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Post by craftedbys on Nov 4, 2022 22:07:39 GMT
Yesterday I tried my hand at making French Macrons for the first time.
While they didn't look handshake worthy, DH said I hit it out of the park with the texture and taste. Butterbean hides a multitude of sins, LOL.
Next time I need to add more gel food coloring so they come out purple, not grayish lilac.
I had some trouble getting some of them off of the silpat, don't know if I left them on too long or if they were slightly underbaked.
What temperature do you find is the best? I did 325 for 11 minutes but they started lightly browning on the edges, so I am wondering if dropping the temp to 300 would keep that from happening.
What is your favorite flavor combination for macrons? I made vanilla shells with a caramel buttercream filling.
Next time it will probably be lemon with buttercream and a touch of lemon curd (my Dad loves lemon).
I was thinking of doing a vanilla shell with maple buttercream and maybe a sprinkle of candied bacon.
I would love any tips, tricks, and suggestions/advice from y'all.
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pilcas
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by pilcas on Nov 4, 2022 22:17:15 GMT
I am assuming you are not baking mini French Presidents!
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Post by elaine on Nov 4, 2022 22:23:52 GMT
I am assuming you are not baking mini French Presidents! 😝 I figured that she meant macarons, not Macrons. 😀 Let me just share here that one of my irrational pet peeves is when people mispronounce “macaron” as “macaroon” which is a completely different cookie - one that is a traditional Passover coconut cookie. |
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Post by Zee on Nov 4, 2022 22:52:05 GMT
I learn something new every time I watch that show, speaking of a handshake!
I don't even know what a silpat is.
By butterbean did you mean buttercream?
Yes, it's a macAron. I intend to try making them one day. I do make a pretty mean macaroon, and have since first grade when I was obsessed with Harry The Fat Bear Spy. They probably can't call him that nowadays.
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Post by gorgeouskid on Nov 4, 2022 22:53:48 GMT
What is your favorite flavor combination for macrons? I made vanilla shells with a caramel buttercream filling. I've made blueberry (dried blueberries blitzed and added to the almond flour) with lemon buttercream, hazelnut shells with expresso ganache filling, peanut butter shells with raspberry jam, coffee shells with caramel filling. I think a good combination that I haven't tried would be s'mores- graham cracker shell, with marshmallow and chocolate ganache inside. Here are some other combos at 'Lette Bakery where I buy : dark chocolate / chocolat noir dark chocolate ganache coconut / noix de coco coconut ganache colombian coffee / café de Colombie coffee ganache earl grey tea / thé earl grey earl grey tea ganache madagascar vanilla / vanille de madagascar vanilla ganache passion fruit / fruit de la passion passion fruit ganache rose / rose rose ganache raspbery / framboise raspberry ganache salted caramel / caramel salésalted caramel ganache sicilian pistachio / pistache de Sicilepistachio ganache red velvet / velours rougechocolate cheesecake ganache sweet wedding almond / dragéealmond ganache violet cassis / violet cassisviolet ganache and black current jam blueberry lemon / myrtilles citronblueberry lemon ganache lemon / citron |
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 4, 2022 22:57:16 GMT
So now I have learned my lesson about not going back and proof reading and just depending on autocorrect!
Guess that is what I get for trying to post in a hurry.
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Post by bc2ca on Nov 5, 2022 1:50:51 GMT
I am assuming you are not baking mini French Presidents!   So now I have learned my lesson about not going back and proof reading and just depending on autocorrect! I love a good autocorrect and was delighted by Macron for macaron - both delightfully French.  I have nothing more to add except one day I plan to try making macarons. FTR (not that anybody cares), I remember macaroons as the first cookie I ever made that I disliked. Not a fan of shredded coconut. |
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Post by elaine on Nov 5, 2022 1:54:19 GMT
I learn something new every time I watch that show, speaking of a handshake! I don't even know what a silpat is. By butterbean did you mean buttercream? Yes, it's a macAron. I intend to try making them one day. I do make a pretty mean macaroon, and have since first grade when I was obsessed with Harry The Fat Bear Spy. They probably can't call him that nowadays. Silpat = silicone baking mat. (was the original silicone mat brand here in the US - like “kleenex” for tissue) |
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Post by Merge on Nov 5, 2022 1:56:23 GMT
My 19 year old is obsessed with the British baking show and tried her hand at macarons a couple of years ago. Living here in SE Texas, she was careful to bake them on a day with lower humidity as I guess that can affect them. She did a great job but hasn’t made them again since.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 5, 2022 1:59:20 GMT
They’re on my list of things to try. I know they’re finicky and I don’t always have that much patience. My kid really likes them but honestly I’ve never had one that I thought was mind blowing.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 5, 2022 2:05:38 GMT
There is a Silipat mat specifically for macarons and it really helps to size them. The problem w/macarons is that you have to do each step perfectly. There is no room for error. So, they take practice. I bake mine at 325, but it does depend on your oven.
