There's only been two flavors that I've made more than once and that is regular almond chocolate macarons and pistachio (I am in love with the nutty aroma of the pistachio macarons -- I use real pistachios instead of the paste some bakeries use!).
Otherwise, the flavor of the macaron batch I make changes every week, or at least I try to change it. I get a little nervous when I venture out into different flavors because different ingredients and the ratio that accompany them can really offset the integrity of the macaron shell. Frustrating to say the least!
I am proud when I get a macaron batch that is so close to bakery status. SO PROUD. These things are so finicky and sensitive, but I like the feeling when it does come out looking and tasting perfect. So if you paid anywhere from 1.50 to 2 $ per macaron when you go to the bakery, you NEED to demand good looking cookies. Because while it doesn't take too many ingredients to make a great macaron, it does take skill to make the perfect and good tasking macaron, and that's where you have to dish out money.
I always aim for a great macaron shell look now. Typically a macaron shell should be:
1. shiny and round on the top surface without being too grainy (graininess depends on the usually from the almonds or nuts you use in your recipe)
2. must have feet that are not too tall (too tall = hollow shells)
3. NO hollowness when you bite into it, it should have an egg shell like outer crust
4. when you bite into it should initially be crispier and as you delve into the middle it gets soft like a meringue like nutty texture before you get to the ganache or filling that has somewhat seeped into the shell.
To show you how annoying baking macarons be I have a few pictures that may give you an idea:
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| These pistachio macarons were UNDER mixed. It turned out like marshmallows instead. Fail. |
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| Ratios were not right and it was way over mixed for these Rose flavored macaron shells, and I was being too careless and piping out huge macarons a la Bakery Lorraine. NOT a good idea. They just glued into one huge connected macarons that could not peel off the parchment. UGH! |
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| These bitter nutella macarons were over mixed (I had an over mixing phase) and undercooked. They were ridiculously hollow and pretty much I couldn't even consider these macarons. |
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| An assortment of rose, lavender, and pistachio macarons. While a few of these actually came out decent, the majority were over mixed and too hollow. Also my ratios for the filling were off and I put way to much lavender and rose extracts in the fillings. |
Stand by tomorrow for another macaron recipe for this week's Macaron Tuesday Post!
Talk to you then!!
Jacq
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