Tuesday, January 10, 2012

...About Strawberry Macaroon Recipe

Recipe taken from At 19 Culinary baking class.

Ingredients:
125g caster sugar(fine sugar)
3(90g) egg whites (aged for 3 day)
125g Ground Almond (almond powder, the finer the better)
150g Icing sugar
Red gel coloring. better to use gel type of coloring.

Method:
1.Pulse the almond powder and icing sugar in a food processor until fine powder and equally mixed.
2. Place egg whites in a bowl and beat until soft peaks.
3. Add caster sugar to egg whites and beat until all sugar is dissolved and hard peaks forms.
4. Using a spatula,fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites until completely incorporated. (fold in half of the dry ingredients first for a more even mix, then add on the remaining half).
5. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. (DO NOT use grease proof paper).
6. Fill a piping bag with the batter. Pipe the mixture to about the size of a 50 cent coin. (make sure to leave enough gap in between each mound)
7. Once done piping, bang the tray on the table to flatten the mounds slightly and remove air bubbles.
8. Allow to dry for 20-30 minutes, until dry to the touch.
9. Bake it at 160 degrees Celsius for 12 to 14 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, let it cool a little. Remove for paper onto a rack to cool.
11. Pair up the macaroons and fill with strawberry jam.
12. Store in an airtight container, best consumed after 2 days.

For pictures, click here to view my previous post.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

...About: Macaroon Baking Class at At 19 Culinary

Attended my first ever baking class on new year's eve. Macaroon baking! Paid for by my mommy. We have baked macaroons a few times, but didn't know if we were doing it right.

The class was held at At 19 Culinary, in Damansara Heights. It's a bungalow house. Forgot to take a picture of the building >_<

 The recipe given to us. The class was informative. The chef shared loads of tips on how to make sure your macaroons turned out right. At the end of the class, not a single macaroon came out of the oven without 'feet'.

 The ingredients, prepared for us beforehand.

 The chef showed us the steps first. Then it was our turn.

 My ingredients were for the strawberry ones. It's not actually strawberry flavored, it's just the coloring, but you use strawberry jam filling for this one. As opposed to chocolate ganache for the chocolate macaroons.

 All piped out. Leave it to cool and dry before popping it into the oven!

 2 of the ovens available at the place.

 Pots and pans for other types of culinary classes.

 Chocolate ones out of the oven.

 My tray in the oven. The most exciting part is watching it bake and rise.

 Rising....

 Rising...
All raised! Happy feet!
 
 All paired and filled and ready to be taken home by eager eaters!

Why are macaroons expensive? If you buy them, you can't find any cheaper than RM2.50 a piece (unless it's the mini ones) Well, it actually takes 5 days to make a macaroon.

The egg whites have to be aged 3 days ahead.
Chocolate ganache has to be made a day ahead.
It's best consume after 2 days. That's when it gets chewy.

Kept in an airtight container in a fridge, it can keep up to 2 weeks.

Will put the recipe up here next (when I actually get around to it)

All in all, was a fun class. Nice to know that the macaroons mom and I baked all this while tastes the same with the ones baked in class, only we didn't always get the 'feet' on ours.
;)