The idea of macaron It is older than imagined, its origins begin in Italy during the Renaissance and only later reached France. Some authors say that it already existed on French territory, you know. Basically it is a sweet made with almonds, egg whites and sugar.
To be macaron known worldwide is due Pierre Desfontaines, cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, who joined two cookies by joining them with ganache at the beginning of the 20th century. We cannot forget Pierre Hermé who also contributed to the fame of the sweet with his very different fillings.
I’m talking about the product, because a few weeks ago I had grumbled that it had a quantity shameful of egg whites in the freezer. I had considered the idea of trying, again, to do these things. macaron at home. Some readers suggested meringues or egg white pudding.
Talk goes, talk comes… the reader Paulo Henrique commented that he had a very good recipe for macaron and offered to send it. Nothing revolutionary so far, I always receive recipes or suggestions. What caught my attention and the desire to test it was that it is very different of those available on the internet, take egg white powder. Using random and unusual ingredients is just me 😀
I believe that the use of powdered egg whites is to increase the protein intake to help create the structure of the sweet. Translation: egg white is rich in proteins responsible for trapping air when it is beaten into snow.
Be warned: the recipe worked in this attempt, doesn’t mean it always will.
I.e, no I can say that it is infallible and error-proof. So much so that the second batch turned into excellent almond cookies (read: failed miserably), just the first was correct.
It is a product with technique Simple, there aren’t many mysteries in it. However, it has variables that determine success or failure. For me, I would list oven, egg whites, humidity and in some cases, almonds.
In several blogs we found the indication to use old egg whites, mine had been frozen for a long time. A month, I believe. Maybe a little less. The first time I tried to make it (with a different recipe), the egg whites were relatively new, and it didn’t work. Okay, I don’t believe that this was the cause, there were other more serious factors for this.
Other reports say that if the weather is very humid it will be more difficult to get both the meringue and the sauce right. macaron in itself. Continuing, the moisture of the almond is also a factor to be considered.
Some instructions indicate that the dough should “dry” after the macaron it was shaped in the pan, while others say that this step is not necessary. In my attempt, there was no drying time at all after modeling. Only the second batch that waited a bit, maybe that interfered with the result.
The home oven lowest degree is 140-160ºC (yes, two markings on the same one). However, the thermometer (a part) indicated almost 180ºC if the door was left closed. Just as the indications for egg whites vary, there are recipes with low temperatures (this one in this case indicated 130ºC), while others are around 170-180ºC.
Because of this, I don’t know what the real validity of the courses would be. macaron. As I said, the technique is simple, but the other factors are not so controllable in a common kitchen. Why is the difference between a combined oven or to convection for a household with variable temperature it is screaming. I may be talking nonsense, but I don’t feel that the success of the recipe rests solely on the shoulders of the technique itself. Temperature has much more credit in this than anything else, in this specific case.
Some people will find it strange that I did macaronbecause I always say that I don’t consider it so tasty like this. It’s good, but all the hype around it isn’t justified. Okay, I haven’t tried it Pierre Hermé or one The duration. But… I’m a freak-technique! I want to learn the technique, know how it’s done and the processes behind the scenes. This must be inherited from the scientist side, 😛
To know more:
Chocolate Macaron with Brigadeiro
Makes: 40 units
Ingredients: MACARON
- 250 g almond flour
- 250 g powdered sugar (I used impalpable)
- 250 g refined sugar
- 200 g clara (preferably old)
- 6 g clear powder
- 2 teaspoon cocoa powder (100%; optional)
Ingredients: BRIGADEIRO
- 395 g condensed milk
- 150 g semisweet chocolate (chopped)
- 45 g butter without salt
- 100 mL leite integral
1 cup: 250mL | 1 tablespoon: 15mL.
Ingredients: MACARON
- Heat the oven to 130-150ºC, having a thermometer that indicates the temperature will make this process easier. Placing a wedge (like a wooden spoon) on the oven door helps keep the temperature lower.
- Sift the almond flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder to remove any lumps. Reserve.
- In a pan over low heat, heat the egg whites, refined sugar and egg white powder. Stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Be careful not to let the egg white cook, it should be slightly heated. If necessary, remove and place the pan on the heat to prevent the egg whites from cooking.
- Beat this egg white mixture until it forms stiff peaks (10 minutes, approximately), that is, when you lift the bowl upside down the meringue cannot fall.
- Add the almond mixture to the meringue and stir vigorously to combine well. Use a spatula/spoon that doesn’t hurt your hand, as it will be very thick and heavy. And it didn’t look anything like the “magma” aspect described in several recipes… however, I have no idea what magma looks like!
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized plain tip.
- To bake, I used a silicone mat as a base on a straight baking tray and shaped a disc of approximately 3cm (diameter) leaving a space of 1-1.5cm between them. You can use parchment paper too.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool (5-10 minutes) to harden. It is possible to remove it without breaking the biscuit.
Mode: BRIGADEIRO
- Place all ingredients in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly for about 15-20 minutes. It will be ready when it becomes slightly firm and starts to come away from the bottom as well. Let it cool to room temperature before using.
- So, just fill the macaron by covering one of the halves with the brigadeiro and placing the other on top and pressing lightly. You can use a piping bag with a small plain nozzle to speed up the process, but a spoon also works.
- Some bakers suggest that the candy be stored under refrigeration for at least 24 hours before tasting, so that the cookies absorb moisture from the filling.
- White powder: I found products for dietary supplementation for athletes at home, the average price was R$38/kg. I’m not sure if this type would be recommended for confectionery, as I said, it is used as a food supplement. From what can be seen on the company’s website, it is for culinary use as a supplement. One tablespoon of this is equivalent to three egg whites.
- Almond flour: made at home, I removed the skin and processed it, then sieved. In São Paulo, it is available for sale ready-made, but at less than happy prices. Almonds are naturally already expensive.
