Yes, you read that right. Macaron, not macaroon. Macaroon = coconut cookie. Macaron (one 'o') = French meringue cookie. After a dozen wasted egg whites and three wasted evenings, I have beat the meringue. (Ha ha, get it!? I 'beat' the meringue ... sorry ;) )
I had never even heard of these cookies before a few months ago when I started blogging and suddenly they were everywhere! These beautiful little sandwich cookies of all variety of couleurs and parfums. I tried a few flavors and colors the previous failing times. Recently I got some flavored syrups (for this years chocolate truffles, post coming soon); one of the syrups is Rose, and it is absolutely divine. I wanted to make cookies for the ladies I get together with each month, and what would be better than pink rose flavored happiness?
Except for proof that my oven bakes horribly unevenly (I tried to hide that the cookies are lopsided in the pictures), they came out perfectly, little feet and all! I used an Italian meringue because it is supposed to be a more stable meringue, and I wanted to make an Italian buttercream filling. Like I said, I've never actually had macarons before. I know these look right, hopefully they taste right too! Here is my version of My Food Geek's macaron recipe.
Macarons
from www.myfoodgeek.com
Meringue
90 g egg whites
35 g sugar
75 g (ground) almonds
75 g confectioners sugar
Syrup
150 g sugar
50 g water
Combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and heat to 230 F.
Divide egg whites into 30 g and 60 g. (Eggwhites should be left to sit for a day so they are room temperature. I never plan that far ahead, though. I lightly whisk my eggwhites in a bowl set in hot water until they are room temp. Not the best, but it seems to be good enough.)
Whip 60 g eggwhite and 35 g sugar to soft peaks. Add the sugar syrup. Beat for another 10 - 15 minutes until the meringue is completely cooled and shiny.
Grind almonds in a food processor if they are not already ground. Add the confectioners sugar. Combine the remaining 30 eggwhites with the almond mixture. (This is also a good time to add food coloring.) Divide the meringue in half; add one half to the almond mixture. Fold together (Helen from Tartlette says not to use more than 50 strokes. An over mixed batter will yield flat cookies.)
Pipe onto a silicon mat or parchement paper. Bake at 320 F for about 10 minutes, or until the
dome of the cookie barely slides against the feet.
Christi's Rose Italian Buttercream
The other half of the meringue from the macarons
4 T shortening
3/4 c confectioners sugar
4 T rose syrup
Combine all the ingredients and whip until combined. (As the name implies, Italian Buttercream should have butter in it. But everytime I make it I think it tastes awful. Maybe that's just me. But I like it better with only shortening.)
4 comments:
Hey Christi, do you have some good recommendations for "baking essentials"? I'm doing a bakers gift basket for my sister n law and I am trying to think of awesome/inexpensive things that a baker would love.
Hmmm, I don't remember how $$$ these things are, but I can't live w/o my Microplane grater, a silpat mat, a candy thermometer, a good scraper, a good spatula, a pastry brush, a whisk, a scraper thingy (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=10164168&RN=104&), pastry blender, measuring spoons. Spices are great, too. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, cocoa powder. Maybe some frosting bags and tips if she's in to cupcake/cake decorating. Ok, I'll stop now ;)
Well done on the macarons! They look great!
Those look amazing! I've never tried making macarons since I don't eat eggs, but I had some a few years in France (before I was a vegan), and really, your look just as beautiful, and I'm sure they taste just as good. Well done!
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