Macaron recipe....couldnt help myself sorry; extract from Groupon blog

For all you arty food lovers....

extract from the groupon blog 21st Feb http://blog.groupon.co.uk
 
Mmmmmh-acaron

Have you seen them? These round little cakes are bringing a rainbow of colours into the London shops, and are getting as trendy as cupcakes. Paris had already fallen for them. Just as fashion has its Haute Couture shows in spring and autumn, the chefs invented Haute Pâtisserie with seasonal collections of flavours. Each new creation is quite an event!

Both very light in consistence and tasty, they are a clever mix of almond powder, egg whites and sugar. Originally, nuns and monks baked those as a single flat biscuit: cheap to make, and they brought an easy profit. It is only in the 1880’s that someone decided to use them as a kind of sandwich: two cakes, a ganache and voilà! The Parisian macaron was born.
The ideal way to enjoy them is to buy a selection and stroll through your city. At each pause, select one that matches best the background and mood. A tangy lemon for the lively atmosphere of Southbank… A rich, dark chocolate for a trip on top of a double decker bus… The macaron tourist!
Fancy giving it a try?
Here is my recipe:
- Mix 100g of almond powder and 125g of sugar.
- Preheat your oven at 180 degrees C.
- Beat three egg whites till stiff, then mix carefully with the almond/sugar mix
- Add a few drops of the colouring you fancy
- Cover a tray with baking paper then creates little discs of dough with a piping bag.
- Cook for 15mn. Let the macarons cool down before using. It is often advised to leave them for the night for the texture to be just perfect.

As for the center, you can either create the creamy ganache of your dreams or cheat: a spoonful of lemon curd, blueberry jam or even Nutella will do nicely. If they have crunched slightly before you get to that stage, don’t worry: they’ll make a great base for a trifle! Or just dip the broken pieces in a glass of sparkling wine – a lovely alliance.
If you do not have the time to bake them or fancy a gourmet benchmarking as inspiration, I have been macaron-hunting and those are my best addresses:

Ladurée

Say Macaron to any French person and this is the name that will spring to their mind. You never forget biting into that very first one. Those are a double treat as they are sold in gorgeous, collectable boxes. It brings a joyous childhood feeling! They are so cute it feels like having little jewels in your adult hands. Although beware, they get eaten quickly!

Pierre Hermé
Oh, the guy is an absolute genius! His creations are so very light, a little piece of cloud. Inventive and adventurous, he has revisited classics but also married amazing ideas such as olive oil-vanilla, peach-apricot-saffron, apricot-pistachio… Think of those not as a mix but as notes dancing along with each other. One of the latest on the list is crème brûlée, the perfect match to an espresso for a mid afternoon treat… I never pass his Belgravia shop without buying a few, then settle on a sunny bench in Hyde Park (when possible…). If you’re in London, his shop can be found 13 Lowndes St or at Selfridge’s.

Bougie
This lovely tea shop in Covent Garden is the perfect stop to catch up with friends. Its cocoon atmosphere makes you forget instantly the challenges of the day: sitting there with a macaron and a cup of their lovely teas (try the lavender one) fixes everything. The Maitre Macaron, Jean, creates his cakes as he would tell you a story – it speaks of sunny times, exotic places, walks in the countryside… Quality is of the essence – he chooses first class almond powder and products and it does show. Rather than preparing an industrial batch for the week, he prefers to settle for a lesser number and prepare them on a daily basis, so you will always have extra fresh macarons here. This is the place I get my pistachio from: nothing like eating the real thing to makes you realise that anything else you had before was pretty chemical. Same goes for his orange blossom and rose, so very fragrant… They even have a Covent Garden special, chocolate/cherry/Earl Grey!

Open Café
Walking through the Real Food Market at Southbank, I discovered this new brand, who are really worth the try. Inspired by Asia, rather than going for a linear taste, same from start to finish, they have tried a more complex approach, working on textures. And don’t they look gorgeous? The sesame hides a gorgeous layer of chocolate and I am still amazed by the Bloody Mary, very tasty with a touch of fennel. Not having a shop yet, they bring an ideal option of delivering. Try their cocktail inspired creations (Cointreau-vanilla, daiquiri…) for your next party.
Even the Oxo Tower has included them in their non-afternoon tea menu, a twist on the usual sandwiches and scones. Each theme (chocolate, rhubarb…) proposes four deserts a wow-effect in taste and design as well as a specially matching cocktail. What a better way to celebrate the weekend?