Macaron VS. Macaroon

With such different base ingredients and methods, why do these two cookies have such similar names?

It all started in Italy, with a single cookie called the Amaretti. This cookie has a base of almond flour and egg whites, and is rolled in sugar before baking. The French soon adopted this cookie, skipping the crunchy sugar on the outside and adding fillings to sandwich between two cookies. These are Macarons, and their name comes from the Italian words ‘maccherone’ and ‘macarone’. A macaron is merengue based, with almond flour folded in and baked. Then, fillings like ganache, buttercream or jams are added. These fillings are able to create different flavors in the cookies, with only food coloring added to the shells. As the cookies gained popularity around the world, American pastry chefs created their own version. Macaroons were first written about in 1871, when the new coconut palms in Florida created a large market for the ingredient. Shredded coconut was substituted for almond flour, creating a different texture and look. Interestingly, the American macaroon shares a similar chewy consistency to the Amaretti. The French macaron is chewy as well, but not to the degree of its cousins, with a melt in your mouth texture and a crisp crust.

Below are links to recipes for the Amaretti and Macaroon Cookies, the Macaron recipe is still to come… Check out Episode 3 of the Digital Sous Podcast to find out why.