I have found the ultimate question. It is not a matter of the purpose of life, it is something bigger. How do you make the perfect macaroon? To me the macaroon is the “Devon Life” of biscuits; it is extravagantly coloured, undeniably delectable and unashamedly middle class.
But the ultimate needs an ultimate answer.
The history of the macaroon is a long and complex one. It is said to have originated from the African French colonial state of Makroon close to present day Cameroon. The fable goes that they were created by a chef who needed to impress his mother in law upon realising his fridge was empty except for an egg a coconut and some sugar. So he tried some culinary invention, and so the macaroon was born. Unfortunately his mother in law did not enjoy them, so to prevent marital strife he claimed they were a gift from God .This is where the name originated - from “mahceroom`,” the Arabic for gift from Allah.
The biscuit had a growth in popularity in Makroon till it was decided to name the country after the biscuit. During the European colonisation of the country the recipe of the macaroon was stolen by the French who took it back to Europe as a symbol of the exotic; Napoleon tried to get the biscuit named after himself. The macaroon was lambasted by Karl Marx, who said it was an icon of the petit bourgeoisie and also the capitalist obsession with greed and consumption to the detriment of the proletariat.
Somewhere in the history of the macaroon there was schism between those who believed that it should be created out of almond and those who thought coconut. This lead to many disputes between culinary establishments, and ended with rude comments surrounding the size of their … rolling pins and the wooden spoon of eternal suffering, still feared by chefs today. Later debates involved the use of rice paper, chocolate topping, and cooking times.
In conclusion this is my take on the perfect macaroon
Ingredients
6oz of caster sugar 3oz of semolina
3oz of ground almonds 2 medium eggs white
First beat the eggs till they are white, frothy and creamy. Then mix the caster sugar, ground almonds and semolina using the bluntest of knives. The addition of semolina for those that are wondering is due to the theory of contrasting textures, which is the same reason why curry is served with poppadoms. The mixture then created should not be to wet or sticky; semolina can be added to soak up excess moisture. Balls of the mixture can be formed using an opposing circular motion of the hands. The mixture should then be cooked under an intense, passionate heat till crisp and heavenly golden. For the most exciting, gastronomic experience the macaroons should be placed in a tin for a couple days to ensure moist, smooth and delicious biscuits.
Allah be with you
The divinely inspired Black Moses
But the ultimate needs an ultimate answer.
The history of the macaroon is a long and complex one. It is said to have originated from the African French colonial state of Makroon close to present day Cameroon. The fable goes that they were created by a chef who needed to impress his mother in law upon realising his fridge was empty except for an egg a coconut and some sugar. So he tried some culinary invention, and so the macaroon was born. Unfortunately his mother in law did not enjoy them, so to prevent marital strife he claimed they were a gift from God .This is where the name originated - from “mahceroom`,” the Arabic for gift from Allah.
The biscuit had a growth in popularity in Makroon till it was decided to name the country after the biscuit. During the European colonisation of the country the recipe of the macaroon was stolen by the French who took it back to Europe as a symbol of the exotic; Napoleon tried to get the biscuit named after himself. The macaroon was lambasted by Karl Marx, who said it was an icon of the petit bourgeoisie and also the capitalist obsession with greed and consumption to the detriment of the proletariat.
Somewhere in the history of the macaroon there was schism between those who believed that it should be created out of almond and those who thought coconut. This lead to many disputes between culinary establishments, and ended with rude comments surrounding the size of their … rolling pins and the wooden spoon of eternal suffering, still feared by chefs today. Later debates involved the use of rice paper, chocolate topping, and cooking times.
In conclusion this is my take on the perfect macaroon
Ingredients
6oz of caster sugar 3oz of semolina
3oz of ground almonds 2 medium eggs white
First beat the eggs till they are white, frothy and creamy. Then mix the caster sugar, ground almonds and semolina using the bluntest of knives. The addition of semolina for those that are wondering is due to the theory of contrasting textures, which is the same reason why curry is served with poppadoms. The mixture then created should not be to wet or sticky; semolina can be added to soak up excess moisture. Balls of the mixture can be formed using an opposing circular motion of the hands. The mixture should then be cooked under an intense, passionate heat till crisp and heavenly golden. For the most exciting, gastronomic experience the macaroons should be placed in a tin for a couple days to ensure moist, smooth and delicious biscuits.
Allah be with you
The divinely inspired Black Moses
