Nowadays' macarons are best compared to little, delicious sandwiches with a filling of buttercream, meringue, and almond flour. It has evolved into a French staple that practically every visitor to Paris must sample. Macaron is a staple of French cafes and patisseries.
Famous establishments like Pierre Herme and Laduree are standard visits on any schedule for a trip to Paris and are nearly always included in lists of the "Top 10 things to do in Paris." The Italian term maccherone is the source of the word macaron. So, what is the true origin of this tasty and delicate pastry, and where did it originate?
What Is A Macaron?
Two meringue-based cookies are sandwiched together with a filling to form a macaron, which is pronounced "mack-uh-rohn." These tiny cookies feature smooth tops and ruffled skirts; they come in chocolate, raspberry, pistachio, and foie gras flavours, among others, and are occasionally tinted with food colouring. A well-made macaron has a delicately sweet crunch and is light and airy throughout.
The History Of Macaron
According to popular belief, Catherine de Medici, who travelled from Italy to France in 1533 to wed Henry II of France, is credited with bringing macarons—beautiful, tiny, crunchy, soft biscuit cakes—to the country. Undoubtedly, macarons are Italian in origin; they may have originated as early as the eighth century when almonds were first brought to Venice. However, they are now distinctly French.
The 18th century is when one of the fables about macarons first appeared. The nuns of the Convent of the Dames du Saint Sacrement in Nancy, eastern France, produced macarons. Since they were not allowed to consume meat, they supposedly thought the tasty cakes were a decent alternative. Sisters Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth lost their homes during the upheaval and anti-religious zeal of the French Revolution and started selling macarons to the general public on a business basis in 1792.
Their little, rustic-looking, crunchy macaron biscuits went viral right away. The family recipe has been handed down from generation to generation ever since. Using the same recipe that dates back centuries, Maison des Soeurs Macaron in Nancy still makes macarons today. It's a single biscuit with a very soft and chewy centre and a rough, cracked top.
There are numerous legends and folklore about the creation and renown of macarons in other parts of France. Paris macarons are, of course, famous, but so are the macarons from Pays Basque and Saint-Emilion. particularly those made by Ladurée, one of the most well-known macaron makers in the world.
Macaron Today
The French method and the Italian approach are now the two major ways to make macarons. The method used to make the meringue separates the two.
Egg whites are whisked until stiff-peaked meringue is formed when using the French technique. After that, powdered sugar and sifted, ground almonds are gradually mixed in until the right consistency is achieved. Macaronage is the term for this folding and deflating technique.
To make meringue, the Italian way calls for mixing egg whites with boiling sugar syrup. To make a paste, raw egg whites are combined with icing sugar and sifted almonds. The macaron mixture is made by combining the meringue with almond paste. This approach calls for a candy thermometer for the sugar syrup and is frequently thought to be more structurally sound but also sweeter.
