Macaron - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A macaron is a sweet confectionery made with egg white

Egg white

Egg white is the common name for the clear liquid contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms around either fertilized or unfertilized egg yolks...

s, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring

Food coloring

Food coloring is a substance, liquid or powder, that is added to food or drink to change its color. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and in domestic cooking...

. The macaron is commonly filled with buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. Its name is derived from an Italian word "maccarone" or "maccherone". This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond paste

Almond paste

Almond paste is made from ground almonds or almond meal and sugar, typically 50-55%, with a small amount of cooking oil, beaten eggs, heavy cream or corn syrup added to bind the two ingredients...

which is the principal ingredient. It is meringue

Meringue

Meringue is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar, occasionally some recipes may call for adding an acid such as cream of tartar or a small amount of vinegar and a binding agent such as cornstarch found in icing sugar which may be added in addition to the corn starch which...

-based: made from a mixture of egg whites, almond flour.

The confectionery is characterised by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot"), and flat base. It is mildly moist and easily melts in the mouth.

Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors that range from the traditional (raspberry

Raspberry

The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...

, chocolate

Chocolate

Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...

) to the new (truffle

Truffle

A truffle is the fruiting body of an underground mushroom; spore dispersal is accomplished through fungivores, animals that eat fungi. Almost all truffles are ectomycorrhizal and are therefore usually found in close association with trees....

, green matcha tea

Matcha

refers to finely-milled green tea, most popular in Japan. The cultural activity called the Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times, matcha has also come to be used to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream...

). The fillings can range from jams, ganache

Ganache

Ganache is a glaze, icing, or filling for pastries made from chocolate and cream.Ganache is normally made by heating cream, then pouring it over chopped dark semi-sweet chocolate...

, or buttercream. Since the English word macaroon can also refer to the coconut macaroon

Macaroon

A macaroon is a type of light, baked confection, described as either small cakes or meringue-like cookies depending on their consistency. The original macaroon was a "small sweet cake consisting largely of ground almonds" similar to Italian or Moroccan amaretti.The English word macaroon and French...

, many have adopted the French spelling of macaron to distinguish the two items in the English language. However, this has caused confusion over the correct spelling of the cookie/biscuit. Some recipes exclude the use of macaroon to refer to this French confection while others think that they are synonymous.

History

Although predominantly a French confection, there has been much debate about its origins. Larousse Gastronomique
Larousse Gastronomique
Larousse Gastronomique is an encyclopedia of gastronomy. The majority of the book is about French cuisine, and contains recipes for French dishes and cooking techniques...

cites the macaron as being created in 1791 in a convent near Cormery. Some have traced its French debut back to the arrival of Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....

's Italian pastry chefs whom she brought with her in 1533 upon marrying Henry II of France

Henry II of France

Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...

.

In the 1830s, macarons were served two-by-two with the addition of jams, liqueurs, and spices. The macaron as it is known today was called the "Gerbet" or the "Paris macaron" and is the creation of Pierre Desfontaines of the French pâtisserie Ladurée

Ladurée

Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in :Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day...

,
composed of two almond meringue discs filled with a layer of buttercream, jam, or ganache

Ganache

Ganache is a glaze, icing, or filling for pastries made from chocolate and cream.Ganache is normally made by heating cream, then pouring it over chopped dark semi-sweet chocolate...

filling.

French regional variations

Several French cities and regions claim long histories and variations, notably Lorraine

Lorraine (région)

Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...

(Nancy and Boulay

Boulay

Boulay or du Boulay is a surname, and may refer to:* Antoine Jacques Claude Joseph, comte Boulay de la Meurthe* César-Egasse du Boulay* Étienne Boulay* Francine Boulay-Parizeau* Francis Robin Houssemayne Du Boulay* Herménégilde Boulay...

), Basque Country (Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the province Basque of Labourd and the Basque Eurocity Bayonne - San Sebastian .-Geography:...

), Saint-Emilion

Saint-Émilion

Saint-Émilion is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-History:Saint-Émilion's history goes back to prehistoric times and is a World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.The Romans planted...

