Sharing My Heart (s)

It's just about Pumpkin time... and I'm ready to bake some yummy fall treats.  But I've had these heart macaron pictures since the early summer, waiting to make their debut.  Problem is I couldn't get a really good picture, so I held back from posting.

I decided today before I move on with the season, I must post the pictures anyway, and explain how they came to be.  These are vanilla macarons with a lemon swiss buttercream filling.  Yeah - they taste really good.  You can use this or this macaron recipes, or any of the hundreds of other recipes online.  The lemon swiss buttercream recipe is from my favorite food blogger, Stella at Bravetart.  Absolutely yummy!

I haven't been making macarons for very long, but once I started I quickly got obsessed.  So I was making them pretty regularly, for no real reason other than to make them (by the way,  macarons  freeze wonderfully unfilled, and thaw quickly).

So a very good friend who was getting married soon was trying to figure out the wedding cake thing - how do you feed 150 people without breaking the bank?  Have you seen the price of wedding cakes?!

Having watched me in the kitchen baking away at these cute little macarons, she wondered if it was possible to make them into a heart shape?  She had an idea.  Of course I said, 'Nope."  Can't possibly.  I can barely make them round.  But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be a fun thing to try; another way to feed my obsession.  So I said I would try.

And before I knew it, I was knocking these little hearts out like nobody's business.  This is before they were baked.  They are about 1 1/2" at the widest point, and about 1 1/4" in height.

Here are some out of the oven.  As you can see, they don't all come out quite like hearts.  Some of them have a Mickey Mouse style to them. And some of them were simply blobs. 

 Oh - and then there was this one.  I like to think of it as "art."  (I don't know how it happened, honest)

So by the end, I had a freezer filled with hundreds and hundreds of little pink hearts ready to be matched up and filled with lemony goodness.  The plan was to have a small traditional wedding cake, and then have a sheet cake (filled with lemon swiss buttercream) to be served to the masses at the wedding.  Each slice of the sheet cake would have a swirl of buttercream, and the heart would be tucked into the swirl.  It was really lovely.  Unfortunately - I don't have a good picture, but this will give you an idea.

And of course, by the end of the evening, we all broke into the 'macaron conga dance.'

And they lived happily ever after...  XOXO

Now onward to Fall  ..bring  on the pumpkin and fresh cranberries!

French Macarons, Round 2

And this is clearly the winner!   Look Ma! No nipples or hollows! Just beautiful feet!

 OK - so only someone who has baked macarons will understand that last statement.  

Yes - I thought I had these down to perfection when I posted Macarons last time.  I mean, they were beautiful, and delicious, and only had the slightly hint of nipple.  But they had one problem that no one who ate them cared about... except me.  Hollow!  A macaron bakers' second worse nightmare (first is no feet).

What is (are??) the macaron feet??  See just under the very top of the macaron shell - the kind of crumbly looking part (it's not really crumbly) - that's the foot.  We like them big :-)  What's the nipple?  If you look at this picture - the yellow macaron in the right front - you'll know what I mean.  And the hollow... well ... it's when there's a big air space between the top of the macaron and the bottom feet.  Here's a picture I found online.  Mine were worse.  I didn't take a picture.

The recipe I started with is from Bravetart and as much as I love Stella and her recipe (and her blog is simply one of my favorites because she is a fabulous pastry chef and fun blogger), I knew I had to venture out to try other recipes to get me past the 'hollow' hump.  Still - it was her blog and recipe that got me going on my quest for macaron perfection.

I don't know if you've looked recently (or ever, for that matter!), but there are a zillion recipes/blogs/youtube videos out there for making macarons.  There's the French method, and there's the Italian method.  I started with French and I'm sticking with it (I don't need anymore dirty bowls).  It's fascinating, because all of the recipes use egg whites, sugar/powdered sugar/almond flour - but everyone has different proportions and slight (or not so slight) variations in technique.  Yet they all seem to have beautiful pictures of macarons.  How can that be?  These are fussy little buggers, but somehow different proportions and different techniques work for people anyway.  (Of course, only a brave few actually show the inside of their macarons, where hollows hide).

So with a new recipe to try, and some changes in technique (more traditional)  - I did it!  Look - no hollows!

Simply chewy goodness with flavors that pop, that you can only find in a French macaron.

This recipe comes from Ms. Humble at Not So Humble Pie, who took a scientific method to come to her own proportions of egg white-sugar-almond flour that should bake up into a perfect macaron.  And hey, it worked!  I mean, after all, baking is about science as much as anything else, isn't it?

So with her proportions, and using some pretty traditional techniques, I got me some pretty darn good macs.

The more I make these (and I have been making them at every opportunity, including for no reason at all), the more I start experimenting with fillings.  So many possibilities!  These are vanilla bean macs with a strawberry cream cheese filling.  I ground up freeze dried strawberries and mixed it with the cream cheese and some powdered sugar.  The color comes only from the strawberries, along with an intense strawberry flavor.  Yes - freeze dried fruit - the sky's the limit on fillings.

