Macaron or macaroon?
STOP. Are you guilty of baking blasphemy? Do you think that ‘macaron’ is merely an alternative spelling for ‘macaroon’? Did you not realise that these two very similar words actually refer to two very different (but equally delicious) biscuits?
Yes? Well, fear not. myBaker is here to clear up this macaro(o)n mess, and offer you tips on making both varieties of biscuit.
Let’s start with the basics. A macaron consists of two meringue-based shells made of egg whites, ground almonds and sugar which are sandwiched together with buttercream, ganache or fruit curd. The sophisticated treat has a chewy, nougat-like centre and a crunchy exterior, and is fiendishly difficult to make. Think elegant Parisian patisserie window.
A macaroon, on the other hand, is the macaron’s clumsy little cousin. Although not as stylish, they are friendly, homely and equally delicious. Macaroons are typically little mounds of shredded coconut, sugar, egg whites and/or condensed milk which are sometimes dipped in chocolate. These little pillows have a sweet, chewy, fluffy centre and a crisp golden top, and are easy to throw together in an instant. Think mum’s hap-hazard baking on a Sunday afternoon.
So, why do two such different confectionaries have such a similar name? Well, there is actually a perfectly good reason for this linguistic mix-up. Both names are derived from the Italian ‘maccherone’ which means ‘fine paste’ – in fact, the word ‘macaroni’ comes from same origin. ‘But why the Italian name? I thought macarons were French?’ you puzzle. Actually, the macaron was invented in 16th century Venice. These macarons, which were very similar in taste and appearance to Italian amaretti biscuits, were popularised in late 18th century France. Later in the 20th century, the famous French pastry chef Laduree sandwiched the shells together to form the delicate modern day macaron that we know and love.
Rumour has it that the macaroon was born when coconuts were first imported to America, and coconut products became highly fashionable. Shredded coconuts were added to macaron batter instead of ground almonds, and the elegant macaron shell was transformed into a mound of coconutty goodness. These sweet treats became popular among the Jewish community, as they contained no flour and were suitable for Passover.
So, you’ve now learnt about the difference between macarons and macarons – fancy having a go at making them? See our top tips below…
myBaker’s top 10 tips for magnificent macarons:
- Measure ingredients carefully!
- Make sure that your bowls and mixer are grease-free
- t’s better if the egg whites are at room temperature
- Always sieve the ground almonds and icing sugar. Lumpy batter = flat macarons! - Use gel food colouring instead of liquid - FOLD rather than mix. When folding the egg whites with the almonds and sugar, use a flexible spatula. You should fold by scraping around the bowl and moving towards the middle. Do not over- stir! - Draw templates on the baking parchment to ensure that all your macarons are the same size - Resting the batter after piping is key! 20-30 minutes should do it (or until the top of the mixture has hardened a little) - Let the shells cool completely before removing them from the tray
Top tips for mouth-watering macaroons:
- Use shredded (rather than desiccated) coconut for that soft, chewy centre - Dip the bottom with chocolate for a more sophisticated finish. You can also drizzle it over the top.
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