Monday, March 7, 2011

Almond Macarons with Chocolate Swiss Buttercream



Alert the press!
Strike up the band!
I'm celebrating here at Marzipan!

Why? Because I made fabulous French macarons!

I've bookmarked so many posts and tutorials about macarons that they have their own folder in my bookmarks. I tried them last year and the result was a flat, undercooked cookie that wouldn't let go of the Silpat they were sitting on. I was completely psyched out after that.

Until Irina from Pastry Pal published her free tutorial, Master the Macaron. Not only is it a drop dead gorgeous and comprehensive primer, but it works. And the first and most important thing she tells you to do is to stop being intimidated by these little confections! Those were the words I needed to hear. I am intimidated no longer. And neither should you be.  Get on over to Pastry Pal to download her e-book for the recipe for macarons.  

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Makes 5 cups

1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces good-quality chocolate, melted and cooled, but still liquid

Combine sugar, egg whites and salt in mixer bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer bowl to mixer; whisk on medium-high speed until whites are fluffy and the outside of the mixer bowl no longer feels warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter by the tablespoon, whisking well after each addition. The icing will look curdled for a bit after all the butter has been added, but just continue to beat until the icing is fluffy and smooth. Switch to the paddle attachment and add vanilla extract and melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Pipe the icing onto the macarons with a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.

6 comments:

  1. o my ! they look superb ! and yup i'm intimidated by them but ur post gives me the right motivation to do it ! loveeeeeeeed it !!

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  2. Yes! I'm celebrating right with you! They look like perfection, and the filling you chose looks divine. I'm so happy it worked.

    And thank you for the shout-out, too :).

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  3. Oh wow, I need to learn how to make these! They're so beautiful. I'll be checking out that tutorial and getting over my fear as well...hopefully....

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  4. I am definitely impressed. I've never made macarons before but I've heard that they're not the easiest things to make. Yours however look fabulous. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog and I'd like to invite you to stop by and link your macarons up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweets-for-saturday-8.html

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  5. Thank you for referring to Pastry Pal's tutorial. I made macarons for the first time yesterday and they were perfect! All because of you!
    Check them out at Try It You Might Like It

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