, Amiens

Amiens

Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...

, Montmorillon

Montmorillon

Montmorillon is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.The clay mineral montmorillonite was named after Montmorillon after its discovery there in 1847.-External links:*...

, Le Dorat

Le Dorat

Le Dorat is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in western France. Inhabitants are known as Dorachons.-Sights:...

, Sault

Sault

Sault is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...

, Chartres

Chartres

Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...

, Cormery

Cormery

Cormery is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France.-See also:*Communes of the Indre-et-Loire departmentIt is located 21 kilometres from Tours and 18 kilometres from Jouè-les-Tours....

Joyeuse

Joyeuse , was the name of Charlemagne's personal sword. The name translates as "joyful".-Joyeuse in legend:Some legends claim that it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus within its pommel; others state it was smithed from the same materials as Roland's Durendal and Ogier's Curtana.The 11th...

and sainte-croix in burgundy.

The city of Amiens

Amiens

Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...

' macaron consists of almond, fruit and honey, and dates back to 16th century. They are chewier and not as sweet as the Paris macaron.

The city of Montmorillon

Montmorillon

is well known for its macarons and has a museum dedicated to it. The Maison Rannou-Métivier is the oldest macaron bakery in Montmorillon, dating back to 1920. The traditional recipe for Montmorillon macarons remains unchanged for over 150 years.

The town of Nancy in the Lorraine

Lorraine (région)

region has a storied history with the macaron. It is said that the abbess of Remiremont founded an order of nuns called the "Dames du Saint-Sacrement" with strict dietary rules prohibiting the consumption of meat. Two nuns, Sisters Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth are credited with creating the Nancy macaron to fit their dietary requirements. They became known as the 'Macaron Sisters' (Les Soeurs Macarons). In 1952, the city of Nancy honored them by giving their name to the Rue de la Hache, where the macaron was invented.

Switzerland

In Switzerland the Luxemburgerli

Luxemburgerli

Luxemburgerli is a brand name of confectionery made by the Confiserie Sprüngli in Zürich, Switzerland. Essentially a small macaron, they have a top and bottom sugar-based confection with a center cream filling...

(also Luxembourger) is similar to a French macaron but is said to be lighter and more airy in consistency.

Japan

Macarons are popular confection known as "makaron" in Japan. There is also a version of the same name which substitutes peanut

Peanut

The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

flour for almond and is flavored in wagashi

Wagashi

is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.Wagashi is typically made from natural ingredients...

style, widely available in Japan.

Popularity

In Paris, the French pâtisserie Ladurée

Ladurée

Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in :Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day...

is reputed for making quality macarons in traditional and new flavors. Other reputed French pâtisseries making macarons include Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé is a French pastry chef most famous for his macarons, often with unusual flavor combinations. French Vogue magazine dubbed him "The Picasso of Pastry."- Food :...

and Fauchon

Fauchon

Fauchon is a French gourmet food company that was founded in 1886 by Auguste Fauchon. The company is based in Paris, France and operates retail outlets. Fauchon currently produces tea, chocolate, biscuits and sweets among other products.- History :...

. In France and Austria, McDonald's

McDonald's

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...

sells macarons in their McCafés.

Outside of Europe, the pastry has attracted itself to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and Japan, Hong Kong, New York and Toronto have recently witnessed a surge in macaron shops.

Macarons in the "Laduree" fashion can be found at the very popular Los Angeles cafe/restaurants Bottega Louie or Napoleon's Macarons.

In Australia, there was a 2010 television series called Zumbo
Zumbo (TV series)
Zumbo is an Australian observational documentary television series following patissier Adriano Zumbo at his Balmain kitchen business.The series premiered on 10 February 2011 and ran for 6 episodes...

based on the chef Adriano Zumbo, who specialises in the macaron.

In the Philippines, many patisseries have macarons. Sinfully by Makati Shangri-La, a chocolate shop, offers a line of macarons in several flavors at Greenbelt 5 and in the hotel. Bizu Patisserie, offers macarons, also in several flavors at different parts of the country.