In Nancy, Lorraine, macarons have been part of the local history since the time of the French Revolution.
What are Macarons of Nancy?
A macaron (also known in Australia as ‘macaroon’) is a sweet prepared in many regions of France. Its name is derived from the italian word “maccarone” or “maccherone” which evokes the crushing or beating of the almond paste which constitues its main ingredient.
In Nancy, Lorraine, macarons have been part of the local history since the time of the French Revolution (18th C) when two nuns, the “Sœurs Macarons” (Sisters Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth), created the famous delicacy. Unlike the recipe we’ve posted for you, the recipe of the “Véritables macarons de Nancy” is still guarded as a secret by Nicolas Génot of the Maison des Soeurs Macarons in Nancy.
More elaborated, the Paris macarons were created by Pierre Desfontaines of La Durée. They are filled with a layer of buttercream or ganache between two almond meringue discs. The range of flavours are unlimited: chocolate, raspberry, coffee, liquorice, etc.
Macarons of Nancy – Ingredients
- 150 g almond meal
- 250 g icing sugar sieved
- 2 small egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp bitter almond essence
Macarons of Nancy – Method
- Mix the almond meal with the icing sugar and then mix in the egg whites, vanilla extract and almond essence.
- Put small spoonfuls (the size of a walnut) on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Make sure you space them out, leaving at least 3 cm between each macaron. To get a perfect shape you can also use a piping bag.
- Leave the macarons to dry a little and to form a crust (approx 1 hour). Then pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees C.
- Before putting in the oven moisten the tops with a little water using a patry brush.
- Cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown and then remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the baking tray.
- You can eat them warm or cold.
- Store in an airtight container.
Recette en français
Ingrédients
- 150 g d’amandes moulues
- 250 g de sucre glace
- 2 petits blancs d’oeufs
- 1 cuillerée à café d’extrait de vanille
- 2 cuillerées à café d’extrait d’amande amère
Préparation
- Incorporer les amandes très finement moulues au sucre glace tamisé, les blancs d’oeufs, et les extraits de vanille et d’amande amère.
- Dresser des disques de 3 cm espacés de 3 cm au moins avec un poche à douille, sur du papier sulfurisé.
- Préchauffer le four à 160 degrés. Avant la cuisson, le dessus des macarons doit s’assécher.
- Humidifier les macarons avec un pinceau avant cuisson.
- Enfourner les macarons pendant 10 minutes et laisser refroidir avant de les décoller.
- Vous pouvez déguster vos macarons tièdes ou froids.
- Pour mieux les conserver, mettez-les dans des boites en fer hermétiques.
