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| My latest batch of macarons, with framboise pastry cream |
I caved a couple days ago. I had 7 egg whites left over from the dinner last Saturday (they freeze well). Since my brain has been rewired to equate egg white with macarons (these are infectious confections), what else could I do?
I first attempted these a while back. On my first attempt ever, I was stunned they turned out so well. Macarons have a reputation for being extremely difficult to do. I did 3 batches in the oven and they all had 80-90% success rate. A few lumpy ones, a few oblong, but all had a shiny shell and well developed foot. That said, here is some evidence of what can go wrong. What a massacre. Thankfully, this doesn't happen anymore. That day was humid and I did not adjust my recipe for this fact. Now I know better.
The recipe is simple, involving a few ingredients. The execution is not so simple. These are delicate confections, and they will test your mettle.
The recipe is:
100% Egg White
140% Almond Flour
140% Confectioner's Sugar
140% Granulated Sugar
33% Water
Preparation
You'll need a couple bowls, and a small sauce pan. A thermometer and a kitchen scale.
Divide your egg white into two equal parts, e.g. if you have 100 grams of egg white, separate them into 2 small bowls 50 grams in each.
Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or silpat
The sauce pan should be very small because you have very little water.
Steps
1. Combine Almond flour and Confectioner's sugar and pulse in a food processor to mix and mill them to a fine powder. Set aside in a medium sized (1-2 liter non-reactive bowl...steel or glass)
2. Set Granulated sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat, stir only once or twice to help dissolve the sugar.
3. Meanwhile, whip half the egg whites to firm peaks.
4. When the syrup reaches 245 Fahrenheit, take off the heat and, working quickly pour it in a thin stream into your meringue. Whisk constantly.
This cooks your meringue and turns it into a opaque white mixture that should be silky and fall like ribbons.
5. Add the remaining egg white to the almond flour-sugar mixture and then fold in the cooked meringue. You can add flavorings (extracts of vanilla, almond, etc) or food coloring.
Stir to incorporate. Don't overstir, just enough to remove lumps
6. Put the batter into a piping bag fitted with a plain half inch opening.
7. Pipe 3/4 inch mounds of batter, separated by 1.5 inches.
8. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 285 F.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes.
10. Let cool completely before you try to remove them.
I first attempted these a while back. On my first attempt ever, I was stunned they turned out so well. Macarons have a reputation for being extremely difficult to do. I did 3 batches in the oven and they all had 80-90% success rate. A few lumpy ones, a few oblong, but all had a shiny shell and well developed foot. That said, here is some evidence of what can go wrong. What a massacre. Thankfully, this doesn't happen anymore. That day was humid and I did not adjust my recipe for this fact. Now I know better.
The recipe is simple, involving a few ingredients. The execution is not so simple. These are delicate confections, and they will test your mettle.
The recipe is:
100% Egg White
140% Almond Flour
140% Confectioner's Sugar
140% Granulated Sugar
33% Water
Preparation
You'll need a couple bowls, and a small sauce pan. A thermometer and a kitchen scale.
Divide your egg white into two equal parts, e.g. if you have 100 grams of egg white, separate them into 2 small bowls 50 grams in each.
Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or silpat
The sauce pan should be very small because you have very little water.
Steps
1. Combine Almond flour and Confectioner's sugar and pulse in a food processor to mix and mill them to a fine powder. Set aside in a medium sized (1-2 liter non-reactive bowl...steel or glass)
2. Set Granulated sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat, stir only once or twice to help dissolve the sugar.
3. Meanwhile, whip half the egg whites to firm peaks.
4. When the syrup reaches 245 Fahrenheit, take off the heat and, working quickly pour it in a thin stream into your meringue. Whisk constantly.
This cooks your meringue and turns it into a opaque white mixture that should be silky and fall like ribbons.
5. Add the remaining egg white to the almond flour-sugar mixture and then fold in the cooked meringue. You can add flavorings (extracts of vanilla, almond, etc) or food coloring.
Stir to incorporate. Don't overstir, just enough to remove lumps
6. Put the batter into a piping bag fitted with a plain half inch opening.
7. Pipe 3/4 inch mounds of batter, separated by 1.5 inches.
8. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 285 F.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes.
10. Let cool completely before you try to remove them.
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