Yummy Macarons

Oh my love, and total happiness!!   I did it!!  I made these babies, and they actually turned out.  What a good day!  Tomorrow Seth is getting baptized and I'm busy today making all sorts of yummy things for the small group that's coming tomorrow.  We're going to have a crepe bar, a couple delicious salads, some Key Lime Tarts, and these lovely Macarons.  I mull over the details of these "after"events for days.......even weeks.  I love them.  The family gathers for a great event like a baptism, baby blessing, or even a missionary farewell, and then we get to just enjoy each others company for a few hours.  Tomorrow is extra special though since Seth and his favorite little cousin Tyler are both being baptized.  As Hollie put it, "two for the trip of one!"  A perfect day I think!

I have always loved coconut macaroons.  Ever since I can remember.  A few years ago I first started seeing these little macarons pop up here and there, but it wasn't until our little vacation to San Francisco last spring that I first tasted a real French Macaron.  First off, there is no coconut involved at all, but lots of almond meal.  So all a French Macaron really is, is egg whites, sugar, ground up almonds, and flavoring.  Not to bad.  Then they are sandwiched together with something delicious.  We made chocolate ones today and sandwiched Nutella between them.  So tasty.  We also made lemon ones and we're going to sandwich lemon curd between those.  Light and springy (even though you'd think it was Dec. around these parts today.).   So when we tasted our first macarons in San Fran they were a buck a piece.  Little cookies not much more than the size of a quarter and they were charging a buck.  It was a complete rip off, but I had to have one.  James and I each had a delicious little morsel, and I've been smitten ever since.  I've never worked up the gumption to make them before today, but I figured if I at least tried, I would have one attempt under my belt.  They weren't bad at all.  My chocolate cookies turned out the best.  I folded the egg whites as directed and they worked perfectly.  They lemon didn't look quite as pretty since I got lazy with the folding and I just stirred.  Don't do that.  Just follow directions.  Both cookies tasted great though.

So now I no longer need to visit San Francisco for my little bite of goodness.  I can make them at home.  And it saved me a bunch of moolah too.  Enjoy! And congratulations to my Seth-a-roni for getting baptized tomorrow.  I'm proud of him, and grateful to have such a good little boy!  Love his guts!!

Chocolate Macarons

Makes about fifteen cookies (I doubled the recipe and it made about 32 sandwiches)

Adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway) by David Lebovitz

Macaron Batter

1 cup (100 gr) powdered sugar

½ cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)

(I used the almond meal from Bob's Red Mill products.  It cost about $10, but well worth it.  Or you can finely grind some raw almonds yourself.  You'll have flecks of almond skin, but it will still taste great!)

3 tablespoons (25 gr) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons (65 gr) granulated sugar

Chocolate Filling (I just used Nutella)

½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

4 ounces (120 gr) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon (15 gr) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder and cocoa so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor since almond meal that you buy isn’t quite fine enough.

In the bowl of a standing 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 2 minutes.

Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. 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.

Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

To make the prune filling:

Cut the prunes into quarters and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let stand until the prunes are soft. Drain.

Squeeze most of the excess water from prunes and pass through a food mill or food processor.

Melt the milk chocolate and the Armagnac in a double boiler or microwave, stirring until smooth. Stir into the prune puree. Cool completely to room temperature (it will thicken when cool.)

To make the chocolate filling:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan with the corn syrup. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit one minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the pieces of butter. Let cool completely before using.

Assembly

Spread a bit of batter on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together. (You can pipe the filling it, but I prefer to spread it by hand; it’s more fun, I think.)

I also tend to overfill them so you may or may not use all the filling.

Let them stand at least one day before serving, to meld the flavors.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze. If you freeze them, defrost them in the unopened container, to avoid condensation which will make the macarons soggy.