Many people are mistaken in thinking that macarons and macaroons are the same thing, when in fact, they are two completely different types of baked goods. While they contain some of the same ingredients, they have significant differences.
What’s in a name?
Both macaron and macaroon are derived from the Italian word maccharone, which means fine paste. However, macarons are a French delicacy made from finely ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites, while macaroons have dessicated coconut as their main ingredient.
Delicate pastel treats
Macarons are often seen in high-end patisseries or as part of an afternoon tea, and they come in an array of pastel colours. They were brought over to France from Italy by Catherine de Medici’s chefs in the 1500s, and they remain popular today. With a crisp, smooth, shiny shell on the outside and chewy middle, they are sandwiched with ganache. The meringue outside can be flavoured with anything from chocolate and coffee to rose. Notoriously difficult to bake, there’s a reason why they are expensive. Rather than make them yourself, you may prefer to sample some professionally-made ones as part of an afternoon tea box delivery. These are becoming increasingly popular and you can customise them to include your favourite treats. There’s a vast array available online from suppliers such as afternoonteabox.com.
Coconut cookie
Macaroons on the other hand, are thought to be an American version of the macaron, which developed in the 1800s when coconut first arrived there. It’s possible that they were a mixture of the traditional Italian macaron base and an Arabic recipe. Macaroons are often confused with macarons but are vastly different in appearance and flavour. Sometimes they are plain, but they are also sold dipped in or drizzled with dark chocolate.
Whichever you prefer, the good thing is that both types are available for those who like something sweet to accompany their tea or coffee. And while technically you should use macaron to describe the round coloured treats, here in the UK, many people refer to them as macaroons as an English translation.
