Macarons make this kitchen go round

Your love life, sandwiched.

Source: China Squirrel

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Remember back when we had no idea that a macaron was different to a macaroon? For a brief moment in time, we had our meringue all confused with our coconut and no one was really sure what was going on.

And then we fell in love.

Macaroons are great and all, but have you ever been out with a macaron? That's love, baby. Sweet, sweet love.

Each biscuit is created perfectly imperfectly so no two are quite the same. That delicately crisp meringue shell melting enchantingly into its creamy centre, each bite an unfolding symphony... sorry, love has a way of bringing the hack poet out in us all.

Fortunately, the most wonderfully poetic thing about the macaron is that it's available to everyone. All of us, any time, because while the macaron presents as a high-maintenance princess in a castle in the clouds, at heart they're a simple sweet, no trouble to anyone.

Once you get to know them, of course.

French kiss

These are sandwiched with a dollop of meringue buttercream. Source: China Squirrel

It's love, so naturally, the French started the whole thing. It's only fitting that we celebrate their ingenuity with a batch of French flag macarons. Plus reveal their secrets: the trick to preventing macarons from cracking is to let them rest for an hour before baking. Shhh...

Chocolate coveted

Chocolate biscuit. chocolate filling, chocolate yes please. Source: The Chocolate Queen

A further secret to making the perfect macaron is to store them in the fridge for a few hours after baking, then bring them back to room temperature before serving. That's how you get the coveted chewy-crispy-melty texture. Practice the technique often using this chocolate macarons recipe.

Sweetly slammed

Just when you thought your love for macarons had reached its peak, it met Tim Tam. Source: The Scran Line

Take your chocolate macaron next level with this Tim Tam slam situation. All the chocolate you love rolled in crushed Tim Tam biscuits. Slam us up!

Mitey worthwhile

Blending salty and sweet, this is a very Australian take on France's culinary icon. Source: Nick Makrides

While we're on the subject of classic Aussie tastes, do you fancy adding a little Vegemite to your macaron? Hear us out: it works a lot like salted caramel, only saltier and sweeter and better.

Stripped down

The pared-down macarons of St-Emilion are also lovely to eat on their own with a cuppa. Source: Anson Smart

St-Emilion in the southwest of France is equally famous for macarons as Paris. These aren't posh city macarons, though. Rather, the rustic St-Emilion version consists of a single almond biscuit without ganache or fanfare. Which makes them perfect for layering with chocolate mousse to create your new die-for dessert.

Sound advice

Once mastered, homemade macarons will give you bragging rights forever. Source: SBS Food

Here's a recipe for a vanilla biscuit-chocolate cream macaron where renowned French pâtissier, Pierrick Boyer, steps us through the basics. He wisely counsels that macarons can take a little while to master, so keep trying. Fortunately, even a "failed" macaron using this recipe tastes divine.

Fancy affair

Beautiful pink meringues sandwiching raspberry sorbet, Chantilly cream and whole raspberries *chef's kiss*. Source: Guillaume's Paris

Trust Guillaume Brahimi to put a fancy spin on a classic. This is how to serve macarons at your next dinner party - a light and airy raspberry confection that is just as much art as dessert. Your guests won't know whether to eat it or hang it on a wall. Our advice? Eat the macaron.

Cherry bomb

The classic Cherry Ripe takes on our French favourite. Source: The Scran Line

Let's end our macaron mingling with a choc cherry blast. Chocolate macaron shells with a rich cherry filling - sound familiar in the best possible way?