Sorry that it’s been a while since I’ve posted!
But, do not worry, this post will sure make up for the time I’ve been absent!
Recently, I had a few friends over to make the infamous MACARON.
Previously, I tried making macarons, but they weren’t too successful because there were no feet (the ruffle on the edges of the macaron). As well, the macaron shell were deflated due to an extremely runny batter– it was oozing out of the piping bag!
Attempted Matcha Macaron
The second time I made the macarons, I was a bit more successful. Small feet appeared on some, but many did not rise enough.
Nevertheless, the third time’s the charm right?! This time, ALL the macarons had feet, and rose pretty well with minimal cracks. I was extremely happy with the result because I sure put tons of time and effort into making these french delicacies. I guess this goes to show that practice makes perfect.
Chocolate Macaron with Nutella Filling
The recipe I used is here and involves using the Italian Meringue method, which essentially boils the sugar in the water until the soft ball stage (around 235 F) The product was extremely chocolaty, but hey, I’m not complaining! However, I do want to give a few pointers to those of you making macarons for your first time!
1) Look for youtube tutorials on how to make. Here is one that I recommend.
2) Gather all your ingredients first, before you start whipping your egg whites or else the fluffiness of the whites will begin to deflate– a bit no no for macarons
3) SIFT YOUR INGREDIENTS! I cannot stress how important this is because you don’t want to end up with chunky bits
4) Let your egg whites age the night before (or even 2 nights before) to reduce the moisture content, allowing the macaron to have a more elastic texture.
5) Follow the directions. This may sound trite, but with macarons, it’s extremely important because every little step will count! Be sure not to over mix or under mix the meringue or else, the macarons will not turn out properly– that is why I suggest looking up youtube tutorials
6) Gently fold your dry ingredients into the whites. Be sure to not to over mix or else you will end up with a runny batter like the one I had with my matcha macarons. The batter should be thick and drip slowly from the spatula.
7) HAVE FUN! Don’t worry if you don’t get it on your first try. Cooking and baking is all about experimenting 🙂
The Food Diaries of Michelle 