Macarons

Macarons

 

Mastering Macarons is a hurdle one must jump in order to qualify as a french patisserie chef, even an amateur one.  This became very evident to me in my travels around France.

Macaron Towers in Paris

Macarons have become so popular, they've overrun the cupcake!  Although I was aware of their existence, I never paid them much attention.  It wasn't until I tried them that I fell in love! They were everywhere and  it was hard to avoid them. My expanding waistline was testament to that!

Falling in Love...

Macarons are one of those things that evolved over time.  The story begins when Catherine de Medici of Italy married King Henri II of France.  When she moved to France, she brought her pastry chefs with her (my kind of lady!).  Here, the introduction of almond meal based pastries were introduced.  

They were turned into biscuits by two Benedictine Nuns who baked them in order to support themselves during the French Revolution.

In 1901, Pierre Desfontaines of cafe Lauree took two of these cookies, filled them with ganache and gave us the macaron as we know it today!

These petit fours (small baked pastries) are one of the hardest things to make!  They are very temperamental and have many crucial points where attention must be paid. 

Specialty Macaron bakery in Tours

When you look at the ingredients, it all looks quite simple... its not. Here's a run down of the ingredients and the complexities pertaining to them:

Almond meal: No dramas here, except its expensive.  No wonder they charge over $2.50 a pop for them! I have made it myself without any issues..peeling almonds is no fun after the first 200 grams.

Egg whites: there are many theories relating to how old the egg whites ought to be.  I've used both old and new eggs with the same results.  When I compared cold versus room temperature whites, those at room temperature produced a better yield.  

Caster sugar:I always weigh rather than measure my sugar.  Some recipes ask that you add the sugar gradually.  I've found it makes no difference.  Just dump it in at the start.

Icing sugar: Once again, weigh don't measure.

 Tant pour tant

The first thing I do is make the tant pour tant (one for one).  This is basically combining the almond meal with the icing sugar.  the smoother the mix, the smoother the batter and therefore the surface of the macarons.  I achieve smoothness by processing the mix for 2 minutes and then sifting it twice.

 

Meringue

 

Using a mixer has made this process so much easier!  I start by adding the sugar to the egg whites (at room temperature) and mix them together, starting at a low speed  and increasing the speed every two minutes.  After 8 minutes of mixing, stiff peaks should form.  A good guide is to remove the whisk attachment and place it over your head.  Any meringue attached to it should not drip in the slightest.  When you get to this stage, add your chosen colouring and mix for a further minute on top speed.

Meringue

Macronage

Testing the batter

The process of mixing the meringue with the tant pour tant is the most important step.  Overmix and the batter becomes too runny, leaving you with flat macarons with no feet (the little edge that forms on the base of the biscuit).  Undermix and you end up with rough, poorly formed biscuits

The secret is to mix until the ingredients are just incorporated and any colouring added is even and uniform.  A method in which to test if it is ready is to lift some batter out of the mix and let it fall back in the bowl.  It should take 30 seconds for the fallen batter to re-incorporate into the rest of the batter.

Piping

This is a skill that I have improved with each attempt.  The aim is to pipe macarons that are uniform in size and shape.  One suggestion is to draw a template of circles onto your baking paper. Once you have piped the batter out onto your lined trays, tap them against the bench four or five times really hard.  This expels any air bubbles which, if not removed may crack the surface of the biscuits.

Piping getting better!

Piping not so great

 

Croutage

The macarons need to be rested after they have been piped.  This allows them to dry out, creating a thin film on the surface of the macaron.  When cooked, this film becomes crisp and ensures that no cracks form in the surface.  I find that 15-30 minutes was ample time for croutage.  In order to test whether the film has formed, brush your finger gently across the surface of the macaron.  If the batter doesn't stick to your finger, they are ready.

Baking

Cooling

Baking times will vary according to your oven.  I had to buy an oven thermometer to test my oven out.  Turns out it has a hot spot in the upper right hand corner.  I compensate for this by 

1) whingeing to my husband about the crappy oven and 

2) turning the tray 180 degrees halfway through cooking time.  

Put them into a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes.

 

Perfect underside

Halfway through the baking time is when the feet at the base should form.  Let them cool on the tray and then slowly peel the baking paper away from the biscuit.  The base should be smooth and intact.  If they are still gooey, they haven't been baked for long enough.

 Flavoring

The options are endless.  You can add essence to the biscuits right before macronage if wet and if using dry flavourings such as cocoa powder or crushed nuts, add them into the tant pour tant after sifting.

As for the filling, the most popular is ganache.  Its smooth and creamy and can be flavoured quite easily by incorporating pureed fruit or essence whilst beating.  Butter cream is another option, but I don't like it.  Fresh fruit, jam, lemon curd, caramel...the list is endless!

 

Salted Caramel

Chocolate

 

Strawberries and Cream

 Customisation

There are so many methods in which to make macarons pretty.  Crushed nuts can be sprinkled to the top of the macarons before croutage.  Chocolate drizzled over the top of filled macrons, edible shimmer powder and star dust brushed onto cooled biscuits are a few other options.