On the other hand, macaroons are much easier to make, but you can buy the manischewitz chocolate maracoons at Passover. Yum.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Nov 5, 2022 3:53:50 GMT
I assumed there was some bakery I’d never heard of called MacAron and they must be Scottish.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Nov 5, 2022 4:29:38 GMT
I assumed there was some bakery I’d never heard of called MacAron and they must be Scottish. Same! I thought it must be a Scottish branch of my dad’s family I hadn’t uncovered yet. |
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Gennifer
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Post by Gennifer on Nov 5, 2022 8:28:48 GMT
I made them once in 2010, but never since. 😂 They were definitely good, but damn, a lot of work. I prefer to just buy them.
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Post by mikklynn on Nov 5, 2022 11:35:56 GMT
They’re on my list of things to try. I know they’re finicky and I don’t always have that much patience. My kid really likes them but honestly I’ve never had one that I thought was mind blowing. I didn't think they were mind blowing either, until I bought some for DGS's birthday in Billings, MT. OMG - I'm still thinking about them 6 months later. |
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milocat
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Post by milocat on Nov 5, 2022 14:21:01 GMT
My mom and I made them once last winter and have said we should make them again. We really should because there is nowhere within driving distance that makes them here. I'm gluten free so they are a delicious choice. We always have low humidity here so that's no problem. We used parchment paper not silicon. We filled with lemon curd. They are best refrigerated, left for a day and then brought to room temperature before eating. But that is so hard! Ours turned out pretty good for a first time, needed a bit more thick chewiness on the inside.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Nov 5, 2022 15:40:59 GMT
I just cannot make them here. I know it's the altitude and I've tried all the altitude adjustments, but they're so finicky and I've given up. My daughter adores them - but I told her it's an excuse to go back to Paris!
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Nov 5, 2022 16:09:47 GMT
They’re on my list of things to try. I know they’re finicky and I don’t always have that much patience. My kid really likes them but honestly I’ve never had one that I thought was mind blowing. This is where I sit with them too |
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Post by MichyM on Nov 5, 2022 16:51:44 GMT
Welcome to the dark side 😁
My personal favorites are lemon (curd only for the filing, no butter cream) and add lemon zest to the dough, and peppermint.
For the peppermint split your dough in half and only color 1/2 of it brilliant red. Then add both halves to your piping bag. As you pipe them out, they will swirl into a lovely red and white. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits. Make a peppermint filling. Yum!
I’ve made a bunch of different kinds. Espresso, chocolate chip mint, pistachio, the list goes on and on.
Make sure you’re using a good quality gel coloring, and don’t be shy about using it. You’ll get gorgeous macarons!
Also, they freeze well, so stored properly one can start their holiday macaron baking early!
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Post by MichyM on Nov 5, 2022 16:51:55 GMT
Welcome to the dark side 😁
My personal favorites are lemon (curd only for the filing, no butter cream) and add lemon zest to the dough, and peppermint.
For the peppermint split your dough in half and only color 1/2 of it brilliant red. Then add both halves to your piping bag. As you pipe them out, they will swirl into a lovely red and white. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits. Make a peppermint filling. Yum!
I’ve made a bunch of different kinds. Espresso, chocolate chip mint, pistachio, the list goes on and on.
Make sure you’re using a good quality gel coloring, and don’t be shy about using it. You’ll get gorgeous macarons!
