Thursday, September 1, 2011

OUR 'MACA-RIGHTS" YAY!!!

We had a blogger friend, Pei Lin of Dodol Mochi come to spend the first day of Hari Raya with us this year.  If you have been my readers, you will know, I have tried to make French macarons some time ago but FAILED mercilessly!! Instead of getting macarons, I got a batch of ugly flat MACA-WRONGS! LOL!  I had to scrape them out from the parchment paper to eat them.  Oh yes, I ate them all by myself, over a few days because I find it very hard to throw away food. Honestly, the taste was good but no one would believe that looking at them.  So, to cut the long story short, I asked Pei Lin to teach me the right method. She came on Hari Raya eve and stayed the night at my house. Early next morning, after we both had our coffee, we started with our baking adventure. I am sure both Pei Lin and I will never forget how we, like little girls, squatting in front of the oven waiting anxiously for the macarons to grow legs, and then both screaming and laughing so hard when they did! LOL!  It was a fun and joyful ride for us. OMG!! I can't believe our macarons got their LEGS and tasted AWESOME!! YIPPEE!!

Pei Lin, being a perfectionist, was not extremely happy with the result because she thought they didn’t look as pretty as she would have wished. For me? Hahaha, I was estatic!! The fact that the macarons have legs and could be lifted off the parchment paper easily, had already sent me to the moon! Furthermore, they tasted perfect with the roasted chestnut filling. I truly cannot ask for more, can I? To tell you the truth, I am feeling VERY excited even now while writing this post. I can’t wait to do this on my own with a different flavor of fillings.

Just curious: Do you spend a lot of time “perfecting” your work, so everything comes out the way you want it to?  You know, in my opinion, being a perfectionist has its pros and cons . One of the pros is, we set high bars for ourselves and try our best to achieve it, which is good. On the flip side, one of the biggest negatives is that it can prevent us from having fun and being happy more easily. Let me hear your views. Do you kick yourself or are you quick to say "good enough":-)


A big THANK YOU to Pei Lin for all the goodies she brought us (German chocolate cake, American macarons and the moon cakes her aunt baked). Delicious!  MUAX!!!  Don't forget our next project is making pasta together. Does anyone want to join us?


This recipe was featured in Asian Food Channel Official Facebook Page
on 3rd November 2013


Vanilla Macarons shells
Make about 15 to 16, 1 1/2 inches diameter shells

Ingredients
83 grams icing sugar
64 grams ground almonds
53 grams egg whites (about 2 small eggs), aged for 48 hrs at room temperature
28 grams granulated sugar
coloring
½ tsp vanilla extract

Method to make the shells:

Sift almond flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and set aside. Please ensure the mixture is dry is entirely dry. After it is well mixed, add in coloring and blend in.

In a large clean, dry bowl whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip to  ALMOST stiff peaks like in the photo.

With a flexible spatula, gently fold in almond and icing sugar mixture into egg whites until completely incorporated. The mixture should be shiny and 'flow like magma.' When small peaks dissolve to a flat surface, stop mixing.

Fit a piping bag with a 3/8-inch (1 cm) round tip. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets and try to have equal size circles. If you want to have uniform size of shells, drawn circles before you pipe.  Tap the underside of the baking sheet to remove air bubbles. Let dry at room temperature for 1 or 2 hours to allow skins to form or when you gently touch the top of the batter, it does not stick to your finger.

Bake, in a 210°C oven for 2 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150°C and baked another 10 to 13 minutes.

Remove macarons from oven and transfer parchment to a cooling rack. When cool, slide a metal offset spatula or pairing knife underneath the macaron to remove from parchment.

Ingredients for  Roasted Chestnut rum fillings:

50 grams roasted chestnut , puree
½ tsp milk
50 grams butter at room temperature
rum to taste

Method to make the filling:
Puree the roasted chestnut, butter and milk till smooth. Add in rum according to your taste.
(I added no sugar and the balance was perfect. Even my sweet toothed "lo kung" thought so. Nevertheless, some of you may want to add sugar to taste in the above.)

Assembling the macarons:
Pair macarons of similar size, and pipe about 1/2 tsp of the filling onto one of the macarons. Sandwich macarons, and refrigerate for one day to allow flavors to blend together. Bring back to room temperature before serving.


Advice from Pei Lin
1) It is important to let the egg white out in room temperature to age for 48 hours
2) Make sure when you beat the egg white it is NEAR stiff peak and not STIFF peak. This take practice to know what is near stiff peak. One way to know is that the peak form is like a small hook.
3) Remember not to over fold or under fold the batter.
4) Remember to let the batter dry for 1 to 2 hours before sending them for baking. This will prevent the shell from breaking and also to get a higher legs.
5) Don't forget to reduce the temperature to 150°C from 210°C after 2 mins.
6) When doing the piping, stop in the center so that the macaron shells will be balance in shape.
She said different people follow a different method and it is best to try a few and use the one that suits you best. 



