The Sugar Queen vs The Macaron

So this morning I woke up like normal. I stumbled to the kitchen like normal. I grumbled about having to use a saucepan to heat water for the french press when we have a perfectly good and beautiful tea kettle in the states - like normal. While the water boiled, I watered my plants (which are freaking out at the 90+ degree weather we are having) and came back inside to wash my french press. I'm so bad about cleaning it after i use it. You'd think it'd be an incentive to be able to make a quicker cup of coffee in the morning... but nope. So there it was on the table, seemingly just where I left it yesterday. Bleary eyed I get to the sink and pull off the top and.... what is this magic????? IT'S CLEAN!!! How in the heck did that happen? I'm racking my brain wondering where I blacked out yesterday to the point of forgetting I had cleaned the french press in my mad dash to get to Otterberg. Then it dawns on me.... I was in Otterberg last night and my dear sweet husband was home alone. And he knows how much a clean kitchen means to me, so out of the goodness of his big big heart, he cleaned my french press (and my coffee cup!) for me last night. *sigh of happiness* my cup runneth over!!!! Defintely got immediately on the phone to call him and thank him for his thoughtfulness. It's the small things in life.... Ü
So last week, the Amrein's went to Paris and we took care of their cats. Thinking about Paris, got me thinking about food... (shocker, i know) and I decided that the sugar queen was going to attempt the french macaron recipe. Now what shocks me to my core is that many folks don't even know what these delectable cookies are!!!! They are too often confused with their american coconut counterparts. See the difference?
What is a french macaron you ask? and what's with only one "o"? It's the most french danity filled sandwich cookie you'll ever encounter. One bite and you'll be hooked. Everyone expects these bite sized treats to be crunchy and hard. Imagine their suprise when they find that their soft on the inside with a slight crunch from the "skin" on top. I know that creating these delicacies is no easy task, so I set out to do my research to find the best and easiest, most practical recipe. I was delighted to find so many first time baker blogs. Individuals who took it upon themselves to master this art and give everyone else tips and tricks learned from their own mistakes (seriously i love you people. way to make my life easier!) So i'm going to do my best to give you a breakdown.... the who, what, where, when, and why of a macaron.
so... what is it?
Pronunciation: Mac-ˊcār-rŏn. With a slightly rolled "r" as the french do. It is a sweet meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. Its name is derived from the Italian word maccarone or maccherone.
where & when do they come from?

Many have traced it back to 1530 when Catherine de'Medici married King Henry II of France bringing her Italian Pastry chefs with her. This is why the French origin is often up for debate. I was also intrigued to find out that the macarons differ based on which region of France they are created. The original macarons were cracked on top with a much coarser sugar used.

Today the most famous stop in Paris for macarons is Laduree. And because we live so close to Paris, I will definitely be making a trip JUST to visit this store. It's my cupcake shop personified!

So how are they made.... exactly?
Well.... since you asked.... Here is the recipe I used. It's making them the french way instead of the Italian way... which involves whipping hot sugar syrup into egg whites. I'm brave enough to try that one, but I have to have more time and patience.

Before you dive in:

a :: these are temperamental to make. Just like a souffle or meringues. Choose a day where there is plenty of sunshine and absolutely ZERO humidity (Houston, Texas these pastries are not for you). If you dare brave making these on a cloudy clammy day, beware... you are tempting fate. Your macarons could come out just fine, or they could have all sorts of random problems. Note: you have been warned.

b :: Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. The whole process is easier when the proteins in the egg aren't resistant to stretching due to the overall temp. Also, do not use a plastic bowl. Why on earth would this matter - you think - this girl is crazy over the top.... and while I might be, most people don't know that fat clings to plastic. And no matter how many times something is washed, there is a residual film left on a plastic bowl. You will get much better egg whites from using a stainless steel, glass, or even a copper mixing bowl. Random huh? I promise you it makes a difference. 

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4.5 oz
3/4 cup almond flour, 2.5 oz. (I use Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal and it works great!
2 large egg whites, room temperature (!! seriously let them sit on the counter the morning of until you're ready to make the macarons.)
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar, 1.5 oz. (You can make your own by processing regular baking sugar in a clean coffee grinder until it looks powdery. I did this and it worked amazingly well! Note: if you make too much sugar, use to top your creme brulee! You are supposed to use super fine sugar anyway!)

The Mad Scientist How-To:
1. Pulse the confectioners sugar and the almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift the mixture TWICE (yes, it makes a difference). Many people say sifting it through a large metal sieve works better than putting it through a mechanical sifter. I used the handle turn one from William-Sonoma and had no trouble.
2. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add the pinch of cream-of-tartar and mix on med-high until soft peaks form. Reduce the speed to low, then add the superfine sugar. Increase the speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form. (This can be as quick as 4 minutes and take as long as 8 minutes. Take care NOT to overwhip.) Now you can add whatever food coloring you would like to the egg whites. I use high end gel food coloring (Wilton's is popular for their vibrant colors) and definitely recommend this verses the liquid. 
3. Sift flour mixture over whites and fold until the mixture is smooth and shiny. The number of folds you use to complete this step is crucial. In my research I have found the perfect number to be somewhere between 50-65 folds. The batter will have a soft toffee sheen when it's ready. You can test a small bit on a plate before piping your macarons to see if the batter is ready. If the batter forms a round cap that does not run, your batter is perfect. The batter might leave a peak initially, but it should displace itself in the daube as you pipe the rest. Spoon your batter into a prepared pastry bag with a plain 1/2" fitted round tip. If the batter is perfect it will ooze out slightly when the bag is full. If the batter stays in the bag your egg whites were over whipped, if it's too runny - your egg white and flour mixture was over folded. 
4. Pipe 3/4" rounds 1" apart on parchment lined baking sheets. (If you have a silpat, USE IT! The macarons won't stick at all...) You can pipe the rounds by setting the tip in the middle and allowing the batter to ooze all around. I have found that the quicker you pull up and around the cleaner the top of the macaron looks. It's also easier to get from one macaron to the next without a runny mess inbetween. Tap each cookie sheet on the counter to remove any air bubbles. If there are stubborn ones, remove them with a straight pin or needle. Let the caps rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes. They will look dull and have formed a slight skin on top. This step is important to creating the fluffy edges of the macaron other wise known as the "foot". Not enough drying time will result in a cracked skin and no foot. While the macarons are resting preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase the oven temperature to 375 for 5 minutes, then reduce again to 325 degrees. Every oven is different, so it helps to have an internal oven thermometer to know your exact temperatures. Undercooked macarons will be hollow or deflate after cooking. The tops of the macarons should NOT brown.
6. Let macarons cool on sheets for two to three minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If they stick (and mine definitely did... and i panicked...) spray water underneath the parchment paper while the baking sheet is still hot. The steam will cause your parchment paper to crinkle and release the macarons. Genius huh?
7. Choose two same size macaroons and sandwich them together using jam, butter cream, or a ganache for filling.  You can serve immediately or stack between layers of parchment paper and freeze for 3 months. Thawing for 30 minutes gives you a ready to eat macaron!

Of course after all this hard work (2 batches = 2 colors) I had to create time for a photo shoot. My food photography or even food loving followers will appreciate this. I was tickled pink (no pun intended) at how these turned out! Particularly since this was the first time I had attempted to make them! It does require massive amounts of patience... but it's totally worth every painstakingly slow step.

That's all for today friends & family. I hope I have succeeded in making you vastly voracious for sweet treats! Until the next Sugar Queen Adventure... I love you all!