So!  Today's recipe from Not So Humble Pie, with minor changes in technique:

Ingredients:

• 120 grams Almond Meal/Flour
• 200 grams Powdered Sugar
• 100 grams Egg Whites (I don't age them, but I try to leave them out for at least an hour, or as much as a day)
• 30-35 grams Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean, scrapped
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Prep your pans.  Line two (heavy weight) baking sheets with parchment paper, and have your pastry bag with tip ready.  (I use a template I made - I traced 1 1/2 inch circles on piece of parchment and then I put it under my baking parchment.  You can see the circles through the top piece.  Then after they are all piped - I pull the bottom sheet out and reuse it next time.)


2. Add the almond meal and powdered sugar to your food processor and pulse  for 15 seconds or so. Then sift, tossing any bits leftover that don't make it through.


3. Start beating the egg whites on low (about 4 on a kitchen aid) using the whip attachment  for about a minute (until foamy), and then add the salt, followed by the sugar and beat for another minute. (about 2 minutes total)


4. Add in the vanilla bean caviar and turn the mixer up to medium (6 on kitchen aid) for about 2 minutes. 


5. Add any food coloring, and then turn the mixer up to high (8 on kitchen aid) for about 2 minutes.  This is where you really need to pay attention so you don't overbeat.  The whites should be stiff, but not overly dry.  They should hold stiff peaks.


6. Remove the beater whip and bang it against the bowl to remove any egg whites.


7. Add about 1/3 of the the almond meal/sugar mixture to the egg whites, and start folding it in.  You don't have to be particularly gentle - you actually want to deflate the egg whites somewhat.  Once incorporated, add another 1/3, and repeat until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.   Now you REALLY want to pay attention to it.  You want to keep folding it until it gets to a "lava-like" consistency.  If you pick some up and drop it back down into the bowl, it should blend back into the batter after about 20 seconds.  Be careful not to overmix.  When  you think you're getting close, do another one or two folds and test it again.


8. When you have the batter just right (!), transfer it to your piping bag.


9. Start piping out the batter onto the pre-traced circles, staying just inside the edge of the circle.  Don't worry if you don't get it perfect.  I get my share of oval macarons.  Practice is what it's about.


10. When you've piped your first tray, rap the tray against the counter 3 or 4 times to remove any air bubbles that might be lurking within your macarons.  Repeat with your second tray.


11. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, you can preheat the oven to about 300 degrees.  That's the temperature that works for me - you'll have to experiment with your own oven. 


12. After about 30 minutes, when the macs are no longer tacky to the touch (lightly), you can put your first tray in the oven (I haven't had luck baking two trays at a time).  They take about 15-16 minutes for me - but again, you'll have to experiment with your oven.  How do you know when they're done? What I've been doing is very lightly nudging the top of one (usually an ugly one) to see if the top is loose - it will move slightly.  If it's loose I leave it in for another couple of minutes and test again.  You want that top on securely.


13. When the first tray is done, let them cool on the tray on a cooking rack for a while, before peeling them off.  Put the second tray in.


14. Once completely cooled, you can gently pull them off the parchment (If  there are some sticky spots just nudge it lightly with a sharp knife.  TIP: These babies are delicate. Always handle them gently on their sides.  If you grab them on their delicate tops, you'll probably put a hole in them.  Ask me how I know...


15. Match up bottoms and tops close in size, and put them together (carefully) with your favorite filling - then into the refrigerator they go in an air tight container for at least overnight.  That's when the magic happens!  Trust me.  Take them out about 15 minutes before serving.  I generally keep them in the refrigerator unless they are being served or eaten.

 Fillings I've used (no recipes - just to taste)

• Chocolate ganache: made with heavy cream OR coconut milk, and bittersweet chocolate.
• Lemon cream cheese: made with  cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and a little lemon juice
• Strawberry cream cheese: made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ground freeze dried strawberries.

I'm not a huge buttercream fan, but at some point I'll probably start using it in fillings. Meanwhile, I'm already thinking about what filling to try next!

Bon Jour! French Macarons!

And Happy New Year!
A French Macaron (pronounced mac-a-ron), made with almond meal and egg whites, is not a Macaroon (pronounced mac-a-roon) made with coconut and egg whites (and often other stuff). What you see here is a macaron. I've been surprised at how many people I know have never heard of a macaron.

And of course, they're naturally gluten-free.

I put off making these babies for a long time because, well, I was intimidated. I knew they were challenging, but I knew that eventually I would try. I finally tried, and failed. Twice. It's all about getting the batter at the right consistency. First time I overmixed it (and then I overbaked), and second time I undermixed it. I think I had to get it wrong both ways before I figured out the right consistency.

The good news is they tasted great, even though they looked funny (no, I did not take pictures).

The ones here are made with blanched Almond meal/flour (and while I love Bob's Red Mill company and products, I buy my blanched Almond meal from Honeyville Farms at almost half the price). But I have also made them Trader Joes Almond Meal with skins on, and it works as long as you sift it a couple of times.