55 comments:

  1. Dear Quay Po, I really love macarons and always wanted make but Im afraid but when I saw yours beauties I think, maybe I can, look georgeous!!I trust in you Quay po! beauty! gloria

    ReplyDelete
  2. What fantastic post; you really gave a lot of time and effort; just like a gourmet magazine. I have been wondering about making these, but not brave.
    Congratulations!
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have given me courage to try my hand at French macaroons!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nicely done!! Your maca-rights are perfect! I've only made them a couple of times but I'm in love with these little cookies. Might be time to make them again! Love the filling you have here too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. These look beautiful Veronica! I can just taste them now (in my mind). :D I am a perfectionist, I am my own worst critic, but my husband keeps me grounded. He is so good, like everything I make, and will tell me when something is just off a bit. I made some pumpkin waffles that I didn't think turned out at all, but my husband and daughter both ate them and enjoyed it. I still want to try again and make them right! But being a perfectionist doesn't stop me from trying and failing I just keep trying.

    I would love to join you in making pasta, but i don't have a pasta machine! Do I need one? :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. well done veronica! finally you have feet! LOL

    I think from the looks of it, the batter can do with a bit more "battering" to thin it out a bit more so that the batter would spread slightly to prevent those "ring marks" from showing. But they are very good already. You are definitely on your way to become a good "macaroner" LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow but they look perfect to me, can I pop over to try some :-) Diane

    ReplyDelete
  8. They look terrific! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  9. My first introduction to "online" macarons were the tasty looking delights I saw at Veronica's Kitchen Musings. I remember her mentioning something about "legs" too:)

    I don't know from "legs" or perfection but I do know you and your friend sure got my interest rekindled.

    Thanks for sharing, Veronica. I'l love to do pasta!!!

    P.S. I don't consider myself a perfectionist. If I did, I'd be too hesitant to ever try anything!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great to make friends through blogging and meet them.And macaroons are worth trying over and over ..till you get it,as you finally did;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your macarons look perfect, I love the filling. I can appreciate your excitement in achieving a successful batch of french macarons-complete with their proper feet! I recently went to another blogger's home(Gina from SPCookie Queen) to learn the technique from her so I know how much time and how exacting this process can be for us home bakers!
    So, a well deserved.. Congratulations to you;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations Quay Po...
    I had many MacaWrongs and I am a champion in making 'senget' / lopsided macs until my last attempt...
    :p

    ReplyDelete
  13. It must be very satisfying baking these perfect macarons. The chestnut filling looks very delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  14. yay! that looks perfect! Well, i spend time perfecting too but like these macarons, i tried it once but failed and realised that i need alot more time..which i dont have at the moment to think about how to do it again. I probably wont attempt it till i have a few days off or something. These looks amazing! Hope i can get mine right soon!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, looking at the pictures, I don't see anything to complain about. They look gorgeous. And I have never had chestnut macarons before - intriguing! I know what you mean about being a perfectionist. Nothing is more frustrating about cooking or baking when you spent a whole lot of time in the kitchen and the result just is a mess. I won't let food come to waste, neither. But I also would never consider actually SERVING the fails to anyone. Never.

    Cheers,
    Tobias

    ReplyDelete
  16. Delicious maca-right and lovely picture.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Quaypo,
    When we have failed in something that we do, we should never give up. It gives a chance to prove to ourselves. I'm glad you have achieved your macarons. Colourful macarons do look very seductive, isn't it? I would love to taste one of your macarons!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Those look great! I know how happy you were since I, myself felt the same when I first got it right :D It's quite a challenge for us tho since humidity plays a huge part in getting macarons right. Yay for us!
    I guess we're all perfectionists at different things ... for me it's my job. In cooking ... that's a different story. We won't get into that... :P

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yay, well done! Your enthusiasm and excitement is catchy, I may have to try making macarons again! :) I made my first attempt without even eating them before so although they got the feet, I didn't know if they tasted right!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I know how you felt about the legs lol! I had my fair share of failures too, in fact I still get failed macarons every now and then!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your macarons look great! Roasted chestnut rum filling sounds delicious :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh.... I love the roasted chestnut rum filling ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  23. oooooh very clever and that chestnut sounds divine :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am like...beyond scared to attempt macarons. But yours look so pretty! And I love that chestnut filling. I'll at least be making that, for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  25. these are definitely maca-right :). Better than those bought from the shops

    ReplyDelete
  26. Very well done! They look amazing. I particularly like the flavor of your filling.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Quay Po,

    First off, thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for leaving a gracious comment.

