Macaron Day is March 20th!

Macaron Day is March 20th. Mactweets’ MacAttack Challenge 5 is celebrating by posting their monthly round-up of macaron pictures on that date. In celebration of Le Jour du macaron, and keeping in mind Mactweets’ theme for the month: spring fling, I chose to make rose, orange blossom, and gianduja macarons. Can’t wait until March 20th to see what fun macarons everyone made! Make sure to visit Mactweets on March 20th to check them out too!

You can adapt this recipe to make different flavors. For example, I substituted 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar for cocoa powder and hazelnut meal for almond meal to make chocolate shells for my gianduja macarons. You can flavor the ganache with anything you like. You can also fill the macarons with buttercream, or thick citrus fruit curd.

The first time I ever made macarons I was very intimidated by the recipe. By now I have tried several recipes and I think that this one from Pierre Herme’s Book Macarons yields the best results. It is also perhaps one of the most involved ones because you will be making Italian meringue. Italian meringue macaron recipes yield better results consistently. The meringue is more stable making it easier to manage large quantities of it, and it is more forgiving when handling, piping, and baking.

Macarons

Shells
• 300g almond meal
• 300g powdered sugar
• 110g egg whites

PLUS
• 300g granulated sugar
• 75g water
• 110g egg whites

Procedure
1. Pass the almond meal and powdered sugar through a mesh strainer. Add first 110g of egg whites into the almond/sugar mixture without mixing them.
2. Boil water and granulated sugar to 118 degrees Celsius (244F). When the water and sugar reaches 115 degrees Celsius (239F)start whipping the 2nd 110g of egg whites in the mixer using the whisk attachment.
3. Pour the 118 degree C sugar on the inside side of bowl while mixing the egg whites so that it does not splatter. Continue mixing until the mixture cools down to 50 degrees Celsius (122F). Fold almond mixture into the egg whites/sugar mixture.
4. If you are using food coloring, in a small container mix about 2 tablespoons of mixture with your coloring, then fold into the rest of the mixture.
5. Pipe on Silpat lined cookie sheets. Firmly rap the cookie sheets against the counter twice. Let the piped shells stand uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 180 Degree C (356F). Bake for 12m. Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets with a small offset spatula and let them cool completely. Pipe the ganache on the inside of one shell, and place another shell on top. Refrigerate macarons in an airtight container for 24 hours before serving.

Ganache
• 400g heavy cream
• 440g white chocolate (you may need more or less depending on the cacao content of the brand that you use)
• 2 vanilla beans, cut lengthwise, seeds scraped or 2 teaspoons extract (whatever flavor you like)
Procedure
1. Place cream and vanilla seeds and pods in pot. Bring to a simmer. Turn off and let infuse for 30m.
2. Melt chocolate over a water bath. Remove vanilla beans from cream. Incorporate the cream into the chocolate in 3 additions. If using extract add it now.
3. Pour ganache in a shallow dish. Place plastic wrap directly on the ganache and refrigerate until thickened.

Macarons keep for 7 days, refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring them to room temperature before serving. My favorite flavor right now is orange blossom. What is your favorite macaron flavor?

A few of my favorite macaron websites:

David Lebovitz
Canelle et Vanille
Mowielicious
Mactweets
Tartelette

And thanks to Mactweets for hosting the 5th MacAttack Challenge!