Julia's Macarons or Martha's Macaroons

Foodie Friday

I wanted to serve French Macarons or Macaroons on Tuesday for my French inspired Tea

I was confused when I saw so many different recipes.
Even Julia and Martha have quite different ingredients.
Have you made French Macaroons  - Macarons?
What recipe have you used??
I would love to have your thoughts and preferences

Girls Want to Have Fun Tea HERE

Recipe: French Almond Macaroons

Julia Child's Macaroons 

Ingredients :
8 oz Almond paste

1 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Almond extract

1 pch Salt

2 x Egg whites

How to cook :


Cut canned almond paste into 1/2" pieces.

Process on and off until it's the texture of brown sugar.

add sugar and blend.

add extract, salt, and 1/4 C egg white.

Process until no lumps remain.

The dough should not be stiff, but hold its mass on an inverted spoon.

For a crisp shell and soft interior, add a bit more egg white up to the full 3/8 cup.

Beat in bowl with a wooden spoon until creamy and flexible.

Line cookie sheet with brown paper.

Drop small blobs on the paper, leave room around them, they spread.

Smooth the tops. (Optional, at this point, you may decorate each with a sliver of glaceed cherry)Bake both cookie sheets at once in a 325 oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on size.

Switch position of cookie sheets after about 12 or 15 minutes.

They are done when lightly golden browned and crusty.

Let cool on paper. When cool, turn paper up side down, dampen the back of the paper to release the macaroons.

Dry on a rack for another 30 minutes.

Then store airtight or freeze.

OR

Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook Ingredients

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 large egg whites

3 sticks (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Macaroons

1-3/4 cup confectioner

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

all-purpose flour, for dipping

1-1/2 cups (4 ounces) sliced almonds, finely ground, or almond flour

3 large eggs

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 recipe Swiss Meringue Buttercream (increase vanilla to 2-1/2 teaspoons)



Preparation

French Almond Macaroons

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Whisk in ground almonds; set aside. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats (such as Silpats), and mark circles using a 1-1/2-inch cookie cutter dipped in flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy; add salt. Gradually add granulated sugar 1 teaspoon at a time, until the whites reach medium-soft peaks. Transfer to a large bowl.

Sprinkle half of the sugar-almond mixture over the egg-white mixture. Using a large rubber spatula fold until just incorporated. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and remaining sugar-almond mixture, folding until just incorporated. Firmly tap the bottom of the bowl on a counter or work surface to eliminate any air pockets.

Transfer mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as an Ateco #806). Pipe mixture into marked circles on prepared baking sheet.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until macaroons feel slightly firm to the touch and can be gently lifted off the parchment (the bottoms will be dry), 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer parchment and macaroons to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a small offset spatula, carefully remove macaroons from parchment. Spread 2 teaspoons buttercream on the flat sides of the half of macaroons; sandwich with the other halves, keeping flat sides down. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes, before serving. Filled cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Strawberry Macaroons Variation
Follow instructions for French Almond Macaroons, adding 4 drops of red food coloring to the egg whites just before you add the sugar-almond mixture (batter will be pink). For the filling, do not increase vanilla, and fold 1/3 cup strained strawberry preserves (3-1/2 ounces) into Swiss Meringue Buttercream after butter has been incorporated. Proceed with the recipe.

Chocolate Macaroons Variation
Follow instructions for French Almond Macaroons, sifting 2 tablespoons Dutch-process coca powder with the confectioners' sugar. For the filling, place 5 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until it just starts to simmer; pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute; stir until melted. Let ganache stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread. Proceed with the recipe.



Swiss Meringue Buttercream

In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 160ºF).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If the frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Variation
Follow instructions for Swiss Meringue Buttercream, omitting the vanilla extract, decreasing the sugar to 1 cup, and adding 8 ounces melted best quality bittersweet chocolate after the butter has been incorporated (let chocolate cool slightly before mixing in).



Tips

These elegant cookies, found in nearly every pastry shop in Paris, have a crisp exterior and a slight chewy center.



General baking tips

Read a recipe all the way through.

Prep ingredients before you proceed.

Set an oven thermometer.

Preheat the oven.

Measure flour using the dip and sweep method.

Always use unsalted butter.

Butter should be pliable.

Invest in the best ingredients and equipment.



Tips for baking cookies

When baked in the lower third of the oven, cookies tend to darken too much on the bottoms. If you are baking many batches at once and must use the lower third, insulate the bottoms from the heat by baking the cookies on two stacked baking sheets.

Many kinds of cookie dough can be frozen raw and baked later.

If you prefer soft cookies, slightly underbake them.

Always rotate baking sheets, usually once about halfway through the baking time.

Serving Size

Makes about 30 sandwich cookies


OR

http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.com/2010/04/macarons-101-french-meringue.html