Tried and Twisted

Parisian Macaron Memories

2015-03-20T23:52:00.002-04:00

While the fragile dusting of snow on the ground today hardly resembles the colorful flowers one expects to see on the first day of spring, my heart is warmed by all of the cheerful colorful macarons I've see for the Jour du Macaron.

This year, the thought of macarons brings memories of Paris and a once in a lifetime opportunity I had last year to visit.
So pull up a chair, pour a glass of wine, maybe play Amelie in the background for ambiance while I share a glimpse of my trip.

My husband and I had precious little time in our trip to Europe and oh so much ground to cover. For all of the complexity, history, and depth of Paris, we had only two days to experience it.

We arrived in Paris by way of Germany, but my fascination for fine art and French pastries called like a siren song pulling us 8 hours across Europe to the modern day headquarters of the Parisian macaron.

The morning of our final day in Paris began with warm croissants and cappuccino in a narrow basement below our hotel with rounded brick walls nestled over us. We set off down the Rue de Richelieu, past sleepy fromageries, through the sun-baked square of the the Louvre, around the Notre Dame and the overflowing blooms of sunflowers and roses surrounding it.

From there we followed the Seine across the Lock Bridge and straight on down a crocked diagonal alley to the mecca of my pilgrimage, Ladurée, a quiet corner store with gold lettering and bright big windows filled with macarons!

Le touriste! I was giddy with excitement, much to the amusement and chagrin of the ladies behind the counter patiently waiting while I carefully made the important decision of which flavors would I try.

Living in a small town in the US means that not many bakeries even know what a Parisian macaron is, let alone have the full variety of flavors available. I had to chose wisely.

Pictured are rose, dark chocolate, salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla -- all classic flavors!

Ladurée is the grandfather of macarons. The story goes that they have created these little pastries since the 1860s. I'm a sucker for original trend setters, so Ladurée was definitely top of my wish list.

But that doesn't mean, I didn't have time for Pierre Herme, the modern fashionista of macarons.

Just a short walk down the street, past a large sculpted fountain and a string of small cafes, we found the bright square window display for Pierre Herme. Rectangular macarons were the latest rage!

But that was several months ago, so I'm sure they've moved on the star or octagonal macarons by now.

This shop was bustling! I had to push my way through people just to get a glimpse of the chic parfaits and jumbo macarons with full raspberries encircling.

Amazingly, each bite of authentic Parisian macarons proved that my self-taught macarons were actually really close to the originals.

The flaky delicate crust, the moist interior, the firm, yet yielding icing holding it all together were so very much like my own macarons, which were based solely on the description of other passionate bakers online. Proof that with a little persistance and a willingness to try, delicious things can be accomplished.

Happy Jour du Macaron everyone and may your spring be sweet!

March of Macarons Features

2014-04-05T22:43:00.000-04:00

Thus concludes my first link party here at Tried and Twisted.

Thank you to everyone who shared macaron recipes for the March of Macarons link party!

My mouth is watering and I can't wait for my next chance to get baking.

March was so busy, but it's important to stop and enjoy the sweet little things in life. The first smell of flowers in the air, the first warm sunny day, or a little sweet thing -- like the macaron!

I was on an awesome bridesmaid trip to Florida this weekend, when we were met with the unexpected discovery of a macaron shop!

This may not sound like a very big deal to some of you. Macaron patisseries may adorn every corner where you live.

But in my hometown, "macaroons" are assumed to be the coconut cookies, not the French meringue that gets its own fashion show in Paris.

While I adore the variety, color, and pop of these cookies, it has been impossible for me to eat one without traveling many miles or making them myself.

So, I chose to learn to bake them myself.

But now, I've finally had a chance to eat a professional's macaron. So, how does my homemade ware compare?

Smooth hard shell, soft moist interior, ruffled feet, flat tops, sugar overload. Oh yeah, my macarons are just as good!

Last year, I baked Cadbury egg macarons to celebrate the Jour du Macaron, so this year I wanted to make something equally unique and challenging.

Enter the Boston Cream Pie Macaron! A twist on the old classic.

Now, let's look at the best of the March of Macaron guests!

Macaron Fetish shared these adorable treats just in time for Easter.

Blahnik Baker shared these pretty perky pink Blood Orange Walnut macarons. Once you consider all of the flavors available when you try other nuts or flours in your shells, it really opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Like these clever macs! Passionate About Baking shared this very creative flavor combo of black sesame macarons with cherry chocolate ganache.

How elegant is this macaron with this carmelized hazelnut garnish! Very fancy! Hint of Vanilla contributed these classic hazelnut buttercream macarons.

Chili & Toni shared a strong jolt to wake you up in the morning. Black coffee and chocolate -- yes, please!

Honorable mention to Jill at Mad about Macarons for her adorable mendiant "Easter bonnets" for her chocolate macarons! I've never heard of mendiants before, but those pretty little chocolate disks sound like a tasty treat.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed and made this year's March of Macarons so flavorful!

Boston Cream Pie Macaron

2014-03-31T22:21:00.002-04:00

The English language can be so confusing. Fat chance, slim chance -- same difference. Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.

And we strangely call some cakes "pie", but only when we're talking about the famous Boston cream pie. Or whoopie pies, but that's a horse of a difference color.

Just to confuse things even more, today we'll be talking about the pie, that's really a cake, that's actually recreated as a macaron.

Boston cream pie is usually a vanilla flavored cake with vanilla custard or pudding in the center and chocolate ganache poured on top.

One of the most classic French macaron flavors is vanilla bean, so twisting the recipe into a vanilla-flavored cake is a natural leap.

