What are Macarons? 

A macaron is a French dessert of two cookies sandwiched together with a filling, usually chocolate ganache, lemon curd, fruit jam, or buttercream. It tastes crispy on the outside while light and chewy on the inside. The outer shell is smooth on the top with ruffles around the bottom called a foot or skirt. To make the cookie, egg white and sugar are whipped into a meringue, and then mixed with grounded almonds and food coloring.

What are the trends of macaron?

Traditionally, they are round and bite-sized with thin fillings. Now, macarons can be big-sized and have thick fillings with shapes like stars and seashells. Various items that decorate macarons include pretzel, brownie, sprinkle, and edible gold leaf. Besides sweet flavors, macarons can have savory flavors such as goat cheese, curry, and smoked salmon.

Why is a macaron expensive?

Macarons, usually expensive, are priced according to their grade. One reason is macaron uses grounded raw almonds, which costs more than flour. Plus, most ingredients selected for the shell and fillings are also high quality.

Another reason is making macarons can be challenging. Bakers take great care to measure ingredients in the right amount, mix them into the proper consistency, and set them at the right temperature. Otherwise, the macaron can crack due to its delicate structure.

Lastly, a macaron has a stylish design and packaging. The finished look is smooth and elegant with beautiful colors, ready for photo taking.

Who invented the macaron?

A macaron was a simple cookie of almond, egg white, and sugar without filling, made in Italy. The recipe was bought over to France when Italian noblewoman Catherine de’ Medici married King Henry II of France. It became widespread in France during the famine era in the 18th century when two Carmelite nuns sold this cookie to support themselves. Then in the 20th century, Pierre Desfontaines of Ladurée, a famous French pastry brand, came up with the idea of sticking two macarons together with a filling in the middle. This combination is the French macaron as we know it today.