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French Macarons {a tasting}

Even though I made Vanilla Macarons last week, I’d never tasted the authentic Parisian cookie. Until then I was simply in love with a cookie I’d never met. So today Jacob drove an hour to Cecilia’s Pastries to get real French macarons for us to sample so we could know for sure what they are supposed to taste like.

They are amazing. Dreamy. Magical. Light. Pretty.

chocolate + vanilla + coffee

Now when I make macarons again (and I plan on trying chocolate this time) I know what they are supposed to be like.

Thanks to Cecilia, Jacob, France and our mutual love of food.

Vanilla Macarons {a first attempt}

Tonight we got pizza for dinner so we wouldn’t mess up the clean kitchen. Then I made these macarons and a made a giant mess anyways. I’d say these are totally messy kitchen worthy.

AND one bite of these and you’ll consider being called “vanilla” a compliment.

I’ve been gazing at pictures of macarons for months and months, and now I’ve finally attempted to make them! The majority turned out pretty! Although, there were a few crackly, fragile ones that were promptly repurposed for sampling. I’m hoping to improve as I make variations in the near future.

I think i may have baked these guys a smidgen too long, but they still turned out delicious! I think when I make them again I will make a smaller recipe since I only have 3 cookie sheets and these guys filled up all three and I still had batter left over. On top of that, in my cookbook, it’s recomended to bake these on two cookie sheets layered, and I sure didn’t have one to spare!

The sanding sugar added a bit of magic to the top, don’t you think?

Vanilla Macarons {a first attempt}
Recipe from I <3 Macarons by Hisako Ogita

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup (3 ounces) almond meal
• 1 1/2 cups (5.25 ounces) powdered sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 5 T (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste, or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
• Sanding sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the almond meal and powdered sugar through a medium-mesh sieve twice. Set aside.
2. In a stainless-steel mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar to the egg whites. Beat until opaque and thick. Gently stir in vanilla, then continue mixing on high until the eggs have turned into meringue that is stiff, firm and has a glossy texture. It shouldn’t move if you scoop some with a rubber spatula and hold it above the bowl.
3. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the meringue, stirring it with a rubber spatula scraping it up from the bottom of the bowl. Add the rest of the flour mixture and lightly stir it in a circular motion.
4. It’s time for Macaronnage! When all the flour is added to the meringue, press and spread out the batter against the bowl’s sides. Scooping the batter up from the bottom. Folding it onto itself and back onto the sides of the bowl. Repeat this 15 times. When the batter is nicely firm and drips slowly from the spatula, you’ll know it’s done.
5. Line a large baking sheet or two smaller baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe 1 inch circles of batter onto the paper lined sheets about a half inch apart. (It helps to put the pastry bag in a cup and pour the batter in, somehow sealing the top, i might have used a chip clip, so that the batter can’t escape.)
6. Thump the baking sheet with the heel of your hand a few times, as this helps the cookies hold their round shapes and helps the foot or pied to form. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Allow the batter to sit on the cookie sheets at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes or until the batter doesn’t stick to your finger when touched.
8. Bake in the center of the oven stacked on top of one other cookie sheet for 15-18 minutes until crisp and crackled on top. Rotating half way through bake time.
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then promptly fill! I filled these with just a little bit of strawberry jam, and it complimented the vanilla macaron delightfully.

These are sweet, just like you guys!