Maybe its the adorable bite size portions, the whimsical array of pastel colors, or the scrumptious chewy melt in your mouth texture that entices so many bakeries, pastry chefs, and foodies to adore the epitome of French cookies— The French Macaron. With the increasing popularity of these almond meringue cookies sandwiched with delicious fillings like dark chocolate ganache, pistachio buttercream, caramel and more, it’s even more intriguing to discover the roots of the French macaron.
Unbeknownst to most, the French macaron’s origins are immensely credited to women in history.
Although macarons are largely associated with France, they were made originally in Italy. The name itself “macaron” is derived from from ammaccare, Italian for “to crush”, referring to the crushed almonds and sugar used to make the meringue mixture for the cookies. Catherine de’ Medici brought them to France in 1533 when she married Henry II. Urban legend says that her Italian chefs often made this dessert and later spread popularity within France as almond- based foodstuff became more prevalent in France especially in big cities like Paris, Reims, Montmorillon, Saint- Jean- de- Lez, and Amiens, each city developing their own unique interpretation of the original macaron recipe. The Parisian macaron, the one we now best know it, is served gerber aka two shells sandwiching a filling. It became an international hit when it was invented in 1862 by Pierre Desfontaines, second cousin of Louis Ernest Laduree in his famed Parisian tea salon and pastry shop, Laduree.
Nuns also played a key role in the evolution of macarons. Initially then made these cookies for nutritional and lucrative incentives since baked goods and food were major sources of money for religious orders to keep them running. Nancy, another major French city known for its macaron, features a more rugged, flatter macaron shell that its Parisian counterparts. It was here in the 18th century when the nuns of Les Dames du Saint Sacrement’s Convent were banned from eating meat and instead started to make macarons because they were more nutritious. After the convent shut down during the French Revolution, two of the nuns who were sisters began to sell their own macarons as a living. Their business flourished under their recipe and soon became known as the legendary “les Soeurs Macarons” or Macarons Sisters.
Whether you buy a dozen at Laduree in New York or brave enough courage to make these persnickety cookies yourself, hopefully French macarons will be your near future and has given you a delectable taste of the past. Bon Appetite.