oye...i saw a photo and a wonderful sounding recipe on MSN a few weeks ago for a French meringue cookie called a macaron (no, not macaroon). two cookies with a filling...and the one I wanted to attempt was chocolate with ganache filling! mmm... sounds heavenly, right?
well, being the experimental and self-taught cook that i am, i saw "almond flour" in the recipe and (not knowing that it was a key ingredient and how different it is) used all-purpose instead, because that's what i had in my pantry. well instead of an end product of meringue that i could pipe onto a cookie sheet, it ended in a dry nasty paste. OK! second attempt, we bought some almond flour...which is also known as almond meal, and had it said that i wouldn't have thought of using flour- due to the oils and fats in the nut, it has a moister consistency...beautiful...i had a thick creamy substance that i was able to fold the meringue into and scoop into a pastry bag.
mistake substitution #2, i did not have parchment paper. it was late and the grocery stores were closed and i had forgotten that i was out of paper...so i used foil! i knew that aluminum conducts heat very well, and was therefore positive that it would change the way they baked, but i tried it anyway. one batch was burnt on the bottom and the other was gooey and hollow on the inside. well, i also figured out through this attempt that my insulated cookie sheet was going to work better than my other sheet. but i sealed up the batter and called it a night.
sure that i had solved all the problems and that i had NO substitutions to worry about this round, i attempted for a third time. well, half looked good, and the other half did the hollow/raw thing again. so frustrating...and they are such cute little things that if i could master them, they'd be fantastic for parties and whatnot. (and i hear they are the new "cupcake"!) but alas, i tossed the remainder of the batter, frustrated and willing to give up...for now. i may still attempt the ganache and see if the ones that have smooth bottoms turned out at all...
after watching a video of how the shop Sucre does their macarons, i wish i hadn't tossed my batter...the recipe i was using said to stick the sheets in at 400 and immediately turn the oven off, then after 5 minutes turn the oven back on to 400 and leave in for another 8 minutes. the shop bakes theirs for 14 minutes at 280 (i believe that's what she says). that's a huge difference...
oh well...macarons 3, nutmeg 0...rematch: someday...
photo from: Paulette Macarons
A macaron (the French word for macaroon) is a sweet confectionery. Its name is derived from an Italian word “maccarone” or "maccherone". This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond paste which is the principal ingredient. It is meringue-based: made from a mixture of egg whites, almond flour, and both granulated and confectionery sugar.
The confectionery is characterized by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference, and flat base. Connoisseurs prize a delicate, egg shell-like crust that yields to a moist and airy interior. The French macaron differs from other macaroons in that it is filled with cream or butter like a sandwich cookie, and can be found in a wider variety of flavors that range from the traditional (raspberry, chocolate) to the exotic (truffle, matcha tea)
definition from: Wikipedia
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