chocolate, sometimes flavoured with coffee. The niniche bauloise, made by confiserie Manuel since 1937, is a cross between the two: an elongated lollipop, but with a soft texture, to be bitten into.
Appearance
An elongated lollipop, rounded and slender in shape, adorned with a satin stripe; some bear three or four pearlescent twists, so that each one is unique.
Taste
For the caramel niniches, a smooth and creamy caramel that leaves a silky, sweet sensation in the mouth; the fruit niniches are flavoured with natural fruit essence.
the original niniche, enriched with salted butter and milk.
29 flavours according to Anecdotrip, from apricot to plum by way of blackcurrant, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, pear or apple.
20 according to Anecdotrip, with butter, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachio, coffee, coconut; including 'à la Bretonne' (butter, apple, calvados) and 'l'Antillaise' (butter, banana, rum).
Port d'Attache cites mojito and plantain-pear among the original creations.
49 for Anecdotrip, 50 for the company and for Morbihan Tourisme, 'more than 50' for Port d'Attache and Le Gourmeur.
The paste passes through the roller, which gives it its rounded and slender, fine and cylindrical shape.
All that remains is to cut the niniche and place it on a stick.
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The niniche is bitten into warm, straight from the cauldrons, or cold, as it is most often eaten. On the Quiberon peninsula, it can be found in several confectioneries and souvenir shops; it is also easy to find in Bretagne Sud, rarer in Côtes-d'Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine, and very rare in the rest of France, hence ordering online.
In Quiberon, Maison d'Armorine offers a tour of its factory, where visitors can watch the production process. Port d'Attache sees it as the perfect souvenir to bring back for children.
The Tables & Auberges directory recommends that tourists in Morbihan, to continue on a sweet note after salted-butter caramel crêpes, taste niniches de Quiberon, 'a cylindrical lollipop'.
According to an article featured on the La Maison d'Armorine website, the niniche is listed in France's culinary heritage and was named 'best sweet in France'. These are not official quality signs (PDO (AOP), PGI (IGP), Label Rouge).
Family Artisanal Confectioner and Biscuit Maker
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La Maison d'Armorine presents itself as a family business founded in 1946 by Raymond and Yvonne Audebert, carrying on the know-how of 'Breton grandmothers'. It claims four generations of confectioners have succeeded one another in its Quiberon workshops.
Under the impetus of Alain Audebert, the founder's grandson, the house has diversified over the years into making caramels, chocolates, biscuits, and dessert sauces, alongside its historic Niniches — salted-butter caramel and fruit lollipops. It also produces Salidou, a salted-butter caramel cream.
Caroline Audebert welcomes visitors to the Espace Visite in Quiberon, where it is possible to watch the confectioners at work through the production workshop's windows.
| Address | 1 Rue des Confiseurs — 56170 Quiberon |
| +33 (0)2 97 50 24 25 | |
| maison-armorine.com | |
| Visits | Yes |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2010. |