French Vs. Italian Macarons
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Everyone knows macarons are a little sweet pastry originating from France, right? What you may not know is there are also Italian macarons that have a few key differences which make them a similar but distinct delicacy.
What Are Macarons?
Macarons are a small meringue-based confection consisting of 2 shells with a layer of buttercream, ganache or jam between them. They come in a wide variety of flavours from vanilla, to chocolate, to raspberry, to matcha. The earliest known recipe dates back to the early 17th century however similar biscuits have been found as far back as the 16th century, albeit under different names.
Macarons are a popular treat all over the world with many countries putting their own spin on things. The United States has adopted the famous treat and introduced a wide variety of favourite, distinctly American flavours such as pistachio, mint chocolate chip, and peanut butter and jelly. In South Korea there exists a variation known as “fat-carons” which are simply macarons that have been intentionally overfilled to the point where they’re more than 3 times the size of a standard macaron. Japan has its own spin on macarons employing the use of “Wagashi” style flavouring most often used in sweets made to pair with green tea.
What Are French Macarons?
French macarons are the biscuits you’re likely familiar with if you’ve ever eaten a macaron as they’re incredibly popular all over the world, but especially in Europe. The process of making a French macaron starts by whisking uncooked egg whites and sugar into a stiff-peaked meringue. This creates a very fluffy, airy base for the macaron shells. The almond flour and powdered sugar is folded in afterwards to create the batter. At this point a process called macaronage is used where the batter is worked until it is smooth, shiny and flowing.
French macarons tend to look like flat disks with a ruffle-like texture around the foot of the macaron. The sweetness of a French macaron can be decently subtle with a more distinctive almond flavour but the shells are soft, moist and chewy.
What Are Italian Macarons?
Italian macarons are very similar to the French variety. The key difference is in the initial stages of preparing the meringue where a different method is used. Italian macarons start out by whisking egg whites with a melted sugar syrup in order to cook them as the meringue is formed. The sugar syrup is introduced to the egg whites while whisking so this can be a much more involved process, it requires a stand mixer to be done successfully and there’s a chance of burning yourself via the melted sugar.
Italian meringue provides a much more stable structure as a reward for the extra work needed to make it, leading to macarons that rise higher, are more rounded and have less failed attempts. The Italian method tends to produce crispier, crumblier and more powdery macarons however they do also taste quite a bit sweeter, and have less of that almond flavour.
The Key Differences
The most notable difference between these two types of macarons is the meringue used to make them. The French method opts for a meringue made of uncooked egg whites and fine sugar to create something that is light and fluffy but ultimately less stable. The Italian method is a lot less simple, going for a melted sugar syrup which cooks the egg whites as they’re being whisked but the result is a more stable treat that’s less likely to come out wrong.
At the end of the process, both methods will give you a delicious treat that anyone can enjoy but there are a few small differences in taste and texture. French macarons are softer with chewy shells and more subtly sweet taste, giving you more of that distinct almond flavour. Whereas Italian macarons are more crisp, even powdery at times and have a more pronounced sweet taste.
A trained eye may even be able to tell the difference simply by looking at them. A French macaron will typically be flatter with a larger, almost ruffled texture at the flat end of each shell. While an Italian macaron stands taller with a more rounded top, and looks generally more trim and tidy.
Now that you have this knowledge, impress your friends by demonstrating how easily you can tell apart the two different pastries. Just remember to source your hand-made, gluten-free, French macarons from us here at Miss Macaroon to ensure you get the best quality and incredible taste.
