les macarons

one of my Paris trip highlight was macarons tasting... i have tried 3 world class macarons - Ladurée, Pierre Hermé, and Angelina. i love them all. i'm not macaron expert, i can't do any critiques, i simply love it. tho i love them a lot, I can only take two macarons at the max, they are too sweet to my typical asian taste.

i've tried most of the flavor except for licorice, the charcoal black color does not appeal to me...pistacio, lemon and raspberry are some of my favourite... after trying world famous macarons, i need to work harder to master the technique of making macarons.

i love looking at these colorful little jewels more than eating them. they are stunning and eyes-catching...

happy macarons!

Ladurée

 

Pierre Hermé

  

Angelina

Italian Meringue Macaron

I'm a girl with no sweet tooth. Neither Tony nor Ryan are dessert person. Wondering who eats all the baked goodies? Rest assure that when I offered it to my co-worker, it will disappear in no time.

I enjoy baking. I bake, I photograph, you eat!

Seeing my family and friends enjoy and appreciate my baking is the best reward. And it's the momentum to keep me baking!

After I did French meringue mac, I wanted to try Italian meringue method. I know it's Tuesday, but I can't wait until Saturday. Once I decided of doing something, I just cannot stop.

Italian meringue method requires thermometer. As I was studying the Italian meringue steps, I know I have everything I needed. Little did I know, the thermometer I bought few months ago was for meat and fish! What's wrong with that? Apparently, the reading is only go up to 210F, anything above that just read "HI". I wasn't planned intentionally to get a meat thermometer, I want A thermometer, so, I simply pick up one from the shelf. Now, I know there is a thermometer called 'candy/sugar thermometer'.

Okay, now, we are ready to rock n roll.

Macarons (Italian Meringue Method)


150g blanched almond, whole or ground
150g icing/powdered sugar
60g egg whites, aged 2 days

60g egg whites, room temperature
150g granulated sugar

35g granulated sugar (for the meringue)
50g water

Tools:

2-3 baking sheets

Candy thermometer

Large pastry bag with #12 tips (or similar sized round tip, little under 1cm)

Steps:

1.  Combine the almonds, powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a
     good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Do the same if you’re using
     already grounded almonds. Set aside.

2.   In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the aged egg
     whites in medium speed to a foam, gradually add the 35g sugar. (Make
     sure your mixer's bowl and whisk attachment are free of any traces of oil.
     Any of these will not give you the peak that you need).

3.   In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water and cook over
      medium-low heat until it reaches 230F. Remember to NOT stir the syrup
      as you will end up with crystallized mass.   

4.  When your sugar syrup reaches 230°F pull it off the heat, reduce the speed
     of your mixer to low speed, and slowly pour in the syrup. You want to let
     the mixture trickle down the side of the bowl, so it doesn't splatter and
     get tossed onto the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and
     continue beating for 5 minutes until you get a stiff glossy meringue.

5.   Meanwhile, blend together the room temperature egg white with the
     almond-sugar mixture. Add them to the meringue, give it a quick strokes
     at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not
     take more than 30 strokes. Don't overfold the batter as every additional
     stroke will thinning the batter. You should still see a little peak after you
     pipe, but the peak should disappear or almost disappear after rest.

6.   Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the batter. If the batter is
     right, it will ooze from the tip slowly under its own weight. Pipe small
     rounds (1.5 -2 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats
     lined baking sheets.

7.   Allow the macaron to rest for 15 minutes or longer to harden their shells a
     bit. Bake at 325F for 14 minutes.

8.    Remove from the oven, let cool completely.

5.         

  

        

 

Because the macaron is color-less, I decided to play with the filling. Again, I used the ready-to-use cream: chocolate, vanilla, and I mix some violet color to the vanilla to get the purple filling.  

I never tried the Parisian macaron, but I think my macaron isn't bad at all. I actually was impressed. For the look, I truly prefer the Italian meringue method as it produces the smooth shells. For the taste, hmmm, both taste the same - super sweet! That's not true, both are delicate but the texture and taste aren't quite the same.

I considered both French meringue and Italian meringue were quite success, for a first timer. The Italian meringue method may look complicated, it's actually easy to work with compare to the French method.

Green tea macaron (French Meringue)

Macaron is my new love. Before I started my first batch of macaron, I have been reading/researching and make myself familiar with this newly love.

When most people here heard the word macaroon, they think of a chewy mound of shredded coconut. Don’t get confused. That’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about French Macaron – a sweet confection. The confectionary is characterized by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference (the feet!!!), flat base, mildly moist and melted into mouths.

I have two trays of macaron and was baked separately. After the first tray went in the oven, I was like a little girl anxiously waiting in front of the oven. I was overjoyed to see the feet started to form. Ryan curiously sees me squatting in front of the oven laughing to myself. He joined me.

First tray turns out uncooked inside, return to the oven for a few more minutes. The shells were wrinkled and shrunk a little due to the over baking. Though it’s not too too bad, but I was a little depressed.

Learn from my mistake, I turn the heat up a little bit more. I wasn’t holding much hope. The second tray was turned out surprisingly ‘handsome’. It fulfilled all the characteristic of a macaron. It’s smooth, domed top, first and foremost, it has feet!! Oh~ it has feet! I was quickly lifted from deep valley to the top of world.

From here, I know why even a professionals struggle with macaron. Now I know the chances to bake macaron is actually 50/50. What work in my kitchen may not necessary work in yours. So, you need to experiment your ingredients, in your kitchen, in your oven.

Someone told me, French will not do macaron on rainy days. The humidity plays a huge factor to the outcome of the macaron.

Without further ado, here’s the macaron recipe adapted from Tartelette (I did some adjustment).

French meringue method:

For the shells:
110g blanched almonds, whole or ground
90g  egg whites, aged (about 3)
30g granulated sugar
200g powdered sugar
2tbsp green tea powder

1.        In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam at medium-low speed, gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue. It should takes about 8 mins to get the glossy meringue.
Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry. (Note: make sure your egg whites are free of any yolks. And your mixer's  bowl and whisk attachment are free of any traces of oil. Any of these will not give you the peak that you need. Add a few drop of lemon juice or 1/4tsp of cream of tartar to help strengthen your meringue if you're beating
2.     Combine the almonds, green tea and powdered sugar in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Do the same if you’re using already grounded almonds.

3.        Add them to the meringue, give it a quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more folds.

4.        Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1.5 – 2 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets.

5.        Preheat the oven to 300F.

6.        Pick up the pan with both hands, hold it level, tap it onto the counter several times to bring up any air bubbles. Pop the bubbles with a toothpick. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 15 minutes, one sheet at a time. Let cool.

   

For the filling: you can use any ganaches, buttercream, mascarpone cream or cream cheese. Here I use buttercream.

Give it a shot, don't be discouraged! And not to worry, if they didn't turn out very well, they still taste good.