Macaron & Macaroon

"Each macaron is like a little piece of art: it has its own experience, personality, and story.
When you eat it, you're transported to another world—one where anything can happen."

French or Italian?

Contemporary macarons are typically associated with France, but versions of them are said to have been enjoyed in Europe all the way back to the Middle Ages. As it turns out, it's actually the Italians who we may have to thank for the original cookies. In medieval times, there was a crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside cookie made from almonds, egg whites, and sugar produced in Italian monasteries. It's thought that Catherine di Medici brought them over to France in the 1500s and the French macaron was derived from the Italian maccherone.

How macarons are made?

To make a French-style macaron, egg whites are whisked to make a stiff-peaked meringue. Next, flavorings, almond flour, and powdered sugar are carefully folded in to reduce air bubbles. The batter is then piped into flat, round circles to form the outer halves of the sandwich, with air bubbles being eliminated as much as possible. Uniformity is key here, and the texture after baking should be light and airy, with a delicate crunch on the outer shell. Buttercream, ganache, or jam fillings come in flavors as classic as vanilla, chocolate, and raspberry, and as inventive as lavender, pumpkin, and coffee. The sky is the limit with flavoring and colors, making French macaron displays look like a delicate rainbow of identically shaped sandwich cookies, which appear almost like jewels.

Are macarons a healthy cookie?

Even with the tasty fillings, macarons are still healthier desserts when compared to other sweets, such as cupcakes. For instance, three macarons have around 210-300 calories compared to a single cupcake with around 400 calories.