Ever seen those tiny round-shaped desserts with vibrant colors? Well, those are macarons with their smooth outer and fillings bursting with flavors and deliciousness. Macarons originated in France and have a base of egg white, almond flour, and sugar along with the type of fillings used.
These tiny chewy sweet treats are made of various flavors and colors that it can get very hard to choose from. But the taste never disappoints no matter which flavor it is. It is so delicious and rich that it becomes a little hard to explain in words. But, we have tried our best to explain every little detail of the taste of macarons along with some other questions that may arise with it.
However, we need to admit that no matter how long we write, it will never be equivalent to trying one by yourself and finding out the perfect balance of sweet and savory captured inside a little round shaped biscuit like dessert that has been ruling the world of sweetness since the renaissance period.
What Do Macarons Taste Like
Once you bite a macron, first you will get the essence of almonds while the air pockets crunch in your mouth. Then as you reach the filling you will get the chewy sweet filling like a jam that doesn’t stick to your teeth. Both together you will get a savory taste of bits of shells and flavors creating a balanced sweetness.
The taste of macarons is a wide range of flavors with a base of sweetness. As a dessert, it has to be sweet, but the good thing is unlike other desserts the sweetness doesn’t linger in your mouth or throat. As the shells are made of almonds, they provide a nutty slightly crunchy flavor with a fragrance of almonds.
But the distinct flavors depend entirely on the filling. You can choose flavors like strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, salted caramel, tiramisu, vanilla, blackberry, choco peanut butter, coconut, etc. Almost like the different flavors of cones, macaron shells carry the ultimate flavors between them in the shells. The shells are chewy, sweet, flavorful, and rich.
However, it doesn’t make you feel full even after eating two to three macarons despite being rich in carbs, fat, etc. The best thing about macarons is that the sweetness never overpowers the essence and flavors of the entire macaron. No matter what filling you use the taste will always be subtle, chewy, a bit sweet, and savory.
Balance of Filling and Outer Shells
Of course, it wouldn't be a perfect ratio everywhere or all the time. But originally, macarons are supposed to have a 1:1 ratio of shell to Filling. Some places might also use more shells and less filling which would make it 2:1. However, it is never the other way around.
If you see the filling spilling out of the crust, that is probably not the best macaron and will be mostly creamy and softer than it should be. The filling should be seen from the outside, so if it doesn't it might be underfilled.
You can try to lightly press the shells with your two fingers to see the fillings, if you can see it, that's the right type of macaron you should go for. Get a pack of almond flour here to kick start your macaron making journey at home.
The Texture of the Filling
The filling would not be creamy but it would be rich and soft. You wouldn't feel it in your teeth after you are done. It would have little moisture but would not be moist. You can expect a light, chewy, rich flavor that wouldn't make you full after you've eaten two or three.
The different feelings will have different tastes but the overall filling shouldn't be too sweet, a bit chewy, soft, flavorful, and a whole lot delicious. Fillings can range from jam to ganache. Depends on the flavor and type you are getting.
Shell’s Texture
First of all, the shell of the macaron should always be smooth. It should not have any bumps, crust, edges, or anything. If it's not smooth, that would mean that the almond that was used wasn't grounded very well.
Well-grounded almonds would make a smooth outer shell that is airy inside. It would be very smooth and thin that once you press a little harder with your finger it would crumble apart.
The shells will have hollows filled with air inside them that gives them a thin and crunchy texture. But it wouldn't be a hard shell. A hard shell wouldn't give you the best taste of airy outer with chewy light filling. It would taste more like a biscuit with fillings.
Most Popular Flavors
Pistachio
From ice cream to macarons, pistachios are always a great hit. For pistachio lovers, macarons bring you the richest and smoothest taste of pistachio filled inside the crunchy chewy shells.
Chefs usually use pistachio paste along with almond powder to create this flavor. The filling with have crushed almonds and pistachios to give you the original taste.
Tiramisu
Who doesn’t like the mindblowing taste of tiramisu? When tiny macarons carry that taste, it becomes ten times tastier. This is why tiramisu macarons are an all-time favorite among people. It is made with cocoa powder and espresso powder.
To enhance the essence of tiramisu, like the pastries, you will see powdered cocoa powder on top of the shells that make the visuals and taste both top the list of macarons taste list.
Chocolate
The classic flavor that is an all-time champion when it comes to any dessert. Macarons are different. Chocolate flavors macarons are one of the most common flavors but it is still very delicious. The chocolate inside brings a rich taste and it blends very well with the almond flavor of the shell.
Blackberry
Before the taste let’s appreciate how visually pleasant this macaron looks. The lavender color will most definitely catch your eye no matter what other flavors are in the row.
With the vibrant purple color on the shells, the fillings are created with actually frozen blackberries. If you are a blackberry lover, you are very lucky in the macaron sector to have the best of both.
Coconut
The special type of macaron has a coconut essence while the white chocolate makes the taste even better. You will get the coconut smell while the filling will be drizzled with bits of coconuts once you take a bite.
Together you will get a slightly sweeter and more eccentric taste. On top of that it comes with health benefits. Coconut macarons are good for your tummy health!
Cookies and Cream
We already talked about how chewy and tasty the macaron fillings should be. What if we add the creamy flavor to it and cover the edges with crushed Oreos? It sounds very mouthwatering because it is! Cookies and cream are like a match made in heaven. Once they bring it to macarons the flavors are like none other.
Margarita
Alcohol lover? Macarons got you! Margarita-flavored macarons are made with lime zest, lemon juice, and tequila. Another great flavored great looking macaron on the list.
This one has vibrant yellow color while having strong lemon essence and margarita flavor. If you are arranging an all-adult party where you want all the good-looking macarons to line up, keep this on your list.
How to Serve Macarons
Before learning how to serve, you can watch this video to make macarons at your home!
Just like any other dessert, macarons should be served with other beverages or dishes. The traditional way is to serve it with hot tea and put them on a dessert stand. You can also add them with chocolate fondue, on top of a bowl of ice, or even order a macaron cake.
People also serve macarons with champagne, which is classic because it goes so well with each other. Since it has so many flavors, it is better to serve a few flavors together so that your guest can have a choice to choose from.
Conclusion
Now that we have tried to give you a sneak peek at the world of macarons a bit, it is time for you to go to a store and pick a macaron yourself to judge the taste. We can promise that no matter what flavor you choose if the macaron is made right it will be one of the best desserts you have tasted and worth every penny.
Next time you arrange a dessert party at your house, don’t forget to add sweet and savory treats to the list to impress your guests.
