If you haven`t tasted a Macaron yet, than you really can`t understand why people are so crazy about them. Am I right? No? Key then. :D
The first time I tried one was about two years ago, in Venice. I remember the classic flavours: lemon, berries and mint. I`m really sorry I can`t show you the picture but heck, they were amazing.
Like I said before, I am a texture seeker. What that means? I`m literally hunting for perfection each time I eat dessert. Yes, even if it`s a plain pudding, I want it silky, creamy, smooth and velvety, just like a pudding is meant to be.
So this is what I did with these capricious french meringue cookies. They are not hard to make: whipping egg whites, folding in rest of the ingredients and baking. Sound like baby work, isn`t it? Maybe you are wondering: what could go wrong? The answer is...everything. Just a few grams more of one ingredient and the batch is ruined. Mix the meringue too much and the batch is ruined. Add liquid food coloring and the batch is ruined. Baking them wrong (I`ll talk about that) and the batch is ruined.
I learned that the hard way, trust me...I`ve failed a couple of times and studied as hard as I usually do for an exam, just to get them right.
The first time I made them, I had the ugliest Macarons on earth and everybody was lying to me saying the looks didn`t matter, they were delicious. Of course I didn`t give up and spent my money on almonds, powdered sugar and all the other stuff I needed. They turned out with feet but were too thin and had air pockets. Need I say that they were so soft after 24 hours so I had to eat them with the spoon. I baked a third time with a friend and unfortunately, we had a quite bad experience with the oven (long story, folks). This was my fourth time making them. Actually, I can`t call this "making" because I worked and studied so much the entire process and now dream it.
The key is practice. Yes, practice. The first batch will almost never turn out right. You might get your Macarons with feet and everything but there will always be the interior and texture of the Macaron which won`t let you sleep at night.
Let me tell you more about how the perfect Macaron should look like:
Egg shell-like crust: First of all the egg shell is a bit harder, but you get the idea. It should be crispy.
"Feet" Don`t ask me why they are called like this. The feet are that bottom layer of the cookie which looks like a sponge. Due to the fact that the bottom of the meringue heats up faster and gets done quicker than the rest of the cookie, you`ll see that it rises and looks like a sponge.
Soft,almost spongy like interior: If your Macaron has empty spaces and not a cake-like interior than something was wrong. The batter was too thin, caused by over mixing. It is better to under mix than to over mix. When you put the batter into the piping bag and start piping the cookies, you`ll work it more. So, if it is over mixed there is really nothing you can do to your Macarons. They will not have feet, crack and they will brown while baked. A good Macaron should be slightly brown on the bottom, not everywhere.
You get it now? My batter was a bit under mixed at the begging and the first cookie I piped (left) cracked and had no foot. As I continued piping, the meringues came out perfect. Finally, the last three cookies I piped were over mixed. I don`t know if you can see that the edges are brownish and it cracked, showing the interior.
For more detailed information, see this page --> http://foodnouveau.com/2011/12/destinations/europe/france/a-macaron-troubleshooting-guide-useful-tips-and-advice-to-master-the-french-delicacy/.
There are plenty of other things I should be telling you, but this post would be too long and the upper information is the most important. I strongly advise you to click on that link if you are serious about making Macarons.
Living in a country where I could fine almond meal\flour would make my life a lot easier. But until then, this baker gotta grind the almonds by herself.
For best results, I buy almond flakes without skin and powdered sugar. I wouldn`t advise you to make your own powdered sugar because the store bought one contains cornstarch which helps the Macarons. If you are a rebel and like to live dangerously, go ahead and make your own powdered sugar. You are going to have a bad time. Been there, done that.
So, what was I saying? Making your own almond mean without turning it into paste. A food processor works best. Just toss the sugar first (to avoid making marzipan) followed by the almonds.
Sift it and your are ready to whip the whites, which have to be separated at least 24 hours ahead and left on your counter a few hours before beating them stiff.
As you can see in the two pictures above, I added the food coloring before the almond\sugar mixture. Why? Well, if you incorporate that nut mixture first and then add the food dye in, you`ll enter the danger zone: over mixing! And I already told(and showed) you what kind of results you`ll get.
