Until we get to go on our trip, I'm going to have to settle for enjoying a taste of France here in America. One of my favorite French treats is a good macaroon, and I love all the beautiful colors and interesting flavors they can come in.
Macaroons are relatively easy to make and they're really delicious in each flavorful incarnation someone can think up. Unfortunately, this is another non-vegan recipe but I'm actually really okay with that - you can't mess up something like a pretty little French macaroon. Maybe I'll test out the recipes with vegan ingredients and see how they work, but for now, here's a simple recipe (and some fun flavor variations) for you to try making at home.
Ingredients
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 large egg whites, room temperature
pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup superfine sugar
Variations
Chocolate: Substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder for the almond flour.
Coconut: Substitute 2 tablespoons dessicated unsweetened coconut for 2 tablespoons of the almond flour and add 1/2 teaspoon of rum; sprinkle with additional coconut before baking.
Peanut: Substitute 3/4 cup finely ground unsalted peanuts for the almond flour.
Pistachio: Substitute 1/2 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios for 1/2 cup of the almond flour, and add 2-3 drops forest green gel-paste food coloring.
Raspberry: Add 1 tablespoon fresh raspberry puree, strained, plus 3-4 drops rose gel-paste food coloring.
Vanilla Bean: Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Directions
Pulse confectioner's sugar and almond flour in food processor (or your handy-dandy Ninja) until combined. Sift the mixture twice.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg whites with a hand mixer on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar and mix until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low and add the superfine sugar. Increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg whites and fold in until smooth and shiny.
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Tap the bottom of each sheet on counter top to help release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through. After each batch, increase the temperature back to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, and reduce back down to 325 degrees.
Sandwich 2 macaroons with filling of your choice.
There are many different fillings you can use with macaroons: jellies, marshmallow fluff, chocolate ganache, dulce de leche, peanut butter, Swiss meringue buttercream, whatever your heart desires. I've also got recipes for both the chocolate ganache and Swiss meringue buttercream.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (at least 70% cacao)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Directions
Pour cream over chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Let stand for 2 minutes, then add in the butter and mix well. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 sticks unsalted butter, softened
Directions
Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and whisk on high until mixture is cool and forms stiff peaks, about 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, on low speed, mixing well after each addition. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Use immediately. Buttercream will keep covered and refrigerated for about 3 days - just bring to room temperature and mix on low speed before using.
The best thing about macaroons is that every single one can be different. You can add a lot of gel-paste coloring so that they're vibrant shades of pink, blue, purple, green, whatever your heart desires or you can just add a few drops so they're soft pastel colors. You can change up the fillings and add nuts or sprinkles. For a nice presentation when you're serving them, you can add strawberry slices between the macaroon layers or put other fruits on the plates with them. There's a million different possibilities, and that's why macaroons are so popular in France.
So until I can head to Paris and have fresh macaroons in a patisserie or cafe near la plus belle avenue du monde (French for "the most beautiful avenue of the world" - the Avenue de Champs-Elysees, of course).
