Meet Jill, Author of Mad About Macarons
Bonjour ! I'm Jill Colonna, the Scottish-French home cook behind Mad About Macarons. For 30+ years I've been cooking in Paris with - and for - my French family and friends, learning how the French really eat at home.
In 2019 I was treated for thyroid cancer, and it made me rethink everything I put on our plates. I cut right back on sugar and ditched ultra-processed shortcuts - then reworked our family's favourite French classics so they still feel indulgent, never overly sweet.
Here you'll find the everyday soups, salads, mains and desserts we actually cook - with clear, lighter recipes so you can skip the trial-and-error and head straight to "that worked!"
Behind the scenes it's just me: I develop, test and refine every recipe, take all the photos, and explain each step in plain English. You won't find packet mixes here - just real French food with less sugar, and more flavour.
Over the years this approach has grown into 3 cookbooks (including the original Mad About Macarons). Now you can Master Crème Caramel instantly - the first e-book in a new series with online courses - all designed to make elegant, make-ahead French desserts healthier and totally do-able at home.
What You'll Find Here
- Real food, made with seasonal, fresh ingredients
- Less sugar, more flavour
- Not all macarons - you'll also find savoury dishes and meals that the French really eat at home
- Mostly French, with the occasional Scottish classic - occasionally, a recipe from my Scottish roots sneaks in - usually family favourites that happen to sit beautifully alongside French food.
- Stories behind French classics. From Paris, I share the tales behind classic dishes - even fruit & veg sayings.
- I cite my recipe sources or inspiration to give credit where due.
- No AI - each recipe is tested & photographed by me, Jill.
- I don't count calories. As a family, we focus on taste, balance and the joy of eating well. See our 1st 5 ways to eat like the French.
If I can do it, so can you.
WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?
Why I'm Mad About Macarons
While working for 10 years in Paris's chic 16th, I first tasted the best Parisian macarons. What was all the fuss about and why so expensive? It was a costly hobby tasting them, so I set about making my own.
There were initial macaron failures at home, until I developed my own step-by-step recipe. It worked and kept on working! So I shared the fun and confidence it built in my 1st recipe book, taking any beginners' fear out of making macarons. As a result, I'm thrilled to have inspired now professional macaron bakers who started with this book!
After the book's launch at the BBC Good Food Show (Scotland), this blog was created to prove that everyday French cooking at home is easy and healthy.
Now I'm still mad about macarons - just less sugar, more flavour. Stay tuned, as the next recipes will be in my next e-book!
Why You'll See Ads on This Site
Mad About Macarons has been online for over 15 years. During that time I've shared hundreds of French recipes, baking guides and Paris food tips - all freely available to readers around the world.
As an independent creator working on my own, posts may contain affiliate links or advertising that help support the site. This helps cover the cost of running the website and allows me to continue developing new recipes, guides and videos.
Prefer an ad-free experience? Many of my recipes are also available in my e-books and courses.
FAQ
Baking Tips & Questions
Have baking questions? They may already be answered on the FAQ page - including oven temperature conversions.
As in France, I weigh out ingredients - any reference to volume in cups is given as an approximate guide.
For most recipes like soups and stews, it's not a problem if it's a few grams out. But for French cakes,pastries, tarts and macarons, use precise grams for consistent, successful results.
For more, see why the French use digital scales in cooking and baking.
For my American readers, see the glossary of UK-US-French baking terms so we'll speak the same language.
Jill Colonna's Macaron and Pastry Books
See book reviews. My first two pastry cookbooks are no longer in active print, and I don't receive royalties on any remaining copies sold from my previous publisher. So I'm now publishing my best recipes in new digital formats.
The latest e-book is something completely unique: Master Crème Caramel (2025) is an interactive collection of 5 Classic French desserts from Paris - using egg yolks (and keep the whites for macarons later). With step-by-step clickable visuals and tips, it's designed to give you confidence in the kitchen; it's the start of your exciting new series of e-books - and now online courses.
To find out more, join my custard list behind-the-scenes.
Books by Jill Colonna
THE MACARON COOKBOOK (2010)
Mad About Macarons
The 1st macaron recipe book published in the UK, inspired countless now-professional bakers.
FRENCH PASTRY (2015)
Teatime in Paris
The French's favourite teatime cakes & macarons - with a guide to top Paris pâtisseries.
NEW E-BOOK (2025)
Master Crème Caramel
Secrets to 5 Classic French Desserts from Paris - 1st in the e-book series.
Work with Me/Contact
Any questions about my books or about this blog? Anything you'd like to see here or in my videos?
*I DO NOT accept guest posts*.
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Let's talk about product features, French food & travel stories, and more.
Media file available on request.