Cooking Short Take Reviews, July 2011: Making Macarons

Are macarons the new cupcake? With the recent popularity of books like Hisako Ogita’s I Love Macarons and Cecile Cannone’s Macarons: Authentic French Cookie Recipes from the MacarOn Café, the newly trendy treat is becoming as prevalent on bookshelves as in patisseries. And yes, that’s “macarons,” not “macaroons,” although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. “Macaroon” generally refers to a coconut or almond drop cookie, while macarons are charming French sandwich confections. Whatever you call them, the best part about macarons (and their cookbooks) is that they’re small enough to have two, or three, or four at a time.

Abraham, Bérengère. Macarons. Spruce: Octopus, dist. by Hachette. 2011. 64p. photogs. ISBN 9781846013836. $12.99. COOKING
As in other recently published macaron cookbooks, French food writer Abraham here includes a full-color image for every recipe; however, her book is not as attractive as Annie Rigg’s Macarons or as conversational as Jill Colonna’s Mad About Macarons! It resembles José Maréchal’s Irresistible Macaroons in appearance, organization, and pictorial instructions, but lacks his more extensive explanations. This title has one strong selling point: it is the only one of this group that uses primarily American standards, such as measurements by volume and degrees in Fahrenheit. Useful for novice bakers.

Colonna, Jill. Mad About Macarons!: Make Macarons Like the French. Waverly, dist. by Interlink Pub. Group. 2011. 128p. photogs. ISBN 9781849340410. $15. COOKING
The wordiest of the bunch, this book will appeal to travel and food readers as well as bakers. Scottish-born Colonna writes extensively about her experience moving to France and searching for her place amid its culture, language, and cuisine. By revealing her own early uncertainties and ultimate successes, she makes macaron recipes approachable for apprehensive bakers. Introductions and detailed explanations of techniques are also helpful. However, the book’s busy, text-heavy aesthetic makes it less visually appealing than other recent macaron cookbooks. Uniquely, there is a section devoted to savory macarons (e.g., Thai Green Curry Macarons).

Maréchal, José (text) & Akiko Ida (photogs.). Irresistible Macaroons. S. & S. UK, dist. by Trafalgar Square. (Les Petits Plats Français). 2011. 72p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780857201096. $12.95. COOKING
Of the recent spate, this is the best book from which to learn the fundamentals of macaron making. Its pictorial instructions for basic macarons are extremely clear and approachable. They are accompanied by short, unintimidating explanations of ingredients and techniques and even a troubleshooting guide. Best of all, Maréchal (Divine Chocolate Desserts) includes desserts that use imperfect cookies, so there’s no worry or waste if a batch fails. Recipes tend toward the classics, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring; combinations like liquorice and violet or lemon and bergamot offer a fresh spin on tradition. Conversion tables are included in the back.

Rigg, Annie (text) & Kate Whitaker (photogs.). Macarons: Chic & Delicious French Treats. Ryland Peters & Small. 2011. c.64p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781849750851. $15.95. COOKING
With a sweetly modern style, this attractive book showcases Rigg’s (Fabulous Brownies) sense of playfulness with enticingly unorthodox flavors (chocolate and malted milk with coffee filling), shapes (ladyfingers stuffed with fresh blueberries), and color combinations designed to inspire. The simplicity that makes the book so picturesque also limits its audience. No explanations are provided for advanced techniques or specialty ingredients. The written instructions, though clear and with conversions to American measurements, are minimal, and unlike José Maréchal’s Irresistible Macroons and Bérengère Abraham’s Macarons, this book does not include images of each step. For experienced bakers only.