Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cookies! › Let's talk French Macarons
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Let's talk French Macarons - Page 3

post #31 of 55
9/14/10 at 6:29pm
I was in New York City yesterday. I'm not normally a fan of macarons, but I had the best darn macarons I've ever tasted. They were made by Chef Herve Poussot from the Almondine Bakery in DUMBO. So tender, so light, not at all like the communion wafers I've had at other places.

I want more.

Theresa icon_smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #32 of 55
9/17/10 at 8:08am
Hola, I am dying to bake French macaroons. For months I have been reading books and blogs about the topic but my problem is the humidity. I live in Puerto Rico and the humidity is very high. The ingredients (the almonds or almond meal) are very expensive here and I dont want to fail and lose all that money!!!What do you recommend?
Reply
Reply
post #33 of 55
9/17/10 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by luv2bake6

If i were to trace circles on the parchment paper, how big should they be?
Also, does anyone have the measurements of ingredients in cups and tsp? I don't have a scale in the house. Thanks.



You don't have a location listed in your profile so can you tell us what country you live in so as i know whether to post in metric or imperial...
There is a differance.

Bluehue.
Reply
Reply
post #34 of 55
9/17/10 at 8:30am
I was wondering the same thing as luv2bake6 as far as cups and tsps - so I'll be watching. I know everything I've read says that weighing is best, but wondering if anyone has pulled it off successfully the other way! icon_smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #35 of 55
9/17/10 at 8:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TracyLH

Quote:
Quote:

In France Cookie Monster is just known as: MACARON



icon_smile.gif



That is AWESOME!!! Cookie Monster has and will always be my favorite. Love this!!!!
Reply
Reply
post #36 of 55
9/17/10 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluehue

Quote:
Originally Posted by luv2bake6

If i were to trace circles on the parchment paper, how big should they be?
Also, does anyone have the measurements of ingredients in cups and tsp? I don't have a scale in the house. Thanks.



You don't have a location listed in your profile so can you tell us what country you live in so as i know whether to post in metric or imperial...
There is a differance.

sorry, in the US

Bluehue.
Reply
Reply
post #37 of 55
9/18/10 at 9:45pm
Hi Marvan704,

I am living in a high humidity area too. I have seen people around here make macarons with some success though so there must be a way. I live on the Equator.

It's probably a good idea to control the temperature of your work area by working in an airconditioned kitchen/ room with closed windows?

At any length, refer to some of the Macaron Masters that I've referenced in an earlier post on this thread and see what they have to say.

The good thing about macarons is that while it may be difficult to make pretty ones, I'm told they they still taste pretty good crushed up and made into some other sort of dessert or used as a multi-coloured topping. It won't all go to waste.

Goodluck.
Reply
Reply
post #38 of 55
10/3/10 at 11:22am
great thread
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8
Reply
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8
Reply
post #39 of 55
10/3/10 at 8:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by luv2bake6

If i were to trace circles on the parchment paper, how big should they be?
Also, does anyone have the measurements of ingredients in cups and tsp? I don't have a scale in the house. Thanks.



I think the classic circles for macaron piping are about 3.8cm / 1.5 inches in diameter and many recommend using a #807 or #809 piping tip.

I think it's okay to make them smaller or larger or any shape you like. I have seen many people make them heart shapes, bear faces, and even gingerbread men-shaped. The fancier tricks are harder to pipe.

Pierre Hermes made a huge one with two little ones attached to look like Mickey Mouse.

I found a great tip by Humble Pie who says that it is better to err in the way of overbaking of macarons rather than underbaking them. They end up crispy but this crispiness can be resolved by filling them and aging (maturing) them in the fridge for a day or two and then bringing them back to room temperature when serving. Apparently, this is what the patisseries do - sell matured macarons.

This tip was fascinating.
Reply
Reply
post #40 of 55
2/8/11 at 4:59pm
Thread Starter 
Okay I've been experimenting for a while now. Here are some of my tips!

*Aged egg whites* I put the egg whites in a container uncovered for a few hours in the fridge, then cover them up and leave it for a few days
(this will give you a big foot)

*Almond flour must be air dried (dont store in containers or sealed bags).

