FRENCH CLASSIC: The macaron is available in an impressive array of flavours at leading French patisseries in Doha.                                                                                                            Photo by Jayaram


Much has been written and said about the most coveted cookie from France.

And the mania is catching up in Doha, too. By Aney Mathew

 My affair with the French macaron began more than a decade ago during a visit to Paris. We were passing by a famous patisserie on Champs-Elysées, when we noticed long queues of people standing in line, patiently waiting their turn to snap up a box of the gourmet cookie. Out of curiosity we decided to check out what the fuss was all about. The ‘hot, little item’ turned out to be a small, round meringue with some cream in between – more like a sandwich cookie. But after one bite into its delicate, airy, mildly crisp, melt-in-the mouth texture — for all my cynicism — I was sold! You just can’t eat one and stop at that.  

Much has been written and said about macarons – the most coveted cookie in France, particularly Paris. In the world of haute couture minis, the macaron ranks high. One of the leading patisseries in Paris known for their macarons, sell 15,000 of these gourmet meringues every day. This trendy little item is considered such a French classic that there is a day set apart to celebrate it – ‘Jour du Macaron’ (Macaron Day) in Paris, and it even has a museum dedicated to it.

There are of course many who think macarons are overrated and then there are others who believe you just can’t have enough of macarons; ‘your’s faithfully’ belongs to the latter camp — truth be told, it can be a bit too sweet.

Even in Doha, the macaron has turned out to be a star. It is a trendy item for people to serve, a fashionable gift to give and the ideal cookie for special occasions and holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

People often mistake ‘macaroons’ for macarons. While the confusion is common place, this is blasphemous in the world of patisseries. So what’s the difference between a macaroon, the sweet lump of shredded coconut with a golden crust that our moms turned out in 10 minutes in their kitchens, and the much sought-after, delicate macaron, that takes about 5 hours to make, you ask? As someone rightly pointed out: a macaron is the more sophisticated cousin of the humble macaroon that went to finishing school.

The term ‘macaron’ has the same origin as that the word ‘macaroni’; both mean ‘fine dough’. The first macarons were simple cookies, made of almond powder, sugar and egg whites. Note that a well-made meringue is characterised by a smooth, squared top and a ruffled circumference, which is referred to as the ‘foot’ or ‘pied’, and a flat base.

In these early stages, macarons were served without special flavours or fillings. It was not until the 1830s that macarons began to be served two-by-two with the addition of jams, liqueurs and spices. The macaron as it is known today, composed of two almond meringue discs filled with a layer of buttercream, jam, or ganache filling, was originally called the ‘Gerbet’ or the ‘Paris macaron’. Pierre Desfontaines of the French patisserie Ladurée has sometimes been credited with its creation in the early part of the 20th century, but another baker, Claude Gerbet, also claims to have invented it.

For years very little had changed in terms of its components; the macaron had a very classic flavour and the colours were always very mellow. But now the chic meringue is sold in an impressive array of flavours and colours. However, old favourites like vanilla and pistachio are in a class of their own.   

Like all things beloved, there are several myths attached to the history of the macaron. Although it is predominantly a French confection, there has been much debate about its origins. Larousse Gastronomique cites the macaron as being created in 791 in a convent near Cormery. Some have traced its French debut back to the arrival of Catherine de Medici to France. It is said to have been introduced by the Italian chef of Catherine de Medicis in 1533 at the time of her marriage to the Duc d’Orleans who later became king of France in 1547 as Henry II.

In 1792, macarons began to gain fame when two Carmelite nuns, seeking asylum in Nancy during the French Revolution, baked and sold the macaron cookies in order to pay for their housing. These nuns became known as the ‘Macaron Sisters’.

Many towns throughout France have their own prized tale surrounding this delicacy. In Nancy, the granddaughter of Catherine de Medici was supposedly saved from starvation by eating macarons. In Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the macaron of Chef Adam is said to have regaled Louis XIV and Marie-Therese at their wedding celebration in 1660.

The city of Montmorillon, in France, is well known for its macarons and even has a museum dedicated to it. The Maison Rannou-Métivier is the oldest macaron bakery in Montmorillon, dating back to 1920, and it is said the traditional recipe for Montmorillon macarons has remained unchanged for over 150 years.

As if this wasn’t popularity enough, in 2005, La Maison Pierre Hermé (a famous French chef) established ‘Jour du Macaron’ (Macaron Day) in Paris. The initiative was to promote the macaron and also participate in a joint venture to raise money for charity. The idea behind “a macaron for a gift” was that for every free macaron given out, hopefully a donation would be made for charity. Ever since, Paris has seen an extremely successful outcome from this event. This is a tradition which has now caught on in New York too.

Crossing geographical boundaries, this delicate mini has become a favourite among many in Doha too. While serving this gourmet meringue is considered chic, baking courses offering lessons on making the perfect macaron have also gained popularity.

The next time you visit your favourite French patisserie in Qatar, you could try tantalising your taste buds with this trendy little cookie, if you haven’t done so already. Macarons anyone?