Have you ever
heard about this fancy dessert? The dessert that is being seen as one of the toughest
dessert to make and only professional patisserie like the popular and talented
Pierre Hermes can create a perfect macaron. Well, it seemed like that for the
first time that this is like a challenge for advance bakers or higher level
bakers to overcome and i didn't mean to say that all beginner bakers can't
afford this dessert but this is my true experience. I did have a really hard
time at first attempting to make this dessert. In facts, i have tried 4 times i
all attempts just completely disappointed me. Even though i have been trying
many recipes and read a lot of tips from many trustworthy websites such as:
http://my.opera.com/trungbong/blog/macarons-gac and blah blah blah ....
But still, there weren't any signs of success.
I was depressed at the first time but the passion and the fetish for this dessert just kept urging me to try making it again so i eventually continued my passion. It was the time that i realized i couldn't take any more failures as it was a waste of time and money$$$$$$$(my bucks!!!) . I tried to find out the reason why i failed and it was then revealed that the macarons weren't let to dry out the surfaces enough so while baking those in the oven, they just kept turning into 'flat almond meringue cookies' ( i'm sicked of trying to eat those!). Then while surfing the net for a more reliable recipe, i found out that macaronfetish.blogspot.com which was the most beautiful macarons'heaven i have ever seen in my "baking career". Then i rapidly tried the basic recipe and guess what... i succeed!!!! Yah!!! I was overjoyed when the "feet" started to raise up, so relieved and joyful!!!!!!!
Those are marvelous and so so beautiful and just perfect!!!!
Kim. 2010. " Festive choco-spiced macaron to celebrate the end of 2010." Photo. Available from : http://macaron-fetish.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-02-05T15:15:00-08:00&max-results=5. [Accessed December 13 2011].
Here is the ultimate recipe from a talented baker:
FOR THE MACARON SHELL
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon red food colouring
Method:
1. Put ground almond, and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.
2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside
3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)
4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Mix just roughly combine.
6. Scoop out a spoonful of macaron mixture into a small bowl, add in red colouring, fold till mix. Set aside
7. Continue to mix the white mixture until you obtain a smooth lava flow batter.
8. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE
9. Pipe the macaron on a baking sheet over baking tray. Hit the bottom of the baking tray with your hand to flatted out the macarons slightly.
1 room temperatured egg white(39-40g)
50g icing sugar
30g ground almond
30g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon red food colouring
Method:
1. Put ground almond, and icing sugar in a food processor or a small blender. Blend them finely.
2. Sift the blended mixture and set aside
3. With an electric beater, Beat the egg white, start from low speed and increase slowly to maximum speed. Beat until frothy (you will see lots of fine bubbles)
4. Now it's the time to add in the castor sugar, add half of the sugar, continue to beat in maximum speed for around 2 minutes, add in the other half, continue until you get very stiff peak.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This process is called Macaronage. Start folding with a rubber spatula. Mix just roughly combine.
6. Scoop out a spoonful of macaron mixture into a small bowl, add in red colouring, fold till mix. Set aside
7. Continue to mix the white mixture until you obtain a smooth lava flow batter.
8. When you get smooth shiny mixture, stop folding, lift the mixture with spatula, if the mixture falls back slowly in the bowl means you're good to go. You could also check if the lines formed from the lifted mixture, they should slowly disappear in within 30 seconds. At this stage you're good to go. Do not over fold, it will be too liquid and becoming very hard to pipe.
if you're unsure, you could refer to my basic macaron recipe as a guide HERE
9. Pipe the macaron on a baking sheet over baking tray. Hit the bottom of the baking tray with your hand to flatted out the macarons slightly.
10. Using another piping bag with a small nozzle, pour in the red coloured mixture. Carefully draw 5 petals on the shells.
11. Tap the bottom of the baking tray so the red mixture sits into the white one.
12. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.
13. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. Reduce heat to 130 C. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 8 minutes.
You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.
Bewared that white colour macarons turn 'brown' easily, if doubt the oven is too hot, reduce the heat and prolong the cooking time by minute.
11. Tap the bottom of the baking tray so the red mixture sits into the white one.
12. Let your macarons sit for about 30minutes. This will depend on the humidity in your house and the day. Try touching the macaron softly, after 30mins. it should not stick to your hand.
13. Heat your oven to 150 C on the (heating on the top only). When the oven is ready, put your macaron at the very bottom shelf. Bake for 12 minutes, check them in the mid time of 6 minutes, the feets should already start forming. Turn the baking tray to the opposite direction to allow even baking. When the 6 mins is up, change the heating setting of your oven to Bottom only. Reduce heat to 130 C. This will help cooking the macaron and rise the feet more. Bake for another 6 8 minutes.
You can test if the macaron is cook, touch softly on the shell and when the macaron doesn't slide on the feet, it's cooked. if it's not add another 1 mins each time and check.
Bewared that white colour macarons turn 'brown' easily, if doubt the oven is too hot, reduce the heat and prolong the cooking time by minute.
Kim. 2010. " Macaron with raspberry and dried cherry." Website. Available from :http://macaron-fetish.blogspot.com/2010/09/macaron-with-raspberry-with-dried.html. [Accessed December 13 2011].
And...here is my 1st time succeed macarons:
Another pics :
Those aren't bad at all-taste and appearance!!!
