Al though legend states that the macaron was first introduced to the French Royal Court by the then Queen of France (and Italian noblewoman) Catherine de’ Medici in the 16th century, its origins are most likely 300 years older and not European but Arab.

According to food historians, the macaron, or rather its predecessor, was most likely introduced to the Sicily region by Arab soldiers in the 13th century. The dessert then gained in popularity in Italy before it eventually found its way to France.

In the 18th century in the French town of Nancy, two nuns, Marguerite Gaillot and Marie Morlot, popularised macarons, which they baked and sold to support themselves. The nuns found themselves without a home after a 1792 decree abolished religious congregations, which led to their expulsion from their abbey. The bakery they founded, Maison des Soeurs Macarons (‘House of the Macaron Sisters’), still sells macarons to this day.

But the macaron that we know and love today was created by Parisian pâtissier Pierre Desfontaines in 1930: he reinterpreted the dessert as two macarons sandwiching a filling of jam or ganache. The modern, eye-catching and colourful macarons may be a world away from the original dessert, but they are also a testament to how different ideas and cultures can even shape the humble biscuit.

This very French dessert is probably Arabic in origin and can be challenging to make but worth it

This very French dessert is probably Arabic in origin and can be challenging to make but worth it

Rose and Pistachio Macarons

There’s something romantic and delicate about macarons — their allure lies in the fact that making them is as much art as science. As every baker will tell you, they have their own way of making macarons and getting them right can take a number of attempts and experimentation. But once mastered, nothing beats the crunchy, decadent macaron.

There are also three different methods to make them: the French, the Italian and the Swiss way. The French one is considered the easiest for beginners........

© Dawn (Magazines)