Aiming for perfection on my first attempt ... we'll see how far I'll get!
A dozen eggs. That's how it all started. My father gave a dozen eggs to our neighbours, who had just returned from Flordia and were now stuck in quarantine for the next two weeks. Because my father works at a grocery store, from time to time, they would call requesting if he could bring home one or two products. He was more than happy to help.
Of course, his happiness substantially increased, when, a couple of days later, his efforts were recognized by a gracious neighbour holding out a lemon margarine pie at our doorstep. She had baked the pie as a thank you for the eggs. As a family, we enjoyed the dessert and joked about giving our neighbours groceries more often. However, the thanks didn't stop there. The day after, when the doorbell rang, our neighbour held out a paper plate with six freshly made macarons. The delicate French pastry were so delicious that I decided to make my own and pay the thanks forward.
Researching the Recipe
A macaron is a delicate meringue-based cookie sandwich made primarily from egg whites, almond four, and sugar. The outside is crisp, but inside, they are moist and chewy. They can be filled with a ganache, buttercream or anything desired. Though macarons are heavily associated with France, they are thought to have been brought over from Italy. During the Renaissance, French queen Catherine de' Medici's Italian pastry chefs made them when she brought them with her to France in 1533 upon marrying Henry II of France.
"They're macarons, not macaroons, you imbecile! One 'o,' not two." ― Lauren H. Brandenburg
Because I have never made French macarons before, I decided to spend some time doing research on the delectable sweets. And here I am, sharing with you all some of the most interesting facts and helpful tips I found. Also, as Sara and I continue to write blog posts, any time one includes a recipe, there will be a recipe card for our readers to download.
Tips to Keep in Mind:
That meringue has to be stiff, all it takes is a bit of extra whisking, and you'll notice the meringue begin to fill the whisk when you're getting close to the right stage.
Ageing your egg whites will dehydrate them and make them perfect for macarons. Separate the eggs, place the whites in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them refrigerate for a few days before using it.
Pipe the macarons perpendicular to the surface. If your tip is pointing a bit in any particular direction when you pipe the macarons might be distorted. When you are finishing the piping motion, stop squeezing the bag and pull up with a circular motion.
Lastly, the macarons will be best after 2-3 days resting in the fridge.
In the video, on our YouTube channel, I followed the recipe posted by Tasty. I also used some helpful tips from other bloggers like Preppy Kitchen and Sally's Baking Addiction to make a perfect batch of macarons on my first attempt ... Of course, that's easier said than done. I will keep trying, and if I am going to have to eat more macaroons during this trek, that is a sacrifice I will have to make. Watch the full video here and share in the comment section what other recipes you'd like to see.
Warm Regards,
Carmelina
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