There is a certain stigma attached to macarons; while they seem opulent and lavish, they can sometimes be deemed inaccessible to make at home. When training as a pastry chef, I made thousands of these little beauties and each batch had to be faultless. They were served as the perfect end to a fine dining meal, a sweet little bite to savour with tea or coffee.
They are a luxury treat, these little puffs of almond meringue, sandwiched together with a layer of flavoured filling. A good macaron should have a crisp outer shell, with a soft, almost chewy centre, and a rich, delectable filling.
Flavoured ganaches are an easy, quick filling to make, consisting of chocolate and cream, and any additional flavours you wish. I love using white chocolate in my macaron ganache, it is beautifully delicate and a great carrier of flavour. I add rosewater to the finished ganache, but it is important not to overdo it. What you are looking for is a subtle floral note, which balances with the sweetness of the macaron.
As a nod to Valentine’s Day, I have coloured my macarons a slight dusty pink, using a few drops of red food colour. They look like little powder puffs, soft and gentle, but the addition of any colour is optional.
There are many different ways to make a macaron, but I have found this method to be the most fail safe. I recommend reading through the recipe a few times and having all of your ingredients weighed out and ready to go before you begin. A thermometer is useful for this recipe, to ensure your sugar is cooked to the right temperature.
If you don’t have one, you can check the temperature by dropping a teaspoon of the sugar syrup into a bowl of cold water; have this ready beside your saucepan. Remove the sugar from the water and press together between your fingers. The sugar is at ‘soft ball’ stage or 112-115 degrees when it forms a firm but pliable, sticky ball that can be flattened when removed from the water. It is at ‘hard ball’ or 117-121 degrees when the sugar forms a hard sticky ball that holds its shape.
The most important thing here is to be confident and give it a go. Macarons are a beautiful gift any time of year, and I guarantee if you made these for someone, you’d be in their good books for the foreseeable.
I often double the recipe and freeze the shells; sometimes it’s more economical and easier to make a larger batch. The ganache keeps well for up to a few days in the fridge, but they are best assembled just prior to serving, to prevent them softening.
