flipMacarons d'Amiens
Macarons d'Amiens
Why this dish? Verne lived and died in Amiens, where he even served as a city councilor. The macaron d'Amiens, a large soft almond and honey patty, is the emblematic sweet of his adopted city — the treat offered to guests and served at bourgeois Picardy receptions.
Not the Parisian macaron with two shells, but the venerable Picardy macaron: a dense, melting, golden disc made from ground almonds, sugar, and honey, perfumed with a hint of bitter almond.
Amiens adopted me, and I took up its habits even in sugar. When we entertain at home, we place these almond and honey macarons on the table, thick as a patty and soft under the tooth — nothing of the affected lightness of Parisian pastry chefs. The almond is ground, bound with honey, and gilded in the oven without haste. Take it from a man of Picardy by adoption: a good macaron is worth a successful chapter.
- •Sweet almonds — in good quantity (base)
- •Sugar — as much as almonds (sweetness and binder)
- •Honey — a spoonful (softness and shine)
- •Egg whites — a few (binder)
- •Bitter almonds — a pinch (flavor)
Macarons d'Amiens
Not the Parisian macaron with two shells, but the venerable Picardy macaron: a dense, melting, golden disc made from ground almonds, sugar, and honey, perfumed with a hint of bitter almond.
Why this dish? Verne lived and died in Amiens, where he even served as a city councilor. The macaron d'Amiens, a large soft almond and honey patty, is the emblematic sweet of his adopted city — the treat offered to guests and served at bourgeois Picardy receptions.
Amiens adopted me, and I took up its habits even in sugar. When we entertain at home, we place these almond and honey macarons on the table, thick as a patty and soft under the tooth — nothing of the affected lightness of Parisian pastry chefs. The almond is ground, bound with honey, and gilded in the oven without haste. Take it from a man of Picardy by adoption: a good macaron is worth a successful chapter.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sweet almonds — in good quantity (base)
- Sugar — as much as almonds (sweetness and binder)
- Honey — a spoonful (softness and shine)
- Egg whites — a few (binder)
- Bitter almonds — a pinch (flavor)
Ingredients
- Ground almonds — 250 g (base)
- Powdered sugar — 200 g (sweetness)
- Honey — 1 tablespoon (softness)
- Egg whites — 2 (binder)
- Bitter almond extract — a few drops (flavor)
Method
- Mix the ground almonds, sugar, and honey in a bowl.
- Add the egg whites and bitter almond extract, work until a smooth, homogeneous dough forms.
- Form thick patties about 5 cm in diameter and let them rest for 1 hour (ideally overnight).
- Bake at medium heat (160 °C) for 12 to 15 minutes: they should be golden on the outside, soft inside.
- Let cool before removing — they keep for several days.
How it was made : The macaron d'Amiens has been documented since the 16th century and is still made in the city. In the 19th century, it was a renowned bourgeois specialty sold by Amiens confectioners — exactly the kind of sweet that circulated in the society Verne frequented.
The contemporary twist : Present three macarons stacked, tied with a fine kraft ribbon, like a "traveler's package" ready to board.
Sources : Documented regional specialty of Amiens (Picardy), attested since the 16th century
Jules Verne · Charactorium
