The Beautiful and the Damned

French Macarons in all of their bite-sized splendor

I just got back from London last week.  It was my first time there.  Well, in truth I have been there many times before, but just passing through on my way to another country.  Sorry UK, I was doing you a disservice.  I LOVED London.  Like loved.  I mean part of it could be that I was there during all of the wedding hoo ha - more on that later - and I was there with my bff.  But I noticed two things: CUPCAKES galore a la New York City 5 years ago and something that is just now catching on here: French macarons.

Now, I have been wanting to tackle macarons for over a year now, but they always seemed so daunting and I needed almond flour, and patience and time and, and... so I just never did it.  Until Ms. Lizzie and I wandered into the most delightful little bakeshop on Ebury Street - where Mary Poppins was filmed, Tommy was written, and where Kate Middleton was staying prior to the wedding.

 

This patisserie had the prettiest little baked goods, cakes, and macarons! They came in every flavor and color in the rainbow: chocolate, hazelnut, blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry, pistachio, vanilla, raspberry, the list goes on and on.  Each macaron was decorated differently and was light and crisp on the outside, but melted in your mouth.  The flavors were so bright and distinct that it was literally an explosion of flavor in every bite.


Such pretty little things.  She had a black forest cupcake that looked like heaven!

I decided when I returned stateside that I would finally tackle the French macaron. So last Friday after work - 4 - and before teaching salsa - 8 - I decided to whip up some macarons.  Yes, folks this is how I roll.  I know I have a limited amount of time, but when I set my mind to something I must do it then and there.  So I go to Martha, look-up a recipe, and head home for a macaron making extravaganza.

Egg whites check. Confectioners sugar, check. Almond meal will do just fine, check.   Mixer vacationed and ready to whip, check.  Oh! Cream of tartar and sugar, check.  Let's do this.   A little hocus pocus and some flourishes and here is the result of my first go at a French macaron:




Yeah... Perfection.




Well what was I so worried about?  I mean this was a piece of cake!  So the wheels started turning and I thought what kinds of buttercream do I have in the freezer and what will go well with it?  Hmm...  So I start to make espresso and chocolate macarons.  I mean the first batch was easy.  Why the hell not?

This is why not:

Epically Failed Macarons
Holy Cannoli!  Not only were they flat as a pancake, but they tasted like bitter Betty on her worst day.  Yikes.  I had to run out to teach, but I decided that I would commit to researching macarons to really master them because I think they are such a lovely, and gluten free, treat.

So I research.  I buy books.  I watch You Tube clips, and I think hey this is TOTALLY cool.  I got this.  All I need is the correct macaronage.  If I can reach that I will have dominion over these little pillows of deliciousness.  Research and information equal power after all right?  Wrong-o bongo!

A hollow, hard, macaron chip anyone?


Now here is the thing, I can try recipe after recipe, but it doesn't have anything to do with the recipe, but with the macaronage.  If that is not exactly right then you have no chance of getting the bite sized delights I had in London.  So frustrated, I turn the old FB - which I NEVER do - and wrote the following: 

Damn you French macarons. Why do you taunt me so? The first batch was total perfection and now? Now you taunt me with your wicked ways. But I will reach total macaron domination. Or I shall die trying. - Tuesday at 9:52 p.m.

So the challenged has been made.  I will reach total French Macaron domination or I shall die trying.  Stay tuned for my summer French Macaron challenge.  And if any of you out there want to join me in said challenge I welcome it!  Then we shall dance and sing and eat brightly colored macarons with happiness in our hearts and in our tummies.

1 Comments