AW: I made macarons today

[NewGirlNic]

Feb 20, 2018 21:24:32 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Feb 20, 2018 20:51:03 GMT -5 NewGirlNic said:

Those look great. What recipe did you use? The one and only time I attempted them it was a huge fail. I keep telling myself to try again, but they’re a lot of work for failure!

That is kind of a long question.  

I set out with the intent to use the America's Test Kitchen recipe, but those assholes have 75% of their content locked even for ATK members (I got a membership for Christmas), and their macaron recipe was part of the Cook's Illustrated lockdown.

Some googling let me to this blog by Sabrina Ko - www.sabrinako.com/blog/food/french-macarons/ - which has that recipe.

But after reading through her blog on her macaron tips and trips page - www.sabrinako.com/blog/food/demystifying-macarons-tips-tricks/ - she doesn't use that recipe anymore, she uses a recipe from Not So Humble Pie - notsohumblepie.blogspot.com/2010/08/macaron-troubleshooting-new-recipe.html - who had TONS of details on how to make them and what can go wrong and why, and how to make them turn out.

So I ended up using the Not So Humble Pie recipe, BUT, I added extra vanilla flavoring to my cookie batter as per the Food Network's recipe - www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/french-macarons-3362691 

I also watched several videos on YouTube, because my concept of the various stages of whipped egg whites is kind of vague.  These were the two that I found the most helpful:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JeTgZGt-p8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQeU-TEdaKI

I also adjusted the cooking times a little.

Sheet #1 was the no-name silicone mat, cooked at 315, for 7 minutes, rotated, and cooked for 8 minutes.  These cookies stuck badly to the mat, and so I ended up following the directions to overcook them, but I think that was a mistake, because they still stuck, and they were brittle and broke as I peeled them off the mat.  Luckily this was only like a dozen cookies.

Sheet #2 - the pretty ones in the picture on a brand name Silpat, still at 315, cooked for 10 minutes, then rotated and cooked for another 5 minutes.  These ones popped right off, and none of them broke when I took them off.  These ones also sat longer to get their skin since I piped them first, and cooked them last.  Maybe that also helped?

wow, thanks for all that info! I am definitely going to try again, hopefully with better results. My son LOVES macarons and I'm going broke buying them at Whole Foods every time we go! 

[Shreddingbetty]

Those look great Nonny,! I have made them once and it was a lot of work (a friend and I did a class at home with a guy that is a pastry chef). They were delicious and came out great but yea there is so much that can go wrong in the process. I want to attempt them on my own but just haven't found the time to do so yet. I love to bake and made my own puff pastry a few weeks ago for my Galette des Rois and then a mille feuille with the leftovers and that was good experiment too. I just wish I had more time to do it because it is all pretty time consuming . Of course then I have to eat it too....

[vicky]

Beautiful!

[gastro]

Feb 21, 2018 1:01:56 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Feb 20, 2018 23:26:33 GMT -5 gastro said:

Forming the skin is definitely important to getting that “pop” on the macaron. Pierre Herme recipes are my go to for macarons and curd fillings.

By "pop" do you mean them just coming easily off the mat?

I piped the first tray, banged it to get out the air bubbles, and then realized I needed a second tray and had to spend time getting it set up, then popped those bubbles on that tray, then set a 30 minute timer. They both had a skin per the poke test, but I decided to start with the second tray because it was fewer, sloppier cookies.

So the better tray of cookies sat out probably 30 minutes longer.

Would that extra time be why the first ones didn't want to release?

No, sorry by “pop” I meant it’s important to let the skin form so they pop up a bit in the oven to get the feet and the nice smooth top.

[greysgirl]

Those look amazing!

[sent]

Wow! I used to really enjoy baking pre-DD but haven't gotten back into it. These seem like they'd be a serious challenge.

[persa]

Feb 21, 2018 1:01:56 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Feb 20, 2018 23:26:33 GMT -5 gastro said:

Forming the skin is definitely important to getting that “pop” on the macaron. Pierre Herme recipes are my go to for macarons and curd fillings.

By "pop" do you mean them just coming easily off the mat?

I piped the first tray, banged it to get out the air bubbles, and then realized I needed a second tray and had to spend time getting it set up, then popped those bubbles on that tray, then set a 30 minute timer. They both had a skin per the poke test, but I decided to start with the second tray because it was fewer, sloppier cookies.

So the better tray of cookies sat out probably 30 minutes longer.

Would that extra time be why the first ones didn't want to release?

Did you let them cool completely before you tried to take them off the mat? I'm wanting to attempt macarons soon so I've been reading up on techniques and that's apparently a crucial step.

They look beautiful!

[Nonny]

Feb 22, 2018 8:59:31 GMT -5 persa said:

Feb 21, 2018 1:01:56 GMT -5 Nonny said:

By "pop" do you mean them just coming easily off the mat?

I piped the first tray, banged it to get out the air bubbles, and then realized I needed a second tray and had to spend time getting it set up, then popped those bubbles on that tray, then set a 30 minute timer. They both had a skin per the poke test, but I decided to start with the second tray because it was fewer, sloppier cookies.

So the better tray of cookies sat out probably 30 minutes longer.

Would that extra time be why the first ones didn't want to release?

Did you let them cool completely before you tried to take them off the mat? I'm wanting to attempt macarons soon so I've been reading up on techniques and that's apparently a crucial step.

They look beautiful!

The blog I was following said they should start to come up easily immediately out of the oven, and to check one for doneness before pulling them. The ones on the Silpat did that easily, the ones on the no-name mat didn't.

When completely cooled the ones on the Silpat basically slid right off. The others I had to flex the mat and peel them off.

[gastro]

Feb 23, 2018 1:34:43 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Feb 22, 2018 8:59:31 GMT -5 persa said:

Did you let them cool completely before you tried to take them off the mat? I'm wanting to attempt macarons soon so I've been reading up on techniques and that's apparently a crucial step.

They look beautiful!

The blog I was following said they should start to come up easily immediately out of the oven, and to check one for doneness before pulling them. The ones on the Silpat did that easily, the ones on the no-name mat didn't.

When completely cooled the ones on the Silpat basically slid right off. The others I had to flex the mat and peel them off.

I use parchment paper. You get a lot more height. They only stick to parchment for me if I over bake.