Macaroons

Macaroons are small chewy cakes or cookies made from ground almonds or almond paste — or coconut — with sugar and egg whites, often baked on rice paper. Whipped egg white gives a crisp shell over a moist, chewy centre, the defining quality attribute; French-style macarons add ganache fillings, while coconut macaroons are denser and moister. Because they contain egg white and tree nuts (or coconut), allergen labelling is mandatory and cross-contact must be managed in mixed bakeries. Baking control — macaronage, resting to form a skin, oven temperature — determines feet, smoothness and chew, and the low-moisture product keeps well in airtight packaging.