The Elegant Macaron: A History of the Famous Meringues

Confectionery does not come more elegant than the delightful macaron. These delicate, beautiful and delicious treats are stylish round sandwiches of meringue and almond paste that come in all kinds of wonderful colours and flavours. Many people conjure up images of a charming French patisserie when they daydream about macarons, but did you know that they were actually first baked in Italy back in the eighth century?

Italian Roots

The Italian macarone (‘meringue’ in English) dates back as far as the 700s when Venetian monasteries would bake round biscuits made from egg whites, almonds and sugar. These were commonly known as “priest’s belly buttons” due to their shape.

Arrival in France

Although widely baked in France, it was not until 1533 during the Renaissance that the macaron arrived in the country. This was when Catherine de’ Medici, a Florentine noblewoman, married the French King Henry II, and bought a selection of pastry chefs from her home country with her.

It was in 1792 that the confection started to gain popularity outside the nobility. This came as a result of two Carmelite nuns baking and selling the snacks in order to pay for housing as they looked for asylum during the revolution. They became known as the “Macaron Sisters”.

In the nineteenth century, the tasty treat took the sandwich shape that we all know and love today. This occurred in Paris when famous French confectioners like Ladurée layered disks of almond meringue with a soft, creamy filling in between. They soon became known as the “Gerbet” (after French baker Claude Gerbet) or “Paris Macaron”.

Innovations

Fast forward to today and macarons are still an incredibly popular confection that pastry chefs experiment with (without tampering too much with the classic ingredients). Macarons are commonly filled with buttercream, jam or ganache, but you can also find them in many tantalising variations like chocolate, raspberry or even more experimental flavours like matcha. Food colouring is used to provide the distinctive, delicate and alluring colour. Regardless of the flavour or colour of these dainty treats, they will always melt in the mouth and be a visually appealing snack.

A Popular Global Treat

Macarons are now baked and enjoyed in countries around the world, including Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea. In 2005, famous French pastry chef Pierre Hermé created “Macaron Day”, which is celebrated on a global level – be sure to stock up on our wholesale confectionery for this special day! Many participating suppliers offer customers one free sample and a percentage of the day’s sales are donated to a local charity.

Our Wholesale Confectionery

We carry one splendid macaron brand – Macarons de Pauline. They use a traditional recipe to create their delightful products, which come in a variety of colours and tastes. The colourful strawberry, lemon and pistachio set is a popular choice and it comes in a beautiful gift box, but you can also stock up with larger boxes that contain their other flavours, which include vanilla, mocha and chocolate – delicious!

Contact the sales team today if you would like to purchase this splendid type of wholesale confectionery – “Macaron Day” is just around the corner, after all.