Coconut macaroons are the most common macaroon in North America.
Macaroons are one of the most popular cookies in the world even if the definition of a macaroon varies by culture. The composition of macaroons varies by region, making a definitive definition for a macaroon impossible to pinpoint. In some countries, they are light and similar to a meringue, while in the United States, they are dense and chewy and usually contain coconut.
Scottish Macaroons
The Scottish macaroon is a sweet cookie with a creamy, dense fondant center. The fondant is covered in dark chocolate and topped with roasted coconut. Older versions of the Scottish Macaroon were made of cold, mashed potatoes and a sugar loaf. Modern ingredients include sugar, glucose, water and egg white, which form the fondant center. The addition of coconut was added in the 1930s when a Scottish candy-maker ruined a fondant bar and threw coconut on top of the chocolate to hide the mistake, producing the first Scottish Macaroon bar.
Coconut Macaroons
Coconut macaroons are probably the most well-known variety of macaroons and originate in North America. Most commercially produced coconut macaroons are dense, soft cookies that have a moist makeup and sweet flavor similar to an angel food or pound cake. These cookies are covered in toasted coconut and sometimes dipped in chocolate. These macaroons are made by piping the batter through a pastry bag with a star tip on it. Because coconut macaroons lack wheat and leavening ingredients, they are commonly eaten in many households during Passover.
French Macarons
French Macarons are a light, sweet cookie made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond and fruit juice or food coloring. These cookies are often filled with buttercream, jams, jellies, chocolate or fruit curds. The French name for the French cookie is derived from the Italian word "maccarone" or "maccherone." This word means crush or beat, and is used to reference the way the cookie is made. The cookies are smooth and delicate. Popular flavors include raspberry, chocolate, grapefruit, chocolate, green tea, orange and many more.
Italian Macaroons
Some of the first known macaroons were made of an almond meringue, similar to the amaretti cookie. These cookies had a crisp crust, a soft interior and were made with egg whites and almond paste. The word for the macaroon comes from the Italian word for paste, "maccarone," and is also the word for pasta macaroni and dumplings. Many historians believe that macaroons can be traced to an Italian monastery where it was believed these monks made the first known macaroon cookies.
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