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Macaroons
ZACHARY QUESTION
Do you have any experience with Parisian-style macarons? I've been a huge fan of these for years, always visiting Laduree and Stohrer when I'm in Paris. It's been my "life's dream" (in the realm of my baking anyway) to make the macarons as close to French patisserie quality as possible; I've been working on them lately and have had mediocre success. Main problems: many crack and split open while baking. I've tried the approach of letting them sit out for a few minutes before baking and baking immediately and nothing seems to guarantee consistency. I've contacted Laduree (they have a book now, in French!) to ask if I can visit their kitchen, but they didn't like that idea. Do you know of any secrets to these and getting them as tender and as close as possible to the real things?
Thanks! Zach
ROSE REPLY
Macaroons are very difficult to make at home. but I can give you one tip othat was given to me by a Swiss chef: after piping them, let them sit uncovered overnight before baking them. This helps to keep them from cracking, resulting in smooth tops. as Dorie Greenspan says in her delightful book Paris Sweets, each Parisian has his or her favorite place for macaroons. for this New Yorker its Laduree, but then, I have yet to do a thorough tasting investigation.
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I'm making cookie bouquets for centerpieces for my daughter's baby shower. Does anyone have any advice to give me. Anything? This is my first attempt at making them.
Reply to this Posted by: Fran Conrad | June 3, 2008 8:34 AM #
Great, Tyler! Let us know how your search for baking-powder-free cookies turns out.
I can think of lots of "shortbread" and "nut ball" cookie recipes with no leavening -- but the dough would probably be too crumbly to roll out well. It can be rolled into a ball and then flattened, though. Take a look at the darling stamped shortbread rounds in Rose's cookie book!
Reply to this Posted by: Barbara A. | June 1, 2008 12:09 PM #
I just looked in rose's cookie book and her sugar cookie recipe uses no baking powder! Silly me, here I was looking all over the internet and this great recipe was right in front of me the whole time!
Reply to this Posted by: Tyler | May 31, 2008 4:09 PM #
Yeah I had a feeling it was real important. I just tinker with some recipes, because if some recipes don't need leavening and come out good, it's possible I could figure something out. Or if any of you have a cookie recipe that holds it's shape extremely well, that'd be great too.
Reply to this Posted by: Tyler | May 31, 2008 3:58 PM #
Yes, I was going to say BP also tenderizes and well as providing leavening.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | May 31, 2008 3:23 PM #
My daughter omitted either b powder or b soda from a cookie recipe and they looked fine when they came out of the oven, but they cooled to rock hard, almost inedible hockey pucks.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | May 31, 2008 3:21 PM #
Tyler, the function of the baking powder in a cookie is for texture mostly. Cookies with baking powder will puff slightly. Omitting the b/pwdr will alter the texture of your cookie.
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | May 31, 2008 11:47 AM #
Hi guys. For any cookie bakers out there, how big of a deal is baking powder in a rolled sugar cookie? I'm looking for a really good recipe with no baking powder. I've found some online that have small amounts (like 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon per recipe) so would it really matter if I just eliminated it from the recipe? Thanks!
Reply to this Posted by: Tyler | May 31, 2008 3:33 AM #
i make macaroons for a living. the reason why they crack in the oven is because the mix has to much egg whites. i cook them on a sheet tray with two other sheet trays under it. bake 320 degrees 10minutes. if you let them sit out before baking, they end up looking dull as compared to shiny.
Reply to this Posted by: Anonymous | January 19, 2008 7:08 PM #
Tina:
I'd be happy to help you with recipe Ideas. Are you an experienced baker? Is this your first time? Do you own a copy of Rose's Cake bible? If you give me some idea as to what you can and have done...I can make some recipe suggestions. Are petit fours appealing to you because of their ease in eating?
Reply to this Posted by: Bill | December 11, 2007 12:47 PM #
Hey! I have this group project at school I'm doing and part of it is each group member is going to bring in a chocolate dessert as part of our presentation to the class. Yeah! but I don't know what to make. I was thinking maybe some chocolate petite fours. Anyone have any advice. Thanks for the help!
Reply to this Posted by: Tiina Parlas | December 10, 2007 10:15 PM #
I get asked all the time to bake things for people and I always say I am too busy. The real reason is I do not know what to charge. Can someone help to figure out what to charge for a simple 9 X 13 cake. It has ingredients that seem expensive to me, but does not take alot of time to make. Thanks
Reply to this Posted by: BjMoore | October 31, 2007 11:45 PM #
This has little to do with letting them sit. All you need is 20 mins before baking them. The technique of whipping the whites, preparing and incorporating the sugar and almonds is actually the key.
Reply to this Posted by: Ben | June 21, 2007 4:59 AM #
Tracy - I know what you mean... I was a bit "star struck" the first time Rose replied to one of my postings too (I even called my mom). I owned several of Rose's books for years (Favorite: TCB), and couldn't believe I hadn't stumbled upon this blog years earlier. Rose is very gracious and generous with her advice, and there are many others with great baking experience who are happy to offer advice too - this blog is just wonderful for everyone, from the beginning baker to the highly trained professional!
