Thursday, May 8, 2008

Macarons Obsessed

Why is it that I am obsessed with macarons? They seem to be everywhere I turn, in my virtual blogworld, and they are so darn cute! Months ago I decided I would try my hand at making macarons. So I researched, and read, and studied, and compared recipes.

All the while getting more and more stressed out about it. Would they turn out? Would they have those little feet that make them so cute? Would they be good? What do they even taste like? I bought a kitchen scale for the sole purpose of making my first macarons. Well, okay, I must admit, it was the perfect excuse to get one and I love it to bits! A few days ago I decided I had researched enough and got to work.

It helped that I had found Helen’s tutorial in Desserts Magazine, Issue #2. Our lovely Tartelette has given us all of the tricks she uses to come up with those wonderful little confections and I felt a bit like she was with me in the kitchen as I looked through her article. I whipped my egg whites, folded in the almonds, placed my pastry bag in a tall glass to fill it (one of Helen’s tricks), and then I noticed a lot of the batter was staying at the bottom of the glass. That’s when I knew I had given the batter a few strokes too many, it was too thin. Oh, well. I piped the little guys out anyway and threw them in the oven. There. I was sure they would lay flat on the baking sheet and turn out into thin little meringue cookies.

Imagine my surprise when they started growing little feet right before my very eyes. So the second baking sheet went in the oven and when all the macarons had cooled enough I noticed that the ones from the second batch were a little less fragile. Perhaps there’s a reason for the rest period after all!

My little macarons friends are certainly not perfect and I’m sure their fragility is also due to the fact that my batter was too thin, but I’m extremely proud of them all the same! That is why I am sending these to Minko over at Couture Cupcakes for her event Mad for Macarons in May. And now, I think I know why I’ve been macarons obsessed lately. It’s the process that intrigued me. All those questions I had to ask myself, all that research I did, that’s what I loved about these. I can’t wait to make my next batch! I might go easy on the caramel next time…

Macarons with Fleur de Sel Caramel Filling

For the macarons recipe, I’m sending you to Helen’s turorial in Desserts Magazine, it’s so well written and extremely helpful! For the caramel sauce, I used my usual one but added a 1/2 tsp of fleur de sel at the same time as the butter for a fleur de sel caramel.


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40 comments:

Nic said...

Oooooh, my favourites! Well done, they look great! I have just done some chocolate ones for this event, but they don't look as droolworthy with that caramel running out.

grace said...

dang it, lyb, i'm having trouble finding words to describe that caramel. let's see. breathtaking (that's a good one). orgasmic (that might be taking it a bit too far). superb (an understatement). i think i'm in love.

Anonymous said...

That dripping caramel is to die for! I'm not always even a big dessert person (I know, I know) but these look scruptious. You photography defenitely did them justice!

Anonymous said...

So - are they easy to make? I mean on a scale of nought to ten - how does it rank?
They look fabulous

Nikki57 said...

The caramel totally ups the yum factor. They look fabulous

LyB said...

Nic - Thank you! I can't wait to see your chocolate ones, mmmm!

Grace - LOL! Thank you so much!

Erinn - Desserts dripping caramel are my favorites! Thank you!

GreatBigVegChallenge - I wouldn't say they're easy, and this first batch isn't perfect, but with a little practice I could make them better. On a scale of 1 to 10, perhaps a 7? It'll be different for everyone, so you'll have to try them!

Nikki57 - Ah, that caramel! Thank you!

Bong said...

wow! i love the photos.. i like how you wrote it :)

Anonymous said...

What a great job you did! I'm chuckling to myself now, because the same thought process has been going through my mind...macarons seem to be everywhere, and I want to try my hand at making them! I saw Helen's article and after your success, will definitely be trying her methods out. Well done! :) (The caramel oozing out looks amazing.)

Elle said...

Oh my gosh, I want those! A lot of those. They're so pretty!

Julie said...

Oh my gosh do those ever look good.

Engineer Baker said...

Umm... can I be your best friend? And can you make macarons for me? Because those look fantastic, and all my macarons fail miserably...

Anonymous said...

I was just gonna say Oh My Gosh, but I realized that everyone else had the same first impression! These are absolutely amazing! Did you know your photo just popped up on TasteSpotting? Looks real cool there too amongst all the other dark brown desserts and food.
Bravo!
Donna@Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

Anonymous said...

PERFECTION!

Half Baked said...

wow your macaroons look amazing! I've always been afaid to try them but you've inspired me!

Kelly-Jane said...

Wow what eat-me-now beautiful pictures, mmmm. Well done.

