Macaroons

 

 

Macaroons

There are a few French desserts that I absolutely love, and this is one of them. Freshly made macaroons with afternoon tea or after a scrumptious dinner is the best. These scrumptious delights are light, varied tastes from fruity to lemony and oh-so-delicious.

3/4 cups of icing sugar

1-1/2 cups ground almonds

4 medium egg whites, separated into 2 equal batches

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ tsp red food coloring

For the filling

½ cup double cream

¾ cup dark chocolate chips finely chopped

1/8 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup raspberry jam, plus 2 tablespoons

Directions:

Place the icing sugar and ground almonds in the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 15 times until fully combined.

Sieve this mixture into a large bowl, discarding any particles that stay in the sieve.

Add the first batch of egg whites to the almond mixture, mix to form a thick paste, and set aside.

Tip the second batch of egg whites into a spotlessly clean, heatproof bowl and have an electric whisk at the ready.

Place ¼ cup of water and the granulated sugar into a small saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup registers 230F, using a sugar thermometer, at which time start to beat the second set of egg whites on high speed. Once the syrup is at 250 F pour it slowly down the side of the mixing bowl.

Continue to whisk on high until the mixture has cooled slightly and you have a shiny peaked meringue mixture – the bowl should no longer be hot to the touch, but still warm.

Add the coloring and whisk to combine.

Tip the meringue onto the almond mixture and gently fold together. It is important not to over-mix the batter – it should fall in a thick ribbon from the spatula. The ribbon should also fade back into the batter within about 30 seconds – if it doesn’t, fold a few more times.

Heat oven to 340 F. Line three baking sheets with baking parchment.

Draw circles on a baking sheet

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

Hold the bag vertically to the tray, with the nozzle about 1cm from it. Pipe rounds about 2.5cm in diameter onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave to rest for 30 mins, or until the macarons have developed a skin.

Bake the macaroons for 14 mins (this needs to be precise, so you could test a macaron first). Immediately slide the parchment onto the work surface and cool for a few minutes before gently peeling the macarons off the paper.

To make the filling, place the cream in a small saucepan and the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then stir to combine. Add the butter and stir until smooth, then leave to set until thickened. Place the chocolate mix into a clean piping bag with a smaller nozzle and pipe around the edge of half the macarons. Fill the center with jam and sandwich with another macaron shell. Once finished, the macarons will improve with an overnight rest in the fridge.

Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then stir to combine.

Add the butter and stir until smooth, then leave to set until thickened.

Place the chocolate mix into a clean piping bag with a smaller nozzle and pipe around the edge of half the macarons.

Fill the center with jam and sandwich with another macaron shell. Once finished, the macarons will improve with an overnight rest in the fridge.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

French Fare, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride