ESPRESSO MACARONS
Thursday, June 11, 2009
sigh...macarons. Why do you taunt me?
Well I have tried baking beautiful macarons before (they were pistachio & ginger chocolate) and they were absolutely delicious but again, like these ones - not very pretty at all. No frilly little feet, no smooth domed tops. grr.
I'm sure it will just take more practice and more research. Please cross your fingers for me!
Anyway, since these weren't so perfect I am not including the recipe - but it was a basic almond macaron with very finely ground fresh coffee beans and dark chocolate buttercream. So tasty!
Maybe it was my folding technique? Who knows.... I think the mix was a little too thick because they didn't spread quite enough once piped. There was cracks, and misshapen ones and NO frilly feet!
Macarons you're lucky you taste damn delicious even when you fail.
14 comments:
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hmm, i think they look pretty darned good. you must be a real perfectionist.
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haha it's possible I'm a total perfectionist...comes with being a Virgo! Have you seen Tartelette or Canelle et Vanille's macarons?? Now they are perfection!!
http://tartelette.blogspot.com/
http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com -
I have also had issues with macarons this week...I used Tartelett'es recipe - I have the opposite problem of you though...my problem has been that they puff up too much, and instead of feet they grow legs and walk haha. My 2nd attempt was better than my first, but I must say your attempts definitely look better than mine!
Whose recipe did you use? I am curious if there are differences between the ones that we used that might explain our opposite issues... -
Hi Jenn, how funny! We should mix our recipes together obviously!
I used Cannelle et Vanille's chocolate macaron recipe and replaced the cocoa for some finely ground coffee. It looks the same as your recipe really - I believe macarons are all in the technique. Just got to keep practicing!!
Yours look delicious by the way!
http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/08/chocolate-macarons-and-tropical-storm.html -
hi zoe! love your blog. is that a ceramic cup in the picture?
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Hi FOOD IS LUV :) Thanks, I'm just going over to read yours now!
Yes, it is a porcelain cup by 'ASA Selection' - bought them from a homewares shop in Sydney (can't remember where sorry.) On sale too - $2 each!!
www.asa-selection.com -
Hi, I randomly came across your page through tastespotting. And I've recently gone through a macaron craze too, (good to know I'm not the only one!). It took me about 6 or 7 tries until I got it right. I know there are alot of tips out there, but after I saw the picture of your egg whites (that you whipped with sugar) - from my experience - I think you whipped them too much, they should be pretty glossy with soft peaks not stiff peaks.
I don't know if you tried david lebovitz's chocolate macaron recipe yet, but this recipe worked for me after a bunch of tries.
And serious eats did a good post on making macarons, there's a blurry picture of what the whipped egg whites should look like.
I hope this helps, good luck and don't give up!! You'll get the shiny dome and feet eventually :)
M* -
Hi M,
thanks for the tip - they were definitely stiff peaks so next time I will not beat them so much. I believe David's uses an Italian meringue in it? I'll have to try that.
Thanks for the serious eats tip; I hadn't seen that website before, it looks great!
Do you have a blog yourself??
Don't worry I won't give up!! -
Yay! It's good to hear your enthusiasm. David's chocolate macaron recipe is done the regular way, I haven't tried the meringue one yet because I don't have a candy thermometer :/ And I actually just started up a blog, so feel free to read if you'd like :)
eatinghappilyeverafter.blogspot.com -
M* - Good for you! I'd added you to my following list, looking forward to seeing what you post :)
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I think they're beautiful!
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AndreaQ- thanks so much! :)
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Loving your blog! I read somewhere (so many blogs, can't exactly which one) that if you keep your almond meal in the freezer it can effect the end result regarding the 'feet'. Hope it helps :)
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Vanessa - so does keeping it in the freezer help to make the feet? or make it worse?
