Macaron
A meringue-based confection with almond meal, filled and ruffled.
A macaron (MAK-ə-RON, French: [makaʁɔ̃]) or French macaroon (MAK-ə-ROON) is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, and often food colouring. Since the 19th century, a typical Parisian-style macaron has been filled with a ganache, buttercream or jam. The circular macaron displays a smooth, square-edged top, a ruffled circumference—referred to as the 'crown' or 'foot' (or 'pied')—and a flat base. It is mildly moist and easily melts in the mouth. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavours that range from traditional sweet such as raspberry or chocolate to savoury (as a foie gras).
- type
- Confection
- origin
- France (Parisian-style); earlier influences from Persia, Sicily, Spain, and Morocco
- main_ingredients
- Egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, food colouring
- filling
- Ganache, buttercream, or jam (since 19th century)
- known_for
- Sandwich-style almond meringue discs with a smooth top, ruffled foot, and moist melt-in-mouth texture
- alternative_names
- French macaroon, Gerbet, Paris macaron
Lore & Background
The sandwich-style macaron known today was created in Paris by Claude Gerbet, though its story traces to earlier almond-based cakes. In Sicily and Toledo, these developed into almond-paste tarts. A Swiss online encyclopaedia states they were brought from al-Andalus to Marrakesh in the early 11th century by Yusuf ibn Tashfin and served during Ramadan. A popular legend credits a chef of Catherine de Medici, but records show no Italian chefs in her service.
Reader's Guide
In the 1790s, macarons gained fame when two Carmelite nuns in Nancy baked and sold them to pay for housing, becoming known as the 'Macaron Sisters'. At that time, macarons were served without fillings. It was not until the 1930s that they began to be served as a sandwich with jams, liqueurs, and spices. The modern macaron, composed of two almond meringue discs filled with buttercream, jam, or ganache, was originally called the 'Gerbet' or 'Paris macaron'. Pierre Desfontaines of Ladurée has sometimes been credited with its creation in the early 20th century, but Claude Gerbet also claims to have invented it. French macaron bakeries became trendy in North America in the 2010s. The earliest known recipe dates to the early 17th century. Variations exist in France (e.g., Macarons d'Amiens, Nancy macarons), India (cashew-based), Japan (peanut flour version), Switzerland (Luxemburgerli), the United States (many flavours), and South Korea (fat-carons).
Did You Know?
- The names 'macaron' and 'macaroon' both derive from the French word macaron, which in turn derives from the Italian maccheroni.
- In the 1790s, two Carmelite nuns in Nancy became known as the 'Macaron Sisters' after baking and selling macarons to pay for housing.
- The earliest known macaron recipe dates back to the early 17th century and includes ingredients like Jordan almonds, rose water, and ambergreece.
- A vegan variation of macarons uses aquafaba in place of egg white.
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