Customised Blueberry

So, give them a go.  They look so pretty and taste amazing! 

Ingredients:

150 g almond meal

230 g icing sugar

140 g egg whites

70 g caster sugar

Bake at 150 degrees C for 20 minutes

 

Madelines

Making Madelines

This week, I've been playing around with a few different recipes  for these delicate fluffy cakes which are often served at french high teas.

The story of their invention is quite interesting.  Apparently, the father of Marie Antoinette (Queen of France) asked his kitchen aid to make a little cake to serve with tea for some visiting dignitaries. They were so well received he sent a batch to his daughter, the Queen.  She was very impressed and made them a part of the French Royal high tea.  They were going to be named "The Queen's Cake", but Marie Antoinette insisted they be named after their creator "Madeline". Maybe Marie Antionette's famously quoted "Let them eat cake" was referring to madelines?

As there are many recipes out there, I decided upon a game plan.  I researched the recipes and found that each one fell into one of three groups, the quick method, the traditional method and the modern take on a classic.  I chose one recipe from each of these groups and began baking.

The three recipes are from: 

Batches from recipes one and two

• Sarah Randell's The food of France (recipe one)
• Andre Domine's Culinaria France (recipe two)
• Rick Stein's French Oddessy (recipe three)

 The three recipes varied greatly in the quantities of staple ingredients they used.  In order to compare, I have listed the quantities of butter, eggs and sugar used in each recipe:

Recipe one:
140g butter, 2 eggs, 120g caster sugar

Recipe two:
400g butter, 9 eggs, 450g caster sugar

Recipe three:
120g butter, 5 eggs, 200g caster sugar

Another important variation is that recipes one and three asked for lemon zest as flavoring, whereas recipe two used honey and vanilla as a modern variation.

When deciding upon a favorite, taste, effort to make and amount of staple ingredients were the three deciding factors.

Recipe one was medium in the amount of staple ingredients it used, and it did require resting time of 2 hours, but the taste was sublime.  Light, fluffy and not overpowering in its sweetness.

Recipe two used a lot of staples and also required two hours to rest and they were light and fluffy, but they were very sweet.

Recipe three was light on the amount of staple ingredients it required, were very quick to make, but the cakes were dense and tasted eggy.  Fail!




 And so, after much sampling and taste testing (why not!) I have a winner! Recipe one by a large margin. Please feel free to give them a go..it is worth the effort and they keep for up to three days in an air tight container.

WINNER!

Makes 12 Madelines

100g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
120g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
140g salted butter, melted
zest from 1/4 lemon

 In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and sugar, making a well in the centre.  Pour the eggs into the well and fold them into the mix with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the melted butter and zest. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 oC and grease the shell shaped madeline tray.  Spoon the batter into the mould until 3/4 full.  Reduce the oven temperature to 180oC and cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.

Unmould onto a wire rack to cool before serving. Sprinkle with icing sugar prior to serving.

Conception

Baguettes in Tours

Welcome to Epicurious!

I'm Mim..Critical Care nurse by day.. Renegade foodie by night (and sometimes the other way around!) Through Epicurious, I  will endeavor to share my odyssey through the diverse world of French cuisine.

My induction into the world of cooking began at an early age.. I was a constant prescence in my grandmother's kitchen and was cooking family meals for our family of nine by the time I was eleven years old...yes, a large Mediterranean family from one of Melbourne's inner city suburbs.

Macaroons in Bordeaux

My favourite  pastime was to head to the markets with my Dad and do the weekly shop. I was able to gain a real appreciation for seasonal cooking, adjusting the menu according to what was in season.

As time went by, my skills increased. So too did my curiosity and it  continues to this day, which is how this blog got its name! I've always wanted to know more, to learn more... From food production to different cooking styles, genres and techniques. Cooking became my "raison d'être"..my reason for being. Most people watch TV or listen to music to unwind.  I do both these things whilst I'm in the kitchen cooking!  It is my form of relaxation.  When I'm in the kitchen, I enter an abyss...  I am unaware of the passage of time.

Boucherie in Toulouse

 
As a young teen, my inspiration came from watching and reading the work of chefs such as Gabriel Gate, Joel Robuchon, Jacques Reymond and Guillaume Brahimi. Their beautiful creations filled me with awe. The one thing all my favourite chefs had in common was their nationality... They were all French! And so, a love for French food was born, one that grew exponentially after travelling throughout France.

Fromagerie in Nice

I was initially hesitant about starting a blog.. I mean, who wants to read about me and what I get up to in my kitchen? I was in the habit of posting up pictures of my culinary achievements on Facebook  and so was often asked for a recipe or technique and received many positive affirmations. It was then suggested by a few friends  that I start a blog. 

Berry Stall at Market in Toulouse

And so I have..I look at this undertaking as an opportunity to document my efforts, share lessons learnt and hopefully inspire some of you along the way!

À bientôt!

Mim xx

Spice Market in Paris