French Macarons

Wipe all utensils down with vinegar to draw out moisture. 

Start with the 1st sifting of dry ingredients…Alternate a little almond flour and a little powdered sugar and sift into a bowl until the mixture is sifted and incorporated.

Start the merengue process by adding egg whites. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar. Start blender on low until it reaches a nice frothiness all the way through where you don’t see any egg whites. 

Now that it’s at the frothy stage, slowly incorporate the sugar in.  Pick up the speed on the blender to a medium speed to incorporate everything evenly and all the sugar gets dissolved into the merengue.    

Next, add color using 2 drops each of pink and peach food coloring to make a coral color.  

Then pick up the speed to medium high for 3-4 minutes until you get to a medium-well consistency. 

Next, start the 2^nd sifting process…make sure there are no clumps in the dry mixture so you have a nice smooth surface.  Do this in three separate batches making sure to not deflate the merengue, then gently fold.  

Now it’s at the ribbon stage…the mixture should be nicely falling off the spatula but not completely running down.  Put into piping bags one at a time to prevent mess. Use the 2A piping tip. Start piping at a perpendicular angle because with the rise of the macaron shell, you’ll want it to rise nice and evenly or they’ll be lopsided. Allow them to set for 1 to 1 ½ hours. 

The top of the shells are going to create a nice hardened shell.  They will not be super hard but firm enough to touch where no fingerprints are left in.  That is when you know they are ready to go into the oven.  Set oven temp anywhere from 305 to 310.  Place in oven.  Place on bottom rack for 18 minutes. 

Next, put them together with the little bottom sections.  Not all are perfect so some match up better than others. Flip one side up to make it efficient and easier for piping all the way down.  Piping is a caramel macchiatto butter cream flavor made of room temp butter, powdered sugar and burnt caramel sauce and some espresso. Put the piping on each one then put the tops on the cream.  Refridgerate to let them sit and settle between the shells and the butter cream.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Flavored:

Next batch is exactly the same but no food coloring.  Start off with piping the strawberry butter cream and create a barrier around it and fill the middle with the chocolate cream. 

Fill the center of each with the chocolate cream which is a cross between a custard and a mousse and top with butter cream roses. This is the same concept but add more powdered sugar for your desired texture, which is more firm to create the pedals.  Put a dollop of butter cream on top and place a rose on top of each.  Put in refrigerator to let them set together.

To assemble the wreath pipe, put a little butter cream down to set in place and create a design. Now go around the wreath and add the beautiful flowers!