I decided to share this recipe for my March of Macaron celebration because it is a recipe I tried once before a year ago. And my oh my, what a difference a year can make.

As you can see, there's nothing "wrong" with my old macarons. They certainly tasted delicious. But their tops are domed and poofy, which tends to be a sign of overwhipping or not enough macaronage. The feet are also a little underdeveloped.

Now, look at what two years of practice will do!

Perfect flat tops, consistent ruffled feet, no hollow shells! Practice is so important for learning how long to mix your batter and what it should look like at each stage.

Now, I'm certainly not baking macarons everyday (as much as I would love to!), but just baking macarons more than once teaches me so much.

Boston Cream Pie Macarons

(Makes about 30 sandwiches)

240 g powdered sugar
180 g almond flour
80 g granulated sugar
140 g egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
yellow gel food coloring (3 drops)

2 cups of milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

*Source recipe for the custard filling Martha Stewart

1 oz chocolate bar, unsweetened
1 tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water (2 Tbsp at a time)

1. Combine almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor to break down any large pieces and mix ingredients.
2. Beat egg white in a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes until the beaters leave a trail. You can add a pinch of cream of tartar to help thicken the meringue if you wish.
3. Add granulated sugar to egg whites and beat for 6 - 8 minutes on medium speed until the meringue forms with stiff peaks.
4. Add half of the flour mixture to the meringue and fold it with a spatula to combine. Add vanilla and food coloring, if you'd like to imitate the look of yellow cake. Once that's incorporated, add the rest of the flour mixture. Folding the batter will flatten the meringue a bit, but don't worry. That's all part of the process.
5. Fill your piping bag (round large tip) with the batter and pipe small 1-inch cookies onto a parchment paper or silicone mat. Space the rows of cookies out so they can spread and flatten. Tap the baking sheet against the table to help work any air bubbles to the surface. If your meringues have peaks, you can wet your finger and tap them down gently to make the top smooth and flat.
6. Wait 20 - 30 minutes for the outside surface of the cookie to dry and get a bit tacky to touch.
7. Throw your macarons in the oven and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
TIP: The macaron is baked solid all the way through when you can easily pick the whole cookie off of the sheet without the top separating from the bottom or cracking.
8. Let the macaron shells cool and then fill with the custard.

9. Custard: Combine milk with 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan on low medium heat until simmering.
10. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar. Whisk in the vanilla, salt, and cornstarch (just a little at a time).
11. Add a cup of the heated milk mixture to the mixing bowl and whisk together to temper the mix. Then add the yolk mixture to the saucepan and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Strain mixture to remove any lumps from the custard and store in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 3 hours.

13. Ganache: Heat chocolate bars and butter in a saucepan until just melted.
14. Pour powdered sugar and vanilla over chopped chocolate. Mix by hand with a spatula until combined. The mix will get thick.
15. Add hot water 2 Tbsp at a time until the ganache reaches just the right consistency.
16. Dip the top shell in the ganache for a smooth chocolate top. Pipe the custard onto the bottom shell and sandwich the two together to make a mini version of the Boston Cream Pie. Let mature for a few hours before serving.


The ganache on the macaron in the front is too thick and holds its shape rather than running smooth and flat on top. You may have to dip a shell or two to test the chocolate until you reach the right consistency.

Some macarons can be served a few days later, but with the chocolate on top and the custard inside, the shells tend to get moist much quicker, so I recommend serving the same day or no later than the next day.

Bon appetite!

March of Macaron Linky Party

2014-03-11T22:26:00.004-04:00

Welcome to this year's March of Macaron festivities!

For the first time, I'm hosting a link party for all to share their best and favorite macarons.

Have you been inspired to try your first batch of macarons since last year's March of Macaron tutorial? Are you a master of macarons, branching out into new and creative flavors? I'd love to see them all.

Share your baking stories with us all month long!

Linking at: Natasha in Oz, Pin It Monday,

Calling All Macarons

2014-02-27T22:35:00.001-05:00

The sun is shining, the snow is melting. It's almost that time of year again!

Well, sure, I guess it is almost spring too, but more importantly, it's almost March, which here on Tried & Twisted means it's almost time for the all month marathon of those delicious, colorful French Macarons!

French macarons are pastries of sugar, almond flour, egg white, and a dash of pure awesome. I might be biased though. I do have a diagnosed obsession with these happy little treats.

Some concerned friends and family members have suggested professional help, but the doctors have just recommended immersion therapy, so bring on more macarons!

Last year, to celebrate the annual Jour du Macaron on March 20th, I dedicated the entire month of March to macarons. As it turns out, a lot of you out there are also lovers of these desserts too, and many of you asked if you could join the fun.

So this year, I'll be hosting a party!

For this year's March of Macarons, let's share a parade of macarons on my blog!

All are invited! If you've been making macarons for years, share your favorite. If you bravely tried them for the first time, share the experience with us. Even if you just went to a local patisserie and found a cool new flavor, send it in!

In March, I'll host a linky party for bloggers to share their favorite, colorful, flavorful macarons.

If you'd like to write a guest post or if you'd like to share your baking experience, but you don't have a blog to post to, then just email me at triedandtwisted@gmail.com.

I'll be sharing new tips and new recipes all through the month of March, so stop by often for more of the March of Macarons.

I'll also be pinning macarons on my Minor Macaron Obsession board, so feel free to follow along!

Be sweet, everyone!

Linking at:
Natasha in Oz Saturday Linky Party, Flaunt it Friday,