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A brief history and introduction to the macaron, as part of my Design Context and research development for the La Petit Macaron brief which I have begun as a replacement brief (but hopefully far greater an outcome as a result of it) for the past proposed Shrewsbury Flower Show rebranding brief.
All information sourced from the relevant Wikipedia page.
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MACARON
A macaron is a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with eggs, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring. It is also caled Luxemburgerli. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. The name is derived from the Italian word maccarone ormaccherone.
The confectionery is characterised by smooth, squared top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot" or "pied"), 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, chocolate) to the new (foie gras, matcha). The fillings can range from jams to ganache to butter.
Since the English word macaroon can also refer to the macaroon, 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. 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 origins. Larousse Gastronomique 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's Italian pastry chefs whom she brought with her in 1533 upon marrying Henry II of France.
In the 1830s, macarons were served two-by-two with the addition of jams, liqueurs, and spices. The macaron as it is known today, composed of two almond meringue discs filled with a layer of buttercream, jam, or ganache filling, was originally called the "Gerbet" or the "Paris macaron." Pierre Desfontaines of the French pâtisserie Ladurée has sometimes been credited with its creation in the early part of the 20th Century, but another baker, Claude Gerbet, also claims to have invented it.
VARIATIONS
French regional variations
Several French cities and regions claim long histories and variations, notably Lorraine (Nancy and Boulay), Basque Country (Saint-Jean-de-Luz),Saint-Emilion, Amiens, Montmorillon, Le Dorat, Sault, Chartres, Cormery Joyeuse and Sainte-Croix in Burgundy.
Macarons d'Amiens, made in Amiens, are small, round-shaped biscuit-type macaroons made from almond paste, fruit and honey, which were first recorded in 1855.
The city of 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 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 (also Luxembourger) is a bit smaller as a French macaron, and it is said to be lighter and more airy in consistency.
Japan
Macarons in Japan are a popular confection known as "makaron". There is also a version of the same name which substitutes peanut flour for almond and is flavored in wagashi style, widely available in Japan.
Korea
Macarons are popular in South Korea, pronounced as "ma-ka-rong" in Korean. To add a rather Asian flavor, green tea powder or leaves are used to make green tea macarons.
POPULARITY
In Paris, the Ladurée chain of pastry shops has been known for its macarons for about 150 years. In France, McDonald's sells macarons in their McCafés (sometimes using advertising that likens the shape of a macaron to that of a hamburger). McCafé macarons are produced by Château Blanc, which, like Ladurée, is a subsidiary of Groupe Holder, though they do not use the same macaron recipe.
Outside of Europe, the French-style macaron can be found in Canada and the United States.
In Australia, Adriano Zumbo along with the TV series MasterChef have seen the macaron become a popular sweet treat, and it is now sold by McDonald's in its McCafe outlets.
SAMPLE RECIPE
- 2/3 cup almond meal or ground almonds
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 large egg whites at room temperature and preferably aged up to 3 days
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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