Macarons are the new cake pops
The trendiest but toughest cookie to bake, you can practically find macarons on any baker's menu. One of my roommates introduced me to the idea of actually trying to make these cookies. After many batches I just threw in the trash I finally figured out the tricks and tips I'll share to perfect these French treats.
The recipe come from Les Petit Macarons: Colorful French Confections to Make at Home (http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/23810484.jsp). My roommate found this book at Anthropologie and it is the Macaron Bible.
German Chocolate Cake Macaron
yields: 24 sandwich cookies
1 C. Powdered Sugar
1/2 C. Almond Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill. You can find this at any major grocery store)
3 T. Cocoa Powder
2 Large Egg Whites
5 T. Granulated Sugar
1. First, lay out 2 eggs until they are room temperature. It creates more volume when you beat the eggs making for a tastier macaron. Plus, they are easier to separate. Usually it takes only a couple of hours although some recipes call for aged egg whites and instruct you leave them out overnight.
2. Combine Almond Flour, Powdered Sugar and Cocoa Powder in a large mixing bowl. Try sift the mixture as even as possible with minimal lumps.
3. Using a mixer, whip egg whites until frothy. Medium-High speed for about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are firm and form stiff peaks.
-This is the hardest section, knowing when to add ingredients and when to stop mixing. Use this
picture from pintsizedbaker.com as a guide
4. Gradually fold the egg whites into the dry mixture. Make sure to fold the ingredients by making "J" motions with your spatula instead of mixing.
5. Pipe the filling into a bag with a round tip (You can also use a Ziploc bag and cut the end corner to make a small opening) onto parchment paper. Squeeze the mixture (what will end up being the center of the cookie) and let it fill out to a desired size. I used to squeeze the batter from the outside in, making a swirl but you will see that design after the cookie is baked. After piped, rap the baking sheets a couple of times to let out the air in the mixture. It will eliminate bumps and help prevent the cookie from cracking in the oven.
6. Now, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. While your oven is preheating your want your macarons to sit. You want a skin to form on the top of the macaron. It will be ready to bake when the batter is no longer sticky to touch.
7. Bake for 13-16 minutes depending on your oven so it is best to watch the first batch to determine how long to bake the rest. You want them to stay in long enough to develop the "foot" of the macaron and a nice crunch on the outside of the cookie. If you take them out of the oven and they are stuck to the parchment paper they are not done yet. When perfectly cooked they easily pop off of the sheet.
8. Take out and let cool on a cooling rack. If you let them sit on the tray the bottoms will continue to cook from the heat of the tray.
Coconut Filling
yields: 1 pint, filling for 40 sandwich cookies
1/2 C. Unsweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
6 T. Butter
2 Egg Yolks
3/4 C. Shredded Coconut
1/2 C. Finely Chopped Pecan Pieces
1 t. Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
1. Bring the condensed milk, sugar and butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium & stir in the yolks, coconut, pecans, salt and vanilla extract. Continue cooking, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and begins to slightly boil. It will begin to darken due to the caramelization of the sugar.
3. Let cool slightly. If the mixture becomes too cool it will harden and be too hard to fill the sandwiches with, so spoon immediately between two sandwich cookies that match in size.
