Macarons

For my first ever post on here in an attempt to regain my passion for cooking, I decided to tackle the humble Macaron. Those colourful domes have intrigued me for a while and I was determined to create some, regardless on how they turned out. I had also decided to make some for my sisters' up coming baby shower, blue ones in fact as she is expecting a boy. So one humbled night after work I decided to whip some up. After getting all the required ingredients, including blue food dye, my macarons making adventure began.

For my first try, I decided to make the more simpler macaron and perhaps from this step I will attempt the other wider varieties of these sweet pastel coloured biscuits. 

First the recipe:

The dome shape biscuit requires

175 grams icing sugar 

125 grams almond meal 

3 large egg whites 

75 grams of caster sugar

Filing

159 grams of soften butter
75 grams of icing sugar

The egg whites should be aged in a refrigerator for 2 days and on the day of cooking, leave them on the kitchen bench . This is to reduce the moisture content of the whites and thus ensuring a better macaron.

The method

Preheat your oven to 140 Celsius. Sift the almond meal and icing sugar into a bowl.

Sifted almond meal and icing sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt into soft white peaks. Then gradually add the caster sugar until it is thick and glossy. Add your desired colour.

I would have added more food colouring for a more vibrant blue

Add half of the almond meal and icing sugar mix to the egg whites. Use a gentle folding method to combine the ingredients. Add the remaining amount of the almond meal and icing sugar and fold until the mixture is shiny, with a ribbon like consistency. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag that has a 1 centimeter nozzle.

Adding the almond meal and icing sugar to the egg white mixture

All mixed, I was not too sure if it was meant to look like this. Macaron pictures I saw on the net looked a tad bit smoother.

 Now line baking sheets with baking paper and then pipe small rounds onto the baking sheets. Do try and make the sizes uniform with a diameter of 3 centimeters. Once piping is complete, tap the baking trays on the kitchen bench to ensuring a good foot is produced. Let the trays stand for about 15 minutes until the emerging macarons form a skin. You should be able to touch their surface without the mixture sticking to your finger and will feel a shell forming when toughed gently. When ready place the baking trays in an oven and bake for 15 minutes. After baking, removed from the oven and leave the macarons out to cool.

The creation of massive macarons, would have piped smaller circles. They weren't too big in the end.

Shock horror, they are turning brown. I put on the oven too high at 160 Celsius. The oven door was opened, an inspection carried out and then the heat was reduced.

  While the macarons are baking, the filing can be made. Beat the soften butter in a bowl until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar and add desired food colouring. 

The butter and icing filling. I will use salt reduced butter as it was far too salty

To complete the macarons, use the butter and icing sugar filling to sandwich the macarons together and viola ici, macarons.

The finished product. Yes some were browned slightly.

 Things I would have changed would be the heat of the oven. The salty butter than I used and the sized of the macarons that I piped. Otherwise I was rather, though hesitantly pleased about my macaron attempted. Hubby loved them.