    This recipe is very helpful. I have not tried doing pastries ever, mostly because we don't have an oven *haha* but I am most definitely going to try this in the near future.

    I am following you now!

    Cheers!

    Wi
    A Single Girl's Musings

    ReplyDelete
  28. it looks perfect! anyway, i'm still not a fan. still more of a cupcake fan i guess. hehe. wasted i don't have an oven. otherwise, i would've use your recipe.:)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Veronica-Your macarons are so perfect and yummy, I applaud you for making such a fantastic job ot it!
    I have two awards for you to take! Pass one, or both on to who you would like to! Congratulations...well deserved, my dear friend! You are amazing, and oh, so talented, and caring about others:DDD
    Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
  30. Your macarons looks lovely. I've experienced many failure in making macarons & I knew how it felt when I finally get it right . It was soo amazing just to see those feet rising.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Its so nice to meet you.I traced you back from writing on my blog and I 'm so happy i did.I have read your past posts to the noodles your mum makes, amazing stories and such a wonderful blog full of positive uplifting joy.I am your newest follower and will look forward to reading your every post!

    ReplyDelete
  32. These macaroons look delicious! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hey, Veron. Glad that you and Gary like these orange-colored, chestnut cream-filled macarons. As I read through the post, though, I think you don't mention anything about the texture of the macs after sandwiching them and letting them sit in the fridge to mellow for sometime. How was the texture? Shouldn't be like the fresh ones we ate the other day. Haha!

    Well, your photo does justice to the delish macs, I must say!

    Hope to see more macs from you! Have a lovely weekend! =D

    ReplyDelete
  34. @That Girl, @ANU, @Amelia, @chef_d, @Rosa, @Eftychia
    Many thanks for your gracious comment. They are very encouraging!
    @Gloria
    I am sure you can do it, just don't give up.

    @Rita
    I have to admit this making macrons is intimidating. Don't be afraid, just do it! hehe

    @yummychunklet
    I am happy to hear that. It has given me courage to try doing it again.

    @Kim
    Me too, I LOVE LOVE macarons. I am willing to pay SGD3.50 for one so tell me if it doesn't thrill me when I can make this myself! hehe

    @Lyndsey
    Yes, we are always our own worst critic. I admire your tenacity in whatever you do. Me too, I would love to be able to bake and cook with you someday.

    @Alan
    Thank you so much for giving me the tip. When you said battering, do you mean to fold the batter longer?

    @Diane
    Sure you can!

    @Violoniste
    Nice to meet you. Thanks for dropping by and the nice comment.

    @louise
    Thanks. Haha, when you make macarons, that is all you yearn for - LEGS!! I wish you are staying nearby and we can make pasta together.

    @Dzoli
    Yes, I can't describe to you how happy I was with our success! As regards to making friends through blogging, it is just amazing!

    @Pachecopatty
    Good to see you again!! Thanks for the encouragement. Home bakers who has attempted to make macarons will definitely appreciate the excitement of getting it right.

    @Lisa
    Yes, the "senget" is due to the technique of piping and I think practise makes perfect.

    @Zoe
    You must try this chestnut filling with macarons. it really balance up the sweetness of the shell.

    @daphne
    Yes, you need to have time to do this. Rushing won't cut it. I hope you will get it right the next time.

    @T and Tea Cake
    Thanks for your visit and nice to meet you. I am with you on not serving the failures:D

    @Mel
    I would love for you to taste my macarons but it will be a long drive my dear:D

    @Kristy
    haha, how did you know? The first one I show was my Quay Lo! HUGS

    @ping
    YAY!!

    @lifeisfull
    If I were you, there is no way I won't get to eat my macarons, I just can't stand to wait to taste them.

    @Jeannie
    Oh I heard that is the case for many. It does not mean it will be a success every time and that makes it even more special when we get it right.

    @neyeeloh
    You do know what to love:D

    @muppy
    Thanks, I did no expect the chestnut fillings can go so well with the vanilla macaron shells. I am glad to chose to make that.

    @Joanne
    I said I can't wait to make it again but like you, I am fearful but I WILL overcome that fear and make it again and again.

    @Cathy
    You are right, this is better than those from the shop. It is not as sweet and the flavor of roasted chestnut with rum is awesome.

    @Wi
    You are welcome, I enjoyed my visit to your blog. Thanks for dropping by to say hello and your following. I hope you will enjoy yourself on each of your future visits. HUGS.

