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Monday, April 18, 2011

My 1st Macarons!!


I have been tempted to make macarons for quite a while now.. (to be exact since last year) but just haven't got the time to do so! Finally 2 weeks ago, I attempted to make it.. and obviously the first time went horribly wrong!! My macarons doesnt even looked like macaron but just one big blotchy thing!! *sob sob*.. but I was quite determined to make again and a week later, attempted the 2nd time. 

After my first trial, I was trying to figure out what went wrong but I couldnt as my guess was cos the first time around, my maid accidently tipped the tray over and the macaron's batter got mixed together... so I blamed her for that and the 2nd batch, I followed one recipe where it adviced to leave the door half open with a wooden chopstick, I did that and the macarons had cracks all over. So yeah.. I blamed it on that too.. (*excusesss*). 

For my 2nd trial, I followed the recipe to the exact but unfortunately, the macarons had cracks all over!!!! I was soo dissapointed as in the beginning I was actually feeling too confident that it'll turn out nice!! So yeah.. lots of yelling, screaming.. bowl breaking. (hehe..kidding.. nahh.. I havent gone to that extreme yet..:P) but to sum it up I was very frustrated and yeah I did yell "DAMN IT.. DAMN YOU MACARON.. WHY YOU HAVE TO BE SO FREAKING HARD!!!).. "

So I had to google some more tips and I actually calmed myself down after reading one gal's blog that she attempted 'macarons' up to 8th times till she get it right! So I told myself.. Chill..its only the 2nd time!!  I guess God kinda answered my desperate prayer right then and there as the the next batch, when I checked the macaron half baked.. It rises.. no cracked (yet) and WOOOO HOOOO..WAT WAS IT I SAW?? FEET?? YES... MY MACARON HAS FEET!!! .. and my oh my, they looked soo nice with those dainty feet!! ( 1 hr before this, I had no idea what they meant when it said feet huhahahha..).  I was esctatic dancing around in my kitchen, laughing and giggling that my hb had to dash over to see what the hell wrong with his wife...(*LOL*), he thinks his wife just gone cockoo for a seconds there.. hahahaha...well I was actually that few seconds!  I was extremely happy to see my macarons had a smooth shiny surface and I can see the feet forming! Now I understand how some become obsessed with macarons!! :P

Anyway out of 50 shells that I did.. (yup the 3rd batch didnt come out nice.. not sure what happen there but it was already almost midnight so I didnt bother too much as I did have a few nice looking macarons here.. hehe..), only 16 comes out nicely (not that even.. still need lotsss of practice with the piping.. ).

Nevertheless, I was happy enough to be able to take picture of these 'uncracked macarons'.. Well I know that my macaron still far from perfect (God knows how many more trials i need to do to perfect them) but Im more than determined to do so!! hehe.. till then.. here's I present you my "Not so Perfect 1st Macarons"... TA DAAA!!!! (*gigglesss..*) :PPPP



2 comments:

Savorique said...

Nice job! Persistence pays off. You know, the French didn't succeed on the 1st attempt either :) Like with all their desserts, they worked hard until they found the perfect recipe and way to make it.
You may want to have a look at this interesting video about the macaron making, especially the part about pressing down the batter with a pastry scrapper to release the trapped air.
http://video.stv.tv/bc/entertainment-thehour-20110214-cooking/
Oh and once you're completely done with the macaron challenge, you may want to challenge yourself again on another tough treat: the French caneles (or canneles). I bet you'll miss the first try too.
Mouuuhahahaha!! :) So proud to be French ;)

thecupcakelicious said...

hi savorique, thanks for leaving a comment here.. i know its v.hard n still a challenge for me, that attempt last week , i guess somehow i was lucky as i did it again this wk, guess what? it failed..:((( soo dissapointed.. to think that the 3rd attempt failed!!

I think its to do with my temperature as I did play with it and also the fact that the 2nd time I didnt hv egg white powder (the recipe did ask for that). this time, i added that but my digital scale cant read 1/2 g so i tink i might accidently poured too much as the shells kinda raised up then i opened the oven , and it flop down..

Im planning to give it one more try.. finger cross , hope it works!! will check out tat french caneles.. I lovedddd french food!! U're right.. so proud to be French! :))