Friday 17 May 2013

Macarons! RecipeFriday #6

These are amazing and cute! Reeeeally morish! Love them to bitz!
Ingredients:
175g icing sugar,
125g ground almonds,
3 large eggs,
75g sugar,
1/2 tsp red gel food colouring.

Filling:
150g icing sugar,
50g soft butter,
1/2 tsp red gel food colouring,
1/3 tsp vanilla extract.

Method:
Pre-heat 160oC/fan assisted 140oC/gas mark 3.
Sift the icing sugar and almonds into a bowl.
In another bowl add the whites. Add a pinch of salt.
Whisk until foamy. Then gradually add the sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks form. When stiff peaks form, stop whisking! You don't want to over whisk.
Add food colouring and/or flavouring- when it is half mixed in, add half the almond mixture to the meringue and fold in CAREFULLY and GENTLY. Then add the next half and fold in until smooth and shiny.
Add 1/3-1/2 of the mixture into a piping bag.

Measure out 3-4 cm circles about 3-4 cm apart, on a baking sheet with a pencil then flip it over and use the stencils as a guide. Then hover over it and hold the bag directly in the middle and just above. Then lightly squeeze out the mixture until the full size is achieved.
After all the mixture is used and all the circles are done, slam down the tray a few times (get out any stress or anger maybe?) Then (heres the inpatient part) leave the uncooked macarons in room temperature for 45minutes - 1 hour. Check them after 30-45 minutes to see if they have a slight matt finish and when u REALLY LIGHTLY poke them (well, more of a really tiny touch) it doesn't stick to you. If it does just wait another 15-30 minutes.
Then pop them in the oven for 15 minutes (but I find 18-20 minutes in a 120-130oC oven does it good.) Take out the oven to cool. Whilst they're cooling mix together everything for the filling in one bowl.
Remove the macarons from the paper with a palette knife. 
Apply about a tsp of filling to the flat side of a macaron and sandwich another on top. Repeat with all.

You have macarons!!

My favourite filling:
4 tbsp soft butter,
6 tbsp icing sugar,
50g milk chocolate, (melted)
1 tsp milk or water,
1/2 tsp any gel food colouring.

Mix together the butter and icing sugar. Add colouring and chocolate. Add the milk or water.

Enjoy :)

2 comments:

  1. I've tagged you in my Liebster award post,
    thegirlwithacameracalledlionel.blogspot.co.uk
    xx

    ReplyDelete