The Art of the French Macaron
Provençal Lavender & Honey
The Art of the French Macaron
Provençal Lavender & Honey
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Makes approximately 75 Macarons...
Lavender Macarons
225g (1 ¾ c.) Almond Flour
350g (3 c.) Confectioners Sugar
4 Large Egg Whites
1 tsp. Blue Food Coloring
½ tsp. Red Food Coloring
1 tsp. Lavender, (food grade)chopped fine/ground w/ Mortar & Pestle
200g (1 c.) Sugar
70g (1/3 c.) Water
3 Large Egg Whites
1 pinch Salt
•Preheat oven to 285°F
•Sift together Flour and Sugar into a med-large mixing bowl to remove any lumps.
• Add 4 egg whites, lavender and food coloring; whisk together into a thick batter.
•Combine Sugar and Water in a small saucepan and heat on med-high. oKeep a candy thermometer inside to monitor temperature
•Whisk 3 egg whites in electric mixer on medium-low (4) speed while Sugar syrup heats, and when it passes 230°F, turn mixer up to bring whites to soft peaks.
oSoft peaks means when you stop the mixer and lift up the whisk, the whites take form, but do not hold firm.
•When sugar syrup reaches 240°F, stream into egg whites and turn up mixer to med-high for 20 seconds then turn off and remove bowl.
•Add 1/3 whites to Almond batter, gently folding in with a spatula…then remaining 2/3.
•Add to a piping bag fitted with a 5mm round pastry tip.
• Hold tip straight, ½” above the silpat or parchment paper and gently squeeze batter out into 1” wide mounds, finishing with a circular swoosh, leaving no point. Leave at least 3” space between each macaron so they have room to spread without running into each other.
•Allow macarons to rest for 20 minutes before baking to create a ‘skin’ that will not stick to your finger. (skin forms faster in front of a fan)
•Place macarons in the 285°F oven for 6 minutes then turn and rotate pans in oven so they cook evenly. Lower temperature to 275°F and bake 6 more minutes on the other side.
•Remove and cool completely before removing from silpat or parchment.
Lavender Honey Buttercream
50g (1/4 c.) Sugar
90g (1/4 c.) Creamy Honey
2 Large Egg Whites
1 tsp. Lavender, finely chopped
6 oz. (175g) Butter, room temperature
•Whisk Sugar, Honey, Whites and Lavender in bowl of electric mixer over double boiler (pot of simmering water) and whisk until mixture becomes hot to the touch.
•Transfer to mixer and whisk on med. speed 2-3 minutes until it thickens to a soft, shiny meringue & cools enough not to melt butter.
•Switch to paddle and begin incorporating butter 1 Tbsp. at a time.
•Once all butter is incorporated, increase mixer speed to med-high (7 on kitchen-aid) until buttercream firms up (4-5 minutes)
•Transfer to piping bag, adding a quarter size do on alternate rows, then sandwich, pack into plastic containers and store in freezer.
•Defrost in refrigerator 3 hours or 30 minutes at room temperature.
Tuesday, Nov 01, 2011