At Anges de Sucre we are pretty macaron crazy. For all of you out there as interested us, here is a collection of interesting facts about macarons.
Year 792, Cormery, France. A primitive form of the macaron is cited in the famous Larousse Gastronomique stating it was made in a covent in near Cormery.
The techniques used to make macarons started to be developed earlier than 792 in the Middle East – the home of the most important ingredient used to make macarons, the mighty almond.
Macaroon is the English translation of the French word Macaron.
There is part of a street in Nancy, France named after Suzanne-Marguerite Gaillot and Marie-Elisabeth Morlot whom started a baking business in 1792 that made macaron shells. The two women, nicknamed the Macaron Sisters set up the business when their convent was closed down. What savvy ladies. Today Nancy proudly boasts about its history and even claims to have kept the recipe secret to this day.
Macarons – made with almonds – are an excellent source of protein. See macarons are healthy!
Macarons were favoured by French royalty as early as the 16th Century. Catherine de Medici is said to have being particularly fond of macarons, it is rumored she was even saved from starvation by eating them.
The present form of the macaron was popularised in the early part of the 20th century by a number of French bakers including Pierre Desfontaines and Claude Gerbet who lay claim to inserting the filling between two macaron shells.
Macarons are commonly given as a dinner party gift in France. They are in fact the most popular sweet sold in Paris.
Macarons are famed for being difficult to make because the recipe is highly susceptible to tiny changes in the ingredients and environmental conditions like temperature and humidity.
The Anges de Sucre Double-Dip Macaron is a macaron with a filling AND a topping. Doubly decadent.