I have probably read 30 blogs and websites about making macarons, and I found it interesting to see the slightly different techniques used (and not used). But somehow they all seemed to end up with beautiful pictures of Macarons.

The blog I found the most helpful, and who's recipe I used (with minor tweaks) is from Stella at Bravetart, who is a professional macaron baker (hello.... can you say 'dream job'). Really good and sometimes amusing explanations and descriptions, with an emphasis on what's important when making macarons, and what's not. Worth a read (or two) if you're considering making macarons.

From what she describes, and from what I've read other places, and most importantly, from what I found in my own Macaron-baking experience, here's what stands out for me:

• I've used both almond meal with skin on and blanched Almond Meal. They both work just fine - but it's important to sift it first, no matter which one you use, but especially for the meal with the skin on. If you're left with a few bits that simply won't sift, just add it in - it won't hurt the batter.


• The temperature of your egg whites really doesn't matter. I've used them just a few minutes after taking them out of the refrigerator. Most recipes say they need to get to room temperature or set out for a day or more. Yikes!


• Unless you have a big commercial oven - don't try and bake more than one tray at a time, at least, that's been my experience.


• The good news is you can pipe the macarons and put the first tray in the oven immediately while the other(s) sit out and wait their turn. Most recipes say the piped macarons should sit out for 30-minutes or more. I have found it makes no difference.


• Great tip: trace circles onto your parchment paper using a cookie cutter (1 1/2"), and then turn paper over onto your baking sheet. You can still see the circles to use as a guide when you're piping the batter.


• Great tip: Get everything prepped before you actually start mixing it up. I get my ingredients weighed, my circles drawn, by my pastry bag ready, etc. so that once I start the process I don't have to stop in the middle to prepare an ingredient.


• Great tip: To fill your pastry bag without it all smooshing out the tip, twist the bag right above the tip and clip it closed with a binder clip. Set it in a tall glass or container. Fill the bag with the batter. When you're ready to pipe, just lift and remove the clip.


• These taste great when they are freshly made, BUT, something magically happens to the flavor and texture when you refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight, and then let them come to room temperature. Really. Amazing.

Here's the recipe from Bravetart (slightly modified)

French Macarons
Ingredients:

• 4 oz Almond Meal/Flour
• 8 oz Powdered Sugar
• 5 oz Egg Whites
• 2 1/2 oz Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean, scrapped, or 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Almond Extract (not in original recipe)
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and have your pastry bag with tip ready.


2. Add the almond meal and powdered sugar to your food processor and process for 15 seconds or so. Then sift, adding any bits that don't sift into the mix.
3. Combine egg whites, sugar, vanilla bean scrapings (not extract) and salt in your stand mixer bowl and using the Whip beater attachment, whip for 3 minutes at medium (about setting 4 on a Kitchenaid)


4. Increase the speed to medium-high (setting 7) for another 3 minutes.


5. Then increase the speed to 8 for another 3 minutes.


6. Turn off the mixer and add any additional flavorings or colors - this is when I add the Almond extract and/or Vanilla extract - and whip for a minute to blend. The egg whites will be *very* dry and stiff.


7. Remove the beater and bang it against the side of the bowl to remove all of the egg whites.


8. Add the almond meal/sugar mixture to the egg whites, and start folding it in (counting your folds). It will come gradually together. Once you get to about 35 - 40 folds, you'll want to pay attention to the consistency. If you pick a little up with a spoon and drop it back it, it should gradually blend into batter again, after about 20 seconds. If it's still too thick, you'll want to do one or two folds, and then test it again. You don't want it to get to the point where it 'runs' off the spoon. Rather, it should be "lava" like.


9. When you have the batter just right (!), transfer some of it to your piping bag fit with about a plain tip.


10. Start piping out the batter onto the pre-traced circles, staying just inside the edge of the circle.


11. When you've piped your first tray, rap the tray against the counter 3 times, turning it once, for good luck. OK - not really for for good luck. It's to remove any air bubbles that might be lurking within your macarons.


12. Put your first tray in the oven. While they're baking, you can pipe your second pan, bang it, and let it rest until it's time to bake. The original recipe calls for about 18 minutes of baking. I found in my oven it took about 26 minutes. Moral of this story: know your oven. How do you know when they're done? I'm still trying to figure that out. You want to be able to gently peel one off of the parchment, without pulling the whole top off (don't ask me how many times I've done that!). I think that's just something that comes with practice.
13. When the first tray is done, let them cool on the tray on a cooking rack for a while, before peeling them off.


14. Once completely cooled, put them together with your favorite filling, and then strut around the house proudly because you, my friend, made French macarons!!

These were some of my first ones made with the Trader Joes Almond Meal. No color - just the natural specs of the skin. I kinda like that look. Cute though, aren't they?


I could make these all day, experimenting with flavors and colors. If I only had the time. Now I must go make some. Right now.