French macarons

(WTNH) - Emilie your French Chef prepares a delicious treat.

Ingredients for 25 macarons :
100gr white eggs
125 gr almond powder
210r confectioner’s powered sugar
30 gr white granulated sugar
Food Colorant (red, green, yellow …) . For Chocolate Macarons : substitute 10 gr of confectioner’s sugar with chocolate powder.

The Macaron’s recipe :
Sift together the powdered sugar with the almond powder so there are no lumps (use previously a blender or food processor if almond meal that you buy isn't quite fine enough).

In the bowl of you electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 1.5 minutes.
Then put the color extract and keep beating 30sec.

Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in several batches (3 batches is perfect), into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. Fold always from the bottom to the up to no break the whites.
When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you're alone).

Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.

Let the baking sheet about 1h – 2h at room temperature !!!!) to flatten and harden the macarons (no more than 2h, because your macarons might be too dry).

 

 

Preheat oven to 305º F (180º C).
Bake the macarons ON 2 COOKIE SHEETS !!!

Bake for 15-16 minutes for ivory macarons and 14-15 mn for colored and chocolate macarons ( this timing depends on your oven ).
Be very careful and take a look to your macarons after 14mn (you can touch them to see if they are already cooked) : 1 minute is enough to overcook a macaron !!.

Let cool completely at room temperature (at least 30mn) then remove carefully from baking sheet.
Spread a bit of filing with a little spoon on the side of one macarons and sandwich it with another macaron.
I also tend to overfill them so you may or may not use all the filling.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze. If you freeze them, defrost them in the unopened container, to avoid condensation which will make the macarons soggy.

Chocolate Filling :

1 cup of semi seet chocolate
½ cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Heat the chocolate in a small saucepan with the cream. When the chocolate is melted, add the butter and then stir until smooth. Let cool completely before using.

Sea & Salt Caramel Filling :
1 cup of Soft Caramel
½ cup of heavy cream
A hint of Sea Salt (or regular salt)
Melting all the ingerdients on the heat. Stirring carefuly until combined and cool at room temperature until the caramel becomes tough.

 

 

 

Strawberry (or all red berries) Filling :
1 cup of Strawberries or red berrries (you can use frozen fruits)
2 tablespoon of Strawberry Marmelade
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoon of gelatine (or strawberry jello)
2 tablespoon of water
Melting all the ingerdients on the heat. Stirring carefuly, the sprinkle the gelatine. Stir until combined and cool at room temperature until the the filling becomes tough.

Coconut Filling :
1/4 cup of sweat Coconut, shopped in very small piecces
1/2 cup of Vanilla Frosting
1 teaspoon of coconut extract
Melting all ingredients together.

Pistachio Filling :
1 cup of unsalted pistachio nutmeats
1 cup of confectioner sugar
1 white egg
1 drop of almond extract
green and yellow food color

Grind all ingredients together. Add more sugar (by teaspoon) in case it is to liquid.