Macaron Madness

Behold! I'm becoming the Queenie of Macarons! =D
And while I'm at it, perfecting the blend of White Chocolate and Raspberries.

So, Last Saturday, I had tons of extra Egg-yolks (10, to be precise), so I figured I'd make ice cream. May as well - that's one of the only things that calls for straight egg yolks (aside from Creme Brulee and other custards).

So, I made it White-Chocolate Raspberry, and combined two recipes.
So, the one I'm giving you now, is both my own creation, and from memory. Dang, I'm getting good. (Note: Measurements have been double-checked ;) )

But first, Behold a "Eh" picture - it doesn't do the taste justice:






White-chocolate indeed.

Now, please keep in mind, I doubled this recipe.
White Chocolate Raspberry Gelato/Ice Cream
1 quart Milk
1.5 cups Heavy Cream
20oz White Chocolate Chips
8 egg yolks (I used 10 - didn't make much of a difference)
Some Raspberry Extract (I *never* measure this)

Bring Milk to a simmer in a medium-large saucepan. While this is heating, get your egg yolks and whisk them till they're a pale yellow. Whisk you're little heart out - your arm should be aching by the time you're done. If you've finished before the milk is at a simmer, Get a large bowl and fill it with ice water (only enough so that your pot with milk can sit in it comfortably, without overflowing).

Remove milk from the heat. Steadily add about 1/2 cup of the simmering milk into the eggs, whisking constantly. Do this until the eggs feel very warm, almost hot, or you've run out of room in the bowl. Now, combine the egg/milk mixture with the rest of the milk, whisking constantly.

Add the White chocolate, stirring constantly. Stir until white chocolate has dissolved completely. Set in the bowl of ice-water, and let cool. Once cool, add the heavy cream and add extract to flavor. You can use any kind of extract. (Note: If you want to use liqueur, use double the amount you would have used for extract)

Put in fridge to cool - until it's really cool, otherwise you'll hurt your ice cream maker. Put in ice cream maker, and voila! Magic.


So now for our next escapade.... So, I was in class last week, and a showed a few of my classmates the pictures of my White-Chocolate-Strawberry-Cheese Tart, and they said that I should bring *Them* one. And being the nice person that I am, I brought them something just as good (Because it's difficult to bring a has-to-always-be-cold dish to school all day).

White-Chocolate-Raspberry Macarons!! But Beware - these stinker-poos come with a tale.

So, I was making macarons one night, and I saw nothing Scary,
For I've never been afraid of anything - Not very.
But wrong the recipe I'd read,
And now my egg-whites were dead!

I yelled for help - I screamed, I shrieked, I howled, I yowled, I cried -
Oh save me, Kitchen Fairy, for my egg whites have died!
But did I give up? No, Not I -
I had more egg whites - enough for another try.

I whisked 8 new egg whites, carefully in my pan,
I'd make these Macarons perfect - I can! I can!
I brought those egg whites to one-hundred degrees,
In silent hope they wouldn't bring me to my knees.

The eggs-whites were great - All eight.
But as I beat them to stiff peaks, The time became late.
4 minutes, 6; 10 minutes, 16 -
"Oh Please!" I scream.

Sugar, I thought - so I added some,
And slowly, those egg-whites became one!
"Soft peaks," I sighed, but combined them anyway,
There'd be time to perfect Macarons Another day.

But lo! When they came out of the oven, they were perfect!
Off the cookie sheets the came! Then the taste - terrific!
Macaron Queenie, Am I -
Just taste one - and Happily you'll die!

Well, You'll die Happy. (Which is how it was meant ;) )

And there's the Bard's version of my escapade. =D I know, my poetry needs help - oh well. But here's to hoping you understand what went wrong.


First, I thought the recipe said to cook my egg whites to 170 degrees, not 100 - so they were overcooked. All eight (i'd doubled the recipe). So, i made them again, and the egg whites were fine this time - until I started beating them with the sugar.

Those dumb things wouldn't stiffen up!! So, I added a bit more sugar, and more cream of tartar... and it came together a bit better. But, I was expecting these things to completely flop.

So, when they had a film after about half an hour of sitting out, i was suprised. I was even more suprised when not only *every single one* looked perfect, but they tasted just as good!


Behold, my Raspberry Macaron with White-Chocolate Raspberry Ganache:

I'm brilliant, I know.

The recipe I modified, too - I'm getting adventurous, aren't I? Second time making macarons, and I'm already modifying the recipe....

Okay, so here's the base recipe: But be aware, it was doubled, and I didn't measure how much extra sugar, cream of tartar, or raspberry extract I added.

Macarons - NOT DOUBLED

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons almond flour

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

4 egg whites

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Scant 4 tablespoons sugar

1. Line two 17-by-12-inch baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a food processor, blend the almond flour and powdered sugar for 1 minute. Sift the blended almond mixture directly into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

2. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Place the bowl over the pot of hot water and whisk quickly until the egg whites reach 100 degrees on a candy thermometer.

3. Remove the bowl from the pot of water and whisk in the cream of tartar. Place it on a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes, then gradually beat in the sugar. Continue whipping for 6 minutes until the egg whites come to medium stiff peaks and are shiny.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add egg whites to the almond mixture by gently bringing the flat side of a rubber spatula through the center of the egg whites and up the opposite side of the bowl, folding the dry ingredients over the egg whites. Repeat the same motion 50 times, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time.

5. Fit a pastry bag with a medium round tip (No. 4) and fill with the mixture. On the parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe 1-inch rounds (the batter will be slightly wet) by holding the bag at a slight angle and releasing small amounts of batter. Allow one-half inch between cookies; they will spread slightly. Keep the piped cookies at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours. (This will help form a skin.)

6. Heat the oven to 325 degrees, placing the racks in the center and lower shelves of the oven.

7. Bake the macarons for 12 minutes, reverse the trays on the racks and rotate halfway through. Add a couple minutes longer to cooking time, depending on your oven.

8. Fill the macarons by using a spoon with the White Chocolate Ganache (see recipe below). This is the easiest part.

White Chocolate Ganache (With Raspberry Extract)
12 oz White Chocolate
3/4 Cup Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Butter
2.5 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
~1 tsp Raspberry Extract (add to taste)
Red Food Coloring (optional)

1. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edges of the pan (I did this in the microwave - ~2 minutes). Add the chocolate, and stir until dissolved. Add the butter (make sure it's soft!), and stir until combined. Add vanilla and sugar, and stir until combined. Add raspberry extract (as much or as little as you'd like) and Food Coloring, and let sit at room temperature for ~2 hours, until thick.

See? It's Easy!! And delicious, too.

Please comment! (Even if it's only on my poor excuse for baking-related-poetic-fun!)