On a windy cold day in February, I am embarked on my second Mille Feuille class to learn the art of the macaron. We began with an introduction to the chef, a round of hand-washing and tying plastic aprons on, and we were off to the races.
First, we combined sugar and water in a saucepan, heating until 245 degrees. As the mixture was warming, we beat egg whites together until the frothiness disappeared. At peak temperature, we added the sugar into the egg whites, beating at a high speed until stiff shiny peaks appeared and the bowl itself started to cool. The mixture should look uniform – when the sugar is first introduced, the edges will still look foamy. This is called Italian meringue, and is the only type of meringue you can use for the batter.
In a separate larger mixing bowl, we combined almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites and food coloring (if needed). After quartering the Italian meringue, we added it to the almond flour batter one quarter at a time. With the first two rounds we used a firm spoon, and a softer spatula with the last two, focusing on folding in the meringue. We looked for consistency in color and texture, and were careful to to avoid over-mixing. At the end of the mixing process, there were slight waves in the dough and when picked up with a pastry scraper, each batter had a consistent ribbon flow from the edge.
Pipe the dough onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Each participant had a grid of small circles underneath the parchment to help guide us toward evenly sized and spaced shells. We started in the middle of each circle, flipping the bag completely straight downward and squeezing slowly 1/4″ away from the parchment paper. This allowed the circle to fill evenly without creating peaks. After completing a row (or two), we picked up our trays and banged on the bottom. This got rid of air bubbles and also helped to flatten the cookies for a shiny smooth texture. Once the sheet was full, our instructor placed them in a warm area to dry for 20-24 minutes.
We tested the shells by lightly tapping on the top with a fingertip – if any batter stuck, they were not quite ready. Once our fingers came away clean, the trays went into the oven.
While they baked, we prepared the ganaches, making vanilla, pistachio and chocolate to complement the three doughs made earlier. 
Each began by boiling cream until it just started to froth, then immediately adding it to a combination of chocolate, flavoring and, in the case of the chocolate ganache, butter. Once combined, we whipped with a whisk until it completely smooth. We were also treated to macaron samples as we waited. The espresso was rich and intense, the green tea matcha was earthy and captured the essence of the flavor, and the raspberry was sharp and full-bodied.
Once the baking is complete and the macarons have cooled for several minutes, we slid the parchment paper off of the baking sheet. Placing another sheet of paper over the macarons, we were then instructed to flip them in one fluid motion, pulling the top long-side corners together and away from us. It was slightly terrifying, but the macarons stick to the initial paper without issue. Using a tray with a sharp edge, we separated the parchment paper from the shells. I was quite cautious with this step, and it took me a few minutes. You can apply more pressure than you think without ruining them!
We then matched up each kind by size – mine were nowhere near uniform, and you want similar-sized macarons for each sandwich. Typically it is better to wait 24-36 hours before filling the shells. However, if you can’t wait – like in a 2.5 hour class – you can spray the shells with water (very lightly) before filling. We piped the ganache in a similar fashion to the shells, leaving a slight border. After completing a row, I placed each corresponding shell on top and lightly twisted the two together.
Once complete macarons can last up to five days in the fridge, or a few weeks in the freezer. The experience was delightful and less intimidating than I thought it would be. I would not have attempted to bake these myself without the class, and now I am excited to try it on my own sometime soon!
Until next time,
SugarSource
SugarSource 