Also, they freeze well, so stored properly one can start their holiday macaron baking early!
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cakediva
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Post by cakediva on Nov 5, 2022 20:53:18 GMT
I make them often! I have 5 large silicone macaron mats that have 35 2” circle ridges on them to keep uniform sizes for my shells.
I bake at 300F for a 7 minutes, rotate my trays, bake another 7 and see how they are. If the still wiggle when I touch them I leave them for another 2 minutes and check again.
But even if you are a seasoned macaron baker, you still have screw ups!
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Post by pjaye on Nov 5, 2022 22:45:17 GMT
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caangel
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Post by caangel on Nov 6, 2022 1:56:32 GMT
Welcome to the dark side 😁 My personal favorites are lemon (curd only for the filing, no butter cream) and add lemon zest to the dough, and peppermint. For the peppermint split your dough in half and only color 1/2 of it brilliant red. Then add both halves to your piping bag. As you pipe them out, they will swirl into a lovely red and white. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits. Make a peppermint filling. Yum! I’ve made a bunch of different kinds. Espresso, chocolate chip mint, pistachio, the list goes on and on. Make sure you’re using a good quality gel coloring, and don’t be shy about using it. You’ll get gorgeous macarons! Also, they freeze well, so stored properly one can start their holiday macaron baking early! Tell me more about freezing macarons! |
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iowgirl
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Post by iowgirl on Nov 6, 2022 15:37:39 GMT
Let me just share here that one of my irrational pet peeves is when people mispronounce “macaron” as “macaroon” which is a completely different cookie - one that is a traditional Passover coconut cookie. When 'macaron's' first became a thing. I had never heard of them. I remember a conversation with a friend where I asked "do you mean macaroon?" "No, macaron" Macaroon macaron macaroon macaron... it was still the funniest conversation we ever had. FWIW - I have never had a good one. They always look so good, and I am always so disappointed. I think it's because I really want a macaroon!  |
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Post by MichyM on Nov 6, 2022 16:54:43 GMT
Welcome to the dark side 😁 My personal favorites are lemon (curd only for the filing, no butter cream) and add lemon zest to the dough, and peppermint. For the peppermint split your dough in half and only color 1/2 of it brilliant red. Then add both halves to your piping bag. As you pipe them out, they will swirl into a lovely red and white. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits. Make a peppermint filling. Yum! I’ve made a bunch of different kinds. Espresso, chocolate chip mint, pistachio, the list goes on and on. Make sure you’re using a good quality gel coloring, and don’t be shy about using it. You’ll get gorgeous macarons! Also, they freeze well, so stored properly one can start their holiday macaron baking early! Tell me more about freezing macarons! Honestly, you can Google for precise instructions, but I just Layer them between sheets of parchment paper and put in a sturdy container and freeze. I’ve kept them for up a month. They take maybe 20 minutes to thaw if taken out one by one. |
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caangel
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Post by caangel on Nov 6, 2022 20:51:54 GMT
MichyM so the texture is ok after freezing? And are you freezing before filling or after?
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Post by Scrapper100 on Nov 6, 2022 21:43:23 GMT
I have wanted to try these for a long time. Maybe this is the year  . |
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Post by MichyM on Nov 6, 2022 23:51:02 GMT
MichyM so the texture is ok after freezing? And are you freezing before filling or after? They are exactly the same after thawing. Soft crunch on the outside, a bit chewy inside. I freeze them filled, but you can do it either way. Next time you make them, just try freezing 6 if the idea makes you nervous 😁 |
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Post by pjaye on Nov 7, 2022 0:13:26 GMT
My favourite macaron story is when I was waiting to be served in a small fancy (expensive) bakery that sells them...the lady in front of me was selecting some for a gift box and she asked "what flavour is the green one?" and the sales lady said "pistachio" and the women replied, 'Oh no, not that one, the person I'm giving them to is allergic to nuts...."  |
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Post by Ryann on Nov 7, 2022 2:36:49 GMT
For those of you that are experienced, do you have a tried & true recipe that can be shared? I have a fall cookie exchange I’m doing next weekend. I kinda want to give this a try!
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