It’s no secret that we absolutely adore French macarons here at Mon Dessert, so this week we’re taking you on a voyage into the wonderfully delicious treat’s history to find out how it became one of the most famous French desserts.
The macaron we all have grown to love today is an elegant bite-sized delight that instantly impresses with its range of flavoursome recipe combinations and spectrum of vibrant colours. The delicate macaron shells (that have been perfected to be crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside) are traditionally made with almonds, sugar and egg whites and held together using a ganache filling. French macarons today simply exude luxury, however, it’s surprising to discover that these treasured treats weren’t always so glamorous.
The earliest record for the base of the “macaron cookie” recipe dates back to the Renaissance (1300s) with its origins in Arabic countries such as Syria, as this is where almonds were harvested and still continue to be grown and exported all across the world today. The first known sighting of the macaron in Europe was during the Middle Ages (1500s) and surprisingly it appeared in Italy, before France took credit for it. The word “macaron” is derived from the Italian word “macaroni” or “maccherone”, meaning a “pasta dish with cheese”. During this time in Italy, the word macaron was used on an egg-based pasta dish, but the “macaron cookie” was prepared using a similar recipe with almonds, resulting in being more like marzipan than a cookie. By 1533, Catherine de Medicis transformed the macaron into a macaron paste and took it to France where the recipes for the tasty confection were revolutionised, but the form remained the same, a small almond cookie.
France officially adopted macarons as being their specialty during the 1800s when Parisian confectioners Louis-Ernest Ladurée introduced the world to ‘Macaron Parisien’, the macaron that we know and love today; two meringue cookies sandwiched together with a smooth filling.
Since its creation in France, the French macaron has endured a never-ending process of reinvention as pastry chefs from all over the world continue to experiment with flavours, fillings and colours.
Mon Dessert is among the worldwide list of French Patissiers that is taking the traditional French Macaron recipe and stamping it with passion, sophistication and originality and offering London-based consumers with a sweet tooth. As a result, Mon Dessert’s delicious treats continue to keep the love of the mystical French macaron alive and they are confident the admiration for the elegant macaron will never die.
