Recipe: Rose Scented Macaron (Italian Method)

This recipe is not of my own. I also do not claim to be a professional baker.

Original source: http://loveandmacarons.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/macaron-recipe-italian-meringue-method.html

I have baked macarons for quite a few times now and I am afraid that my macarons are still not as delicate and perfect as I want them to be. However, each time I bake, I learn something new on how to perfect these little yummy creatures! 

I stumbled upon the Italian method of making macarons while reading an entry on dayre (a mobile blogging app) and the writer claimed that the Italian method is a lot better than the French method. Now all these while, I have been using the usual French method. What's a French method? Those are the usual macaron recipes you find on Google just by searching 'macaron recipe'. 

I find the Italian method easier and much more foolproof as compared to the French's! And the shells are not hollow at all! It's like biting into a mini cake :3 

Ingredients:

150g Almond Powder (*important* Remember to sift this! Alternatively you can process it in the food processor)

150g Icing Sugar

2 Large Egg Whites

Food Colouring (Optional)

2 Teaspoon of Cornflour (For humid place)

A Pinch of Salt

Meringue:

2 Large Egg Whites

35g Caster Sugar

120g Caster Sugar

40g Water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 150 Degree Celcius. Sift the almond powder and icing sugar together into a large bowl. Then add the 2 large egg whites and mix them thoroughly, followed by food colouring, salt and corn flour. 

Note: If you're using food colouring. It is advisable to use gel food colouring and please add more colour than usual as the colour will lighten as you combine all the ingredients in the end. 

*Mixing*

It will look like this in the end. Put it aside and now it's time to make the meringue!

 Put 120g sugar and water on the stove over medium heat. Wait until the mixture becomes bubbly all over the pan with no sign of unboiled water.

(Image from Google) It should look something like this. 

Once you start boiling the sugar water, beat the 2 large egg whites in a bowl until it becomes foamy then add 35g of sugar to it and continue beating either using a stand/hand mixer on low speed. Please make sure you do not over beat the eggs! 

Now add in the sugar water slowly while still beating the egg, and turn the mixer on high speed. 

Beat until stiff peaks are formed and then STOP RIGHT THERE (because we do not want to over beat the eggs :p)

After that, add 1/3 of the meringue to the almond mix until fully incorporated. After that, you may add in the rest of the meringue. Fold the mixture and you have to be careful about this step. Do not undermix and do not overmix. Make sure the batter is flowy enough (when you lift your spatula the batter runs down from it) but not too runny! I counted that I probably folded around 20 times?

Now the fun part! Pour the batter into a piping bag (For anyone in UK, you can get cheap £1 piping bags from Poundland!) and pipe them onto your baking tray which is lined with baking paper. 

You can pipe your macarons in any size that you want.

Then tap the baking tray few times on a table or kitchen counter to release the air from the macarons. *important*

Let the macarons rest for an hour. I usually will place them near the windows where there's wind. After that, you should be able to touch the shell with your finger and it will not stick onto your finger.

Now you're ready to pop any of the trays into the oven! I usually pop them in one by one to ensure even heat when baking these babies. Leave them in oven for around 13 minutes.

 AND YOU'RE DONE!

Do not remove the shells as soon as you take them out of the oven. Allow them to cool down first. 

Then you may assemble the macarons with your favourite filling!

I used rosewater buttercream. It's very easy. Around 150g to 200g of butter which is whipped at high speed until it becomes white, then fold in 100g of icing sugar. Whip the mixture again and last but not least, add 1 tablespoon of rosewater. 

I know macarons can be very tricky, which is why I think commercially it is an expensive dessert but I believe after a few trial and errors, anyone can attempt to bake them successfully!

Please try baking them and don't hesitate to ask me anything if you have any queries. 

Thanks for reading!