43 bake from scratch
MACARON
Though a French delicacy through and through, the macaron has decidedly
Arabic and Italian roots. During their time occupying Sicily in the 9th century,
Arab troops introduced a penchant for almond-based desserts, including
the base formula for marzipan. Italian monks and nuns adapted the ground
almond-sugar combo to include egg whites, creating crunchy cookies they
dubbed “priest’s belly buttons” due to the cookies’ shape. The recipe eventually
traveled from Italy and into France, possibly through Catherine de Medici,
who married Henry II of France in 1533 and brought along her
Italian pastry chefs, who, in turn, brought over a macaron
recipe. Over the years, the French would tinker, refi ne,
and popularize the formula. In the late 1800s, the
macaron received another fantastical transformation
at renowned tea salon Ladurée in Paris. Pierre
Desfontaines had designed a très chic sandwich
cookie from the macaron, fi lling the fragile shells
with ganache, jam, or marzipan to create a singularly
decadent dessert. Today, you can fi nd them dyed in
rainbow shades and boasting any fl avor imaginable, but
every macaron, from the vanilla to the foie gras, still
contains the traditional trinity of egg whites, ground
almonds, and sugar.