Macarons

Meringue cookies. Kinda like Oreos, but not really. They're French too! Macarons, like macaroni.

I first got the book i ♥ maracons a few years ago in this super cute little cooking shop with my friend. Then we went to her house and made them and they were adorable and delicious and lovely! But then I didn't make them for a while. Boo. But I'm back, baby! And so are macarons!

I should have done these better, but I was overly confident/rushed since I left them to the last minute and have made them before. Funnily enough, I couldn't even find the book for a few minutes there. Then I didn't have powdered sugar. Then I got powdered sugar on my pants.

But then I made them again and I discovered something. All the times before when I've made these, I color them all cute and stuff, then they bake and the color is different. Not pink to purple (that would be so cool!), but more like light blue to olive green-brown. Not the most attractive looking cookies in the world. But then when I made them again today, I did 8 minutes, rotate, then 5 minutes and they were still white (I didn't color them at all this time)! Woah! So all I was doing was overcooking them, I think. I hope.

The reason I made them again so soon after the first time was because I gave the first ones to my friend for her birthday, then she was sharing them with some other people, and they were like "Elissa. These are so good! When are you going to make more??" and I initially said in a few weeks when my life calms down a bit, but then I had time today and thought "Hey. Everyone loved them. I'll be super cool and surprise them." Not that I'm not super cool already!

SO these are pretty easy, I think. There are some steps and some waiting, but it's not too bad.

Start with grinding your almonds. Powdery. We're making a flour type thing here, so strain them. Then food-process the almonds and powdered sugar together, so you have a sugar-flour type thing.

Whip your egg whites like you're making meringues and add sugar and vanilla. If you want to color them, now is the time to do that.

Now, stir in the flour in two parts. First half, fold it in with you scooping from the bottom up and over. Second half, stir it in. Don't be aggressive. Be nice!

Now now, we get to be super sophisticated and french! This step is called Macaronnge, which is basically spreading the batter onto the side of the bowl and scooping it from the bottom over itself. I feel like that was a pretty bad description. Do that about 15 times (no less than 10, no more that 20). Once you macaronnge, do Macaronner. That's not really a step, but more of a check. It's when the batter is firm and drips slowly from a spatula when you scoop it.

Pipe the batter in circles on a baking sheet, and rap it against the counter. I do 15 times. Rapping helps form the Pied, or foot. It also helps keep the round shape. Let them dry for about 30 minutes (no less than 15), or until you touch them and there isn't much of an impression.

Bake using 2 pans (one in the other)(that helps keep the bottom from overcooking). 375 for 15 to 18 minutes. Like I said before, I think that to keep the color true, bake for 8 minutes, then rotate, then 5 more minutes. Whatever you do, rotate the front to the back halfway through.

Pre bake

Post bake

Now, these wouldn't be nearly as cute as they are if they weren't little sandwiches. My friend called them "little burgers". How cute is that? So be cute and fill them with frosting. I actually had some old frosting so I used that for the first time I made these, but then the second time I made new. And it was so pretty and delicious!

Maracons (from i ♥ macarons):

2/3 cup ground almonds
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 egg whites
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grind almonds in a food processor, then grind them with powdered sugar. Beat egg whites until they are foamy, then add the granulated sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks. Add half of the flour and stir with a spatula while scooping from the bottom. Add the rest of the flour and stir lightly circularly.
Press and spread the batter out against the bowl's sides. Scoop from the bottom and turn it upside down (over itself). Do that about 15 times. When the batter drips slowly as you scoop it with a spatula, it is done.
Pipe about 1-inch circles of batter (I usually do pretty small circles) onto a baking sheet not too close together and rap the pan firmly against the counter. Dry the batter uncovered for about 30 minutes until no batter sticks to your fingers when you touch them. Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating once.

Hershey's Chocolate Frosting (from here):

1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Alternate adding the powdered sugar and milk. Add a little more milk if it's too thick for your liking. Stir in vanilla and salt. 

The blue time I made these, I got 136 individual macarons, which made out to 68 macaron cookies.