DISASTER WITH THE FRENCH KISSES!!!

????

It's reveal day for the Daring Bakers. Our challenge for this month is the French Macarons...not the macarons that many of us in America come to know of -- clumps of coconut flakes... this is the ones that's kinda like the meringue kisses without the pointy tips and are usually sandwiched with a filling. And guess what?! I did not start my challenge till this morning. Ya, ya, I know...you're not surprised. In fact, for the next 2 months, I will, without a doubt, be the same! Besides being a procrastinator, the last 3 months of the year, is the craziest time. I'm not just talking about holiday seasons...that's just a little part of it. The biggest issue here is BIRTHDAYS! There are AT LEAST 10 birth dates I can remember off hand in October alone. Lucas' is one of them.

Anyhow, I should continue with THIS issue in my later post (if I will ever be able to get to it). I am here to talk about the DISASTER.

The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macaroon from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

Macarons have been popping out everywhere lately. Probably another "trend" like the cupcakes?? Before this challenge, I have made it once - I did not like it. I probably didn't do it well too, that time. So, I was hoping that this time, with the guidance from the other Daring Bakers members, maybe I'll do better??? Nah...not me...not when I am making 'em on the day of posting! I logged on to check all the Q & A every now and then...but did not "complied" them, and make use of all the good advice you can't get in a book. However, I will link some of them for your sake :) ... Audax Artifex, Tartelette, David Lebovitz

Anyway, I manage to make two flavors ~ Greentea (macha) with chocolate ganache and pumpkin pie. Sounds good doesn't it? NOPE! My disaster started with my homemade almond flour. I toasted my almonds, let it cool, and grind them with powdered sugar. I don't think I put enough powdered sugar in it, so some of them clump together. Same goes with the toasted pecan I used for the pumpkin pie macarons. And you're supposed to sieve the almond/pecan flour...I was thinking --- how am I supposed to sieve them, if they aren't fine to begin with? So, being a stubborn person that I am, I DID NOT sieve the almond flour for the greentea macarons...guess what happens?? You get clumpy meringue like THIS --->

So, when I made my pumpkin pie macarons, I decided to behave...I sieve the almond/pecan flour...it wasn't easy like sieving the regular flours... I kinda have to "smashed" them through with the back of a spoon.

See the difference??!!! The nut flour is still coarse, but much better...at least, NOT clumpy :)

Next, I used fresh eggs, at room temperature, for the macha macarons. Many have advised to "aged" the egg whites - meaning separate the eggs, cover the egg whites with cling wrap, and place it in the fridge for 3 - 5 days. You want to have as little moisture as possible in the meringue. I did aged the other set of egg whites for just one day, and here, in the picture below, you can see how much moisture has accumulated on the cling wrap!


Another problem??? "Drying" time. Some recipes calls for drying the pipped macarons on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. The recipe we used requires us to bake them in a low temperature for 5 minutes, remove, pump up the temperature, and bake for another 7-8 minutes....which wasn't quite enough for my case. I don't know if the rainy weather did not help...but 7-8 minutes later, mine was still moist and soft. So I kept them in for another 10 minutes, at a lower temperature. This drying time is supposed to ensure your macarons has the trade mark "feet" on the bottom... I like to call it the "tutu" like a ballerina's costume :) My macarons have no feet, nor hands, tutus, what so ever! Looks more like the surface of the moon, BUMPY, don't you agree??!! *sigh*

None the less...it was still a good challenge. I learn a lot taking part as a Daring Baker. I am not sure I'd wanna try making macarons again in the future...maybe I should taste some of the true French macarons before I'd put on a tutu and dance around with egg whites and almond flour. (hint, hint: any other Daring Bakers wanna ship some of your beautiful and delicious macarons?? Drop me a note, and I'll contact you with my address!!! hahhahaa.... :P) Thanks Ami for this challenge! :D

If you're interested to try making these macarons, click here for the recipe. And you can visit other Daring Bakers' version of the Macarons here.

Have fun! :)
xoxoxo

Macha (green tea powder) macaron with chocolate ganache

Spiced pecan macaron with pumpkin buttercream