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | June 1, 2007 1:24 PM #
Thanks Patricia for your comments and suggestions. I will try the white butter cake recipe instead after hearing from Rose that most of her batters are a bit thicker. It was very exciting for me to get a post from Rose. I wil try to send a picture but this whole blogging thing is completely new for me. Last night I used a Sculpty mold and made little onesies, bears, baby blankets etc out of fondant that I flavored with a little bit of almond emulsion to put on the cake. Tracy
Reply to this Posted by: Tracy Wechselblatt | June 1, 2007 9:41 AM #
thanks patrincia for your excellent suggestions. really appreciated as i've been under a lot of pressure this week plus under the weather!
tracy i wouldn't add white chocolate to the batter as you're adding essentially more fat and sugar.
most of my batters are on the thick side which is what makes the cakes so light less liquid to close up the little air bubbles). i agree that a white cake batter would take the color better. hope you send photos!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 31, 2007 9:37 PM #
I've only made the checkerboard recipe into a marbled cake, but I don't remember it being that much thicker than the white butter cake batter. That doesn't mean that I don't think it is thicker, just that I don't recall ( my temp file is full) :) Oh well, I just love your idea of the blue and pink checkerboard cake and can't wait to get a set of the pans so I can make one for the next baby shower or kids b-day party. Actually, you could do a brown and green chocolate mint flavored one, or a red and white one for Valentine's Day, etc.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | May 31, 2007 7:58 PM #
Thanks Patrincia,I just noticed that I placed my question on a page for macaroon recipes! Sorry about that. Your point about the colors is well taken. The reason I thought I should use the checkerboard recipe was because it is a stiffer batter but I have made the cake with a more liquid dough and it does work if one works a little slower at removing the plastic batter separators but is a little more challenging.
Reply to this Posted by: Tracy Wechselblatt | May 31, 2007 8:37 AM #
Tracy - I don't know what Rose's reply to your question will be, but I'd like to offer a suggestion if I may. The checkerboard fantasy cake recipe calls for 6 whole eggs - the yolks turn the vanilla batter a buttery golden color. Also, I don't know how the white chocolate would work in place of the bittersweet chocolate, but the color of the white chocolate is off white, which would also add to the golden color to the batter. I think you'll end up with a greenish-blue and orangeish-pink cake. Have you thought about using Rose's white butter cake recipe (pg 491 in the cake bible)? I would think your pink and blue colors would turn out much nicer if you started with a snowy white batter. Either way, I hope you send a photo of the finished cake - sounds like it will look lovely!
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | May 30, 2007 11:50 PM #
Hi, I plan to make a checkerboard cake for a babyshower and am planning to make the cake in pink and blue. Would it be possible to use your checkerboard cake recipe and substitute white chocolate for the chocolate? I am gathering from reading other recipes in your book that using white chocolate requires some other modifications to the recipe? Thanks! Tracy
Reply to this Posted by: Tracy Wechselblatt | May 30, 2007 2:34 PM #
LOL Anna...I know the feeling! Isn't it a great book? One of my favorites to bake from - aside from The Cake Bible of course, which is the book that ignited my passion for baking. So on that note, although I am in a non-baking phase of my life right now, I owe a huge thank you to Rose for the four successful wedding cakes (and LOTS of smaller ones) that I have made over the years. Thanks Rose! I am so grateful for the knowledge I gained from your book and happy I stumbled onto your website so I can tell you so!
Anyhow...cookies are my favorite sweets of all, and The French Cookie Book is a great inspiration. Before then I had never even heard of a true French macaroon, but wow are they good! The book has recipes for many different types. I have made the Walnut Macaroons (sandwiched with ganache between them--heavenly!) and one other which I don't recall the name of at the moment. They were both excellent though!
Reply to this Posted by: tunny | January 3, 2007 1:43 PM #
Tunny, Thanks for that review. I bought a used copy of that book last fall, but get so engrossed just reading it that I haven't baked a thing.
Reply to this Posted by: Anna | January 3, 2007 11:56 AM #
thanks tunny--bruce healy is a dear friend and highly esteemed colleague. i'm not surprised to hear he came through on the macarons!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 1, 2007 8:36 AM #
FWIW, I've had great success with the macarons in Bruce Healy's "The French Cookie Book." Absolutely no problems, even on my first attempt! It's a wonderful book.
Reply to this Posted by: Tunny | December 31, 2006 11:23 PM #
you'd be surprised how many burned bottom i've witnessed on cookies through the years. either bake them on a higher oven shelf or double pan them.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 9, 2006 8:48 AM #
I always seem to burn the bottoms of my Russian Tea Cake Cookies. I grease the cookie sheet lightly but they always burn. Help!
Reply to this Posted by: Carol | December 8, 2006 9:41 PM #
loretta, make 3 average size cookies per person and charge 3 times the price of the ingredients.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 9, 2006 7:17 PM #
holly, brining is a great way to keep the moisture in the chicken breasts.
for 1 pound use
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups water
after the salt and sugar are dissolved add a few ice cubes, add the chicken, and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 9, 2006 7:16 PM #
I have been asked to make cookies for a grand opening at a school about 500 people they are expecting. First how many cookies should I bake and how much should I charge? Several different cookies. Thanks for any info.
Reply to this Posted by: Loretta Troutwine | November 8, 2006 7:55 AM #
I Have a bit of a problem keeping skinless boneless chicken brest from getting dry, the only thing I find to help is pounding it with a meat tenderizer. I was wondering besides that or marinating for 24 hrs. if there is anything else I can do?
Reply to this Posted by: Holly Mackey | August 2, 2006 3:41 PM #
thanks cheinan! david's a great baker and a great guy. do let us know how they turn out! and be sure to save a few unbaked to see if crusting overnight helps. i think it does. i tried it years ago.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 25, 2006 5:21 PM #
David Lebovitz has a recipe online for Paresian macarons which looks pretty good and which I plan to try soon. He has some tips on getting the right texture.
Reply to this Posted by: Cheinan | February 25, 2006 10:47 AM #