The macaron is one of the all-time all-stars of French patisserie. Crisp on the outside, soft and slightly moist on the inside, and a delicious filling in between. Who can resist the temptation of these bright bite-sized delights?
According to the Larousse Gastronomique, the French culinary bible, the macaron was first created in a convent near the French town of Cormery back in 1791. Others have traced its first appearance back to the Italian pastry chefs of Catherine de Medici in the middle of the 16th century. The macaron as we know it today is often accredited to Pierre Desfontaines of the Paris-based pâtisserie Ladurée in the early years of the 20th century. Today, Ladurée remains a temple of the macaron, attracting visitors from across the world in search of small delights.
Traditionally, macarons are made with eggs, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almonds, and a food colouring to add a vibrant colourful touch. The filling itself can be a ganache, a fruit filling or a buttercream. But today, macarons can be found in wide variety of flavours – from traditional chocolate and raspberry to more innovative flavours, such as matcha green tea or even savoury versions with foie gras. Or how about a poppy seed macaron with a cream cheese, vodka and smoked salmon filling? The macaron might be small in size, but it is definitely big in taste.
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