*In the day of making Mac's use aged egg whites and 1 fresh egg white (still from shell)

*Use powdered color

*Do not overmix

*Pipe macs on a silpat or any other baking mat (still works fine with parchment paper)

*Tap tray & let them air dry for 30m
Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!
Reply
Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!
Reply
post #41 of 55
2/8/11 at 5:28pm
just the subject of Macarons makes me cringe LOL. For my daughters 6th Birthday I wanted to make rasberry Macarons with cheesecake filling and then stamp a picture of a butterfly on top of them with food coloring. I decided that I would practice a few days before her birthday, ohhhhhh that poor fateful day I was all excited and amped up had my eggs sitting on my stove from the night before as well as my other items I needed. That day i did 6 batches as that was the number I had PLANNED on making. Not a SINGLE one came out from any of the batches. I was so frustrated and upset that I finally had an emotional breakdown on my husbands chest. All he could do was laugh because I looked so "pitiful and pathetic" he tried to explain it as "well honey they are fancy cookies" and then thats when I lost it I started whining like an emotionally disturbed 5 year old saying that I was fancy too and I should be able to make the fancy cookies. icon_eek.gif Not my proudest moment but after that I decided that I would stick with the 3 tiered cake I was already working on and forget about the macarons for the birthday party.

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
Reply

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
Reply
post #42 of 55
2/8/11 at 5:37pm
Sur la Table offers a class on macarons. It was very informative and removed all hesitation. I highly recommend it!
You're never fully dressed until you put on a smile!
Reply
You're never fully dressed until you put on a smile!
Reply
post #43 of 55
2/8/11 at 5:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KakeMistress

just the subject of Macarons makes me cringe LOL. For my daughters 6th Birthday I wanted to make rasberry Macarons with cheesecake filling and then stamp a picture of a butterfly on top of them with food coloring. I decided that I would practice a few days before her birthday, ohhhhhh that poor fateful day I was all excited and amped up had my eggs sitting on my stove from the night before as well as my other items I needed. That day i did 6 batches as that was the number I had PLANNED on making. Not a SINGLE one came out from any of the batches. I was so frustrated and upset that I finally had an emotional breakdown on my husbands chest. All he could do was laugh because I looked so "pitiful and pathetic" he tried to explain it as "well honey they are fancy cookies" and then thats when I lost it I started whining like an emotionally disturbed 5 year old saying that I was fancy too and I should be able to make the fancy cookies. icon_eek.gif Not my proudest moment but after that I decided that I would stick with the 3 tiered cake I was already working on and forget about the macarons for the birthday
party.




That happened to me! I made 3 batches non came out, then used 4th batch with some of my tips plus measuring the ingredients with a scale! It worked!
Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!
Reply
Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!
Reply
post #44 of 55
2/8/11 at 8:07pm
Hi Kakemistress,

I completely sympathise with you on your MacFail. It is a crazy cookie to make.
Reminds me of the many times I have dropped a cake hot out of the oven en-route to the counter. I think a Mac fail is more sophisticated than being a Cake Klutz like me.
I haven't tried making macarons yet and am planning a spectacular fail myself but they tell me even failed macs taste pretty good. I just want to try and see how wonderfully terrible at making them I can be
I commend you on your epic effort (6 batches IS epic!) and wish you all the best with future macs.
Reply
Reply
post #45 of 55
2/9/11 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by butterlove

Hi Kakemistress,

I completely sympathise with you on your MacFail. It is a crazy cookie to make.
Reminds me of the many times I have dropped a cake hot out of the oven en-route to the counter. I think a Mac fail is more sophisticated than being a Cake Klutz like me.
I haven't tried making macarons yet and am planning a spectacular fail myself but they tell me even failed macs taste pretty good. I just want to try and see how wonderfully terrible at making them I can be
I commend you on your epic effort (6 batches IS epic!) and wish you all the best with future macs.




LOL I dont think there will be future batches, my husband tried the Failed ones and didnt even like the taste of them icon_cry.gif I just wanted them cause they were supposed to be pretty pink raspberry cookie, white cheesecake filling and then I was going to use black food coloring to use on the butterfly stamp I wanted to stamp the macs with. Oh well, I cant make sugar cookies either to save my life, and as my husband says you cant be good at anything, I just have a hard time failing LOL.

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
Reply

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cookies!
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cookies! › Let's talk French Macarons