Another important step is the way you fold. Do it gently, starting in the middle with large, circular movements. If you beat like crazy, you`ll deflate the egg whites for sure. Think that Macarons are little babies: handle them carefully.
After you did this step, the mixture should look like this:
I`m sorry for the low quality of this picture, but you get the idea. Some people compare the final batter with hot lava. It should be thick and fall in ribbons.
Now it`s time to pipe. Use a piping bag with a plain tip for best results. Hold the piping bag very close to the sheet, in a 90 degree angle. You can search for tutorials on Youtube on how to pipe Macarons. There are plenty.
I just believe this takes some practice as well. Also, using a template makes my life a lot easier. Just draw some circles on a white piece of paper and place it underneath the parchment paper. After you are done piping the Macarons, hold the parchment paper with your hand and carefully remove the template. Pay attention when doing this because you might make the cookies loose its shape.
Ok, so now that you done that, there is one more final step before you insert them in the oven at a low temperature.
Let them "dry" on your table for 30 to 60 minutes. Yes, this step leads to better results in case you stirred your batter a bit too much. How do you know they are dry? Well, when you touch the surface of the unbaked cookie with your finger, it will be slightly tacky and no wet batter should linger on your finger. See the pictures underneath:
See? It is the same Macaron my finger touched, but there are no traces. So make sure you don`t skip this step. I want you to get perfect results, just like I did.
There was no one to teach me how to do it and I realised how much it would have helped me. And, may I say, spare me from wasting my time and money. Subsequently to following these steps, you should get the a Macaron as good as the famous Ladureé.
The filling is made of rose extract and a secret ingredient that gives the Macaron a je ne sais quoi that makes you shiver when you have it on your tongue. And that little trick is...strawberry jam. Exactly. You don`t even feel it because I used just a small touch of it to cut out on the sweetness of the Macarons. And no, these do not taste like soap just because they are made with rose extract. It smells divine, like...like something dropped out of the Heaven. The Heaven of Sugar.
Of course I plan to make different flavors and combinations. What about a White Chocolate Pistachio Macaron, or a Lime Mint? I am also thinking of Honey Sesame, maybe Walnuts and Coffee? I could write an entire list.
Ingredients for 32 medium sized Macarons
3 large egg whites (aged for 24 hrs and room temperature)
35 gr granulated white sugar
135 gr blanched(without that dark skin) chopped almonds
210 gr powdered sugar
gel or powdered food coloring (don`t use liquid or it might change the texture of your Macarons)
Rose Filling:
70 gr soft butter
6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon rose extract or rose water
3 Tablespoons strawberry jam or preserves
pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Line 2 large baking trays with a double layer of parchment paper. Set aside.
If using already made almond meal, sift it with the powdered sugar. If you make your own, than put the powdered sugar in a food processor followed by the almonds and grind until very fine. Sift it. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg whites on low until they become frothy and start adding the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Fold in food coloring if using.
3. Fold in gently half of the sugar/almond mixture. Mix just until slightly combined, then add the rest of it. Once again, fold in just until the almond/ sugar is incorporated. Mixture should resemble lava. I know it sounds funny.
4. Using a piping bag with a round, plain tip, pipe little circles on the prepared baking trays. Bang each tray a few times on your counter to remove any air bubbles that may be trapped in the meringue.
Leave the cookies to dry for 30 to 60 minutes or until you pat them a bit with your finger and they are no longer sticky, but your finger should remain clean.
5. Bake them at 150 C/325 F/ lvl. 3 gas for 15 minutes or until you pat them and they are firm on their "feet". That means, when you apply a small pressure on them, the bottom, sponge-like layer, should not sink.
Take them out and leave them to cool completely in the pans. You should be able to remove them easily from the parchment paper.
Rose Filling:
Beat butter and powdered sugar until pale in color and fluffy. Add the strawberry jam, pinch of salt and mix once more. Finally, fold in the rose extract/rose water.
Take 2 cookies and sandwich them together with the rose filling. You might not be satisfied with the texture of the Macaron right away. They should be eaten only after 24 hrs to 48 hrs of "maturing". That`s because the filling will release its flavor into the meringue cookies and it will soften their texture a bit.
Enjoy!