My Sweet & Saucy said...

What amazing looking macaroons! The caramel and all its drippings is stunning looking! Thanks for such a great post!

Lori said...

Okay did we like bake these on the same day? I think what you said exactly mirrored what I have done, although I already had the scale. I am so obsessed with them too. Are we leading a parallel foodie life?

Brilynn said...

Those look absolutely amazing! Well done!

mimi said...

look beautiful and decadent! dripping caramel, wow.

Mindy Moo said...

I made my second batch of macarons and they were a total disaster!!!!I will try try and try again.

I am not starting not to be mad about macarons!

Thanks for entering. They look great

Ginny said...

So today, I was sitting at work frustrated and I thought I would pop over the tastespotting for a much needed pick me up...I saw your photo with caramel oozing out! It is fabulous!!! definitely made my day brighter!! Then, of course I saw it was you...and was even more excited! Fabulous job! And pour on as much caramel as you want!!! :)

test it comm said...

Those Macarons looks so good with the caramel dripping all over! I have been wanting to try making (and eating) Macarons for a while now.

Manggy said...

Lyb, if food pornography were a crime, you'd be in prison for life already :D```` I love the money shot. All that caramel oozing everywhere! They look perfect to me despite the batter problems :)

Anonymous said...

Delicious!
Also, I just wanted to stop by and tell you that yours has become one of my absolute favorite blogs. :)

Astrid said...

Decadent! So many blog posts seem to pair the words "macaron" and "obsessed," it's quite something! I thought I was late jumping on the macaron bandwagon with mine, but I guess the obsession is still going strong!

RecipeGirl said...

That drippy caramel makes this food porn you know :)

Anonymous said...

I have seen macarons all over the blogworld too and I do find them intriguing as well. But, I have never seen any with such a drippy delicious looking filling! Great job for your first time!

LyB said...

Bong – Thank you!

Amy – Funny how other blogs influence us, in a good way of course!

Elle – Thank you, I’d gladly share! :)

Julie – Thank you!

Engineer Baker – I would certainly make you some, it’d be good practice! ;)

Donna – lol! I know, that’s always my reaction when I see something I really like! And thanks for telling me about Tastespotting, I love it when my pics make it!

ChezUs – Thank you! I haven’t gotten them perfect yet, but I’ll certainly try some more!

Half Baked, Kelly-Jane, My Sweet and Saucy – Thank you so much!

Lori – Isn’t it weird how we can all be obsessed with the same thing at the same time? Ah, food blogging! :)

Brilynn, Mimi – Thank you both so much!

Minko – Stay mad about Macarons but don’t get mad at them now! ;)

Ginny – That is so sweet of you, thank you! Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to share all these confections we make with our foodie friends, that would certainly make my day brighter!

Kevin – You are such an adventurous cook, I’m sure you’d whip some of these up in no time! ;)

Manggy – lol! Don’t send me to prison just yet, I’m not done blogging! ;)

Carrie – Thank you, that’s so nice of you!

Astrid – I know, it’s so weird! And I’ve never even seen a “real” macaron, imagine that!

Recipegirl – I know, that’s why it’s so much fun! ;)

Hillary – Thank you! They are all over the place aren’t they? :)

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Gooey, drippy caramel gets me every time. Every time.

christine. said...

beautiful! I still have yet to pop my macaroon-making cherry. This is inspiring. :)

Cakebrain said...

No need to take it easy on the caramel fleur de sel...these macarons turned out beautifully! Isn't Helen great? Her recipes never fail me and her ideas are so creative and inspirational.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness - these look so delicious!!! What fabulous pictures!!

Carrie said...

I too am on a Macaron Quest, finding the time is a huge challenge for me. My messy house never seems to let me...maybe my boys, husband and constant cooking and baking have soemthing to do with that. Your macarons are gorgeous! and your blog name is great too!

Sam said...

wow! - they looks DELICIOUS!

Anonymous said...

Your little macarons are beautiful and I LOVE the look of the stack with the soft, oozy caramel. Bravo!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Gorgeous! I'm especially taken with the dribbles of caramel. But I can't see so well when my monitor has lick marks on it. Rats!

Unknown said...

Droolig! A caramel tower of macaraons...brilliant! I am glad the article helped and yes, a rest period will help even the not so great batched...but hello...these are perfect!

Susan @ SGCC said...

I am so impressed! These look like they belong in a fancy shop!I, too have macaron anxiety. I've been spinning my wheels for months and I still haven't made them. Someday.....

Y said...

Mmm.. beautiful drippy caramel....

she's in the kitchen said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!