Macarons

I've read a lot about making MACARONs. The feedback was that macarons are supposed to have "feet" after baking. It means that every piece of the macarons should rise like a little smooth mound and have a rough-looking edge around the base after baking. Judging by the numerous attempts that many had to get it right sounded intimidating and I hesitated........

Well, I decided to take up the challenge and this was what came out of it.

Ingredients for plain macarons:

80g egg whites, to be left overnight before use
65g caster sugar

80g ground almond
140g icing sugar
colouring (optional)

Method:

1. Put almond and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times. This is to make the ground almond extra fine and well-mixed with the icing sugar. Sift the almond mix.

2. Put egg white and sugar in a bowl and warm it in a container of hot water just to dissolve the sugar. Do not overheat.

3. Whisk egg white mix till soft peaks, then add a drop of colouring if required.

4. Continue to whisk till it is stiff but not dry. Do not overbeat.

5. Gently fold in the almond mix in four portions into the egg whites. The batter should be slightly thicker than a cake mix.

6. Fill up a piping bag and pipe out round shapes onto a tray lined with ungreased parchment paper.

7. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Then baked in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees C for 20 to 25 minutes.

8. To remove the macarons, place the parchment paper on a piece of damp cloth and slowly use a spatula to remove them.

9. Cool and sandwich with any cream of choice.




I am quite pleased with the results, but I won't make them again as I find them toooo sweet!
I stored the macarons plain and only sandwich it with nutella or peanut butter when I want to eat them.