    @Carolyn
    Wait till you taste one REALLY good macaron my dear, you will not become a fan, you will be an addict like me! hehe

    @Elisabeth
    Thanks dear. Once again, I feel so honored that you always think of me for the awards. I will go claim them in a bit.

    @los
    OH YES!! I still can't get over seeing those feet rising when they were in the oven

    @laurie
    Nice meeting you. Many thanks for the following. I hope to share more with you.

    @Pei-Lin
    Oh ya, you are right, I forgot to mention that. The texture is like, slightly crispy, chewy with a soft center. It is a just a nice feel when you sink your teeth in them and the flavor gets better. When you eat one, you just can't stop. Thanks to you my dear. You are a good teacher! HUGS.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I like the macaroons! Especially everything in one color, It makes me feel more comfort to having sweet food hehe

    Nice advice from your friend anyways :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. and those macaroons really looks like chestnut hehe

    ReplyDelete
  37. @Kian Fai
    A lot of people are addicted to macarons. You are not alone!

    ReplyDelete
  38. The feet are perfect!!! My girl loves macarons too, we used to make these once a week until her papa complaint sugar rush!;p

    ReplyDelete
  39. I'm surprised to hear that u celebrate Hari Raya too. Very interesting.

    Hi dear, I'm back to continue reading your 7 links in case I miss out any. Have u encountered any problems posting comments in my Play The 7 Links Challenge! too since I didn't see your comments? I've received some feedback about slow loading etc. Do let me know if u get hiccups too.

    Sorry, I'm trying my best to catch up with your posts. Signs of ageing. Hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Do you know where to get the best macarons in town? I'm curious to try and convert myself into an addict..lol..:)

    ReplyDelete
  41. @Alice
    I know exactly what you are talking about. Hehe, same here I will be making it once a week till I perfect it. I think I will get sugar toxic very soon hehe.

    @Shirley
    You mean my comments did not appear on your 7 link post? I should have know when I click the submit and the screen did not show that "comment is waiting for approval". Thanks for checking all my posts but do take your time, no hurry lah.

    @Carolyn
    I know the best macarons will be at Carolyn Darlings' Patisserie but I don't know the address...hehehe.. What I am trying to say is, there is really no good macarons in KL as far as I know. The best macarons of course is from Paris but then I will settle for those from Singapore but only from Canele Patisserie (my opinion only). So I encourage you to start try and bake the macarons yourself in Carolyn Darlings' Patisserie and for sure you will be a big time addict! Get the drill? hehe.. How about sending me your address by email and when I perfected my macarons, I will courier you some. Have a good week ahead of you.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I never made them, and I was terrified of doing it so:))) Yours look phenomenal..I love your beautiful pictures too! Nicely done!!!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Wahhhhh beautiful macarons Quay Po!!!! I don't dare to try macarons as I don't even know how to make cupcakes yet... :-( One day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Congrats on getting those maca-rights!!! they look lovely and your filling sounds super exotic!

    ReplyDelete
  45. @Sandra
    Thanks my dear. Don't be terrified, I was for a long time but then if I can do it, you can do it better!

    @Nami
    Thanks dear. Just give it a try one time and you may be surprise, you will get it right the first time. Take note of the tips given by Pei-Lin, it helps.

    @Janine
    Thanks:D Oh the filling is "to die for".

    ReplyDelete
  46. Lovely macarons...

    I would like to share a tip with you I got from a macaron baker, he sifts the icing sugar & flour and keeps this overnight in the freezer to dry it out so it is more smooth on the surface..

    The cookout session sounds fun! I wouldnt mind joining for pasta if you will have me.. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  47. @Food Dreams
    Thanks so much for the tips. I will definitely going to keep the sifted icing sugar and ground almond in the freezer when I make my next batch of macarons. Oh when make the pasta, I will keep you posted. You are welcome to join in:D

    ReplyDelete
  48. You can consider selling macarons. They fetch a good price in the market!

    ReplyDelete
  49. What lovely perfect macarons! I'm glad you didn't let your first experience stop you from trying again :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Congratulations, Veronica! I will try some new flavours when I get back from the States... Looking forward to see more macarons from you!

    ReplyDelete
  51. @Health Freak Mommy
    I apologize for missing your comment. I might if I can perfect them hehe

    @The InTolerant Chef
    Sorry for this late reply. I don't know how I missed your comment. Thanks for your kind words.

    @Shirley
    Thanks. Have safe trip to the States and look forward to see your macs and be inspired to improve mine.

    ReplyDelete
  52. You are welcome and thanks for your visit and comment.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Thank you for your visit and kind words.

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you. Your comments mean a lot to me. Thanks!