This weekend we had raspberry white chocolate macarons. I know it's a bit of a rehash, I make them all the time, although I haven't included any pictures in the blog for the longest while.
But they are so good and creamy and melt in the melt with a crisp little shell. Well you get the picture.
I guess there is a reason why I make them all the time........
I made up chocolate ones as well, but the pink ones always seem to have my heart. I've popped the recipe below, which is as I said already a revisit of my previous recipe. The filling is right at the bottom, and remember to fill them the day before you need to serve.
Macaron Shells makes around 30 filled macarons
Fill the shells with the filling (included after recipe for shells) at least 1 day before you serve to get the correct consistency. Store in an airtight container in fridge and then bring to room temperature about 30 minutes prior to serving.
190 gram (6 5/8 oz)almond meal (almond flour)
190 gram pure icing sugar (6 5/8 oz powdered sugar)
190 gram granulated sugar (6 5/8 oz)
48 grams water (1 5/8 oz)
140 gram egg whites aged split into 2 lots of 70grams each (5 oz split into 2 lots of 2 1/2oz each)*
food color of choice (I use gel type food color like Wilton)
*ageing egg whites refers to separating the yolks from whites and then
leaving the whites to age for a few days. This can be done on the
counter if your countries climate permits or in the fridge, wrap the
bowl with plastic wrap and then pop a few holes in the top. Alternately
you can pop fresh egg whites in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or so
- I used the microwave method in this batch pictured.
1. Mix the ground almonds and icing sugar together and pulse a few times
in food processor to make almond meal finer. Do not over process as the
meal can become oily. Sieve into a large bowl. Add colour and 70g (2
1/2 ounce) of the egg whites to the sugar/almond mixture but don’t mix
in.
2. Place remaining 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of egg whites in bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk.
Yup - I really use this super old fashioned thermometer I have had for about 20 years to make my macarons
3. Pop granulated sugar and water into saucepan stir to combine and cook
without stirring to 118C (245 F). Brush down the sides with a pastry
brush dipped in water as required to avoid the sugar crystallizing. Once
the mixture reaches 115C (240
F) start mixing the egg whites on high. Make sure you have a pouring
shield on your mixer, when the sugar syrup reaches 118C (245 F)remove
from heat and immediately pour in a thin stream down the side of the
mixer bowl continuing to whisk on high.
4. Continue to whisk the meringue on high until the side of the bowl is only a little warm to touch, around 50C (120 F).
5. Add meringue mixture to almond mixture and using a large spatula fold
the mixture together until it starts to shine and forms a ribbon that
disappears back into the mixture after about 20 seconds.
6. Add the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip (or just cut
the end of a disposable piping bag, that's what I do) and pipe in lines onto parchment
lined baking sheets. To make the macarons as even as possible I apply a
constant slow pressure to the piping bag and count a few numbers like
up to 3 for each one.
Waiting to form skins after piping
If your mixture has peaks
after you have piped a couple of rows that do now sink back down you
macaron mixture needs more mixing. Pop it back in the bowl and mix it a
bit more
7. Set aside for about 30 minutes or until the macarons
have formed a skin so that the macaron mixture does not stick to your
finger when gently touched. If the weather is humid this step may take
longer up to 2 hours. I pop on the aircon if it's humid at my house.
Baking in the oven. The macarons will rise after a few minutes in the oven and develop a frilly foot
Eeek- can you see some of those less than perfect under mixed mac's in the back that I pointed out
in the previous picture - they do not have a flat shiny top. That's so not mac-cool
8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 140C (285 F). Once ready bake the macaroons for around 13 to 15
minutes
depending on size, it may take longer, all ovens are different. If they
are baked and you gently push on the side the tops will not move, if
the tops do move do bake for another minute or 2. Also they should not
be browned if they are reduce the heat for the next batch or bake for less time.
9. Once baked remove the baking trays and immediately slide off the macarons and the
parchment onto the work surface and let cool completely before
removing the shells.
10. Once cooled match disks into like sizes and sandwich together using the ganache.
Raspberry White Chocolate Filling
To make ganache melt white chocolate with cream in the microwave and mix
gently until combined, use a ration of 3:1, so for example 360 grams
white chocolate to 120 grams cream, sorry guys I measure as I already
have the scales out and I can't be bothered messing up a liquid
measuring jug :) Add some pink gel color and raspberry flavor to taste.
Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook '
Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes,
candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is
available at most online book stores.
Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.
