french macarons :: coffee flavor
makes 30 to 36 (1 ¾-inch sandwich cookies)
{ingredients}:
.: 2 cups (8 oz) powdered sugar
.: 1 1/3 cups (4.5 oz) finely ground blanched almond meal
.: 3 to 4 large egg whites, at room temp.
.: ¼ tsp. almond extract
.: 1 ½ tsp. espresso powder
{directions}:
1. combine the powdered sugar, almond meal, and espresso powder in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork. pass through a medium-coarse sieve to lighten and aerate the mixture (which makes it easier to fold).
2. with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted; add the almond extract. beat at high speed until the mixture forms stiff but not dry peaks when the beaters are lifted.
3. pour all of the almond flour mixture over the egg whites. with a large rubber spatula, fold the almond mixture into the egg whites just until it is fully incorporated. the egg whites will deflate somewhat, but the batter will be thick and moist and almost pourable.
4. drop heaping teaspoons of batter 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. or transfer the batter to the pastry bag and pipe out disks. let the macarons rest for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the surface of the disks is ever so slightly dry--this slightly dry crust will help form characteristic little "platforms" at the base of each macaron as they bake.
5. meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. slide 2 sheets of macarons into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 F. bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the macarons are barely starting to turn golden (they will be golden on the bottom, though you will have to destroy 1 macaron to find out). rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. set the pans or just the liners on racks to
cool.
i've been longing to make french macarons and even purchased i love macarons awhile ago but haven't yet touched any recipes in the book. and at the same time i was putting it off 'til last because i find making macarons to be the most challenging and hardest baking project. first of all, i'm not familiar with making meringues and second, i'm not a good piper although i thought piping was easy but it's not. also, this is one of those recipes which i had to reread the instructions repeatedly, making sure i know what i'm doing. after carefully following the directions thoroughly on how to make macarons, i was disappointed the way they turned out appearance/taste wise. my macarons were tough and chewy and considerably not the tastiest i have to say. perhaps i over beaten the egg whites and/or over mixed the dry ingredients into the meringues. nonetheless, i will try again next time with the hope of succeeding.
1. combine the powdered sugar, almond meal, and espresso powder in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork. pass through a medium-coarse sieve to lighten and aerate the mixture (which makes it easier to fold).
2. with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted; add the almond extract. beat at high speed until the mixture forms stiff but not dry peaks when the beaters are lifted.
3. pour all of the almond flour mixture over the egg whites. with a large rubber spatula, fold the almond mixture into the egg whites just until it is fully incorporated. the egg whites will deflate somewhat, but the batter will be thick and moist and almost pourable.
4. drop heaping teaspoons of batter 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. or transfer the batter to the pastry bag and pipe out disks. let the macarons rest for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the surface of the disks is ever so slightly dry--this slightly dry crust will help form characteristic little "platforms" at the base of each macaron as they bake.
5. meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. slide 2 sheets of macarons into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 F. bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the macarons are barely starting to turn golden (they will be golden on the bottom, though you will have to destroy 1 macaron to find out). rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. set the pans or just the liners on racks to
cool.
i've been longing to make french macarons and even purchased i love macarons awhile ago but haven't yet touched any recipes in the book. and at the same time i was putting it off 'til last because i find making macarons to be the most challenging and hardest baking project. first of all, i'm not familiar with making meringues and second, i'm not a good piper although i thought piping was easy but it's not. also, this is one of those recipes which i had to reread the instructions repeatedly, making sure i know what i'm doing. after carefully following the directions thoroughly on how to make macarons, i was disappointed the way they turned out appearance/taste wise. my macarons were tough and chewy and considerably not the tastiest i have to say. perhaps i over beaten the egg whites and/or over mixed the dry ingredients into the meringues. nonetheless, i will try again next time with the hope of succeeding.
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