Orange Blossom Macarons & Silk Meringue Buttercream

Its been a long time since I have last written. In fact its been well over six months. In defense, I should admit that my absence was not a cooking hiatus, it was actually a cooking intensive - A six month Classic Culinary Arts course at The French Culinary Institute  in NYC. And what an exceptional experience it was. There is no comparison between the cook that I was before I took the course and the cook that I am now. My whole approach to cooking is drastically different. I used to read recipes as “law” and I followed them to a tee. But now I go to the farmers market, pick out what looks fresh and toss it together to create something fabulous. Culinary school taught me to use all of my senses in cooking and to use that inner sixth cooking sense - the one that knows when the protein is perfectly cooked, the one that feels that the oven isn’t working to full potential, the one that adds enough salt without even tasting. I’ve learned to listen to the sounds that come off of a pan, the way a sauce bubbles, the way the meat feels. Cooking has transformed into something that I used to love to do to something that is now a part of me.

The big dilemma for me was how to come back to The Bites Site. Was there a favorite food, a dish that signified the summation of my training, something that made my great re-entrance into blogging - saying, “Here I Am!”. So I thought and I thought and I thought, and it became paralyzing. How could I sum up all that training with one dish? It was impossible. But perhaps my future entries can speak more towards my experience in whole. And with this entry, I can say ,”Well hello there, remember me and welcome back”.

Macarons have been my favorite little dessert cookie since my trip to Paris. The more colorful, the more flavors, the better. And I had a wonderful excuse to make them. The last of my sisters is getting married soon (there are four of us in all - just try to imagine what the house must have been like when we were all teens with lots of hormones and angst flowing). And we recently had her bridal shower. I was in charge of the decorating. With autumn in full swing now I thought it appropriate to celebrate the colors of fall. I made beautiful floral arrangements with orange, red, and purple flowers, and I made cute little baggies filled with three macarons each as parting gifts. They were quite the hit. And the good thing about macarons is that directly after you make them, you can freeze them and then take them out the day that you need them.

The recipe’s below are two classic recipe’s - the first for macarons, the second for a Silk Meringue Buttercream. In fact this is my favorite buttercream recipe and the only one that I use for buttercream. And the macarons recipe is equally fantastic - leaving you with a light and airy macaron. Everyone that had them couldn’t believe how light they were. The only complaint that I got was that I put three in each parting gift and everyone wanted more.  For flavoring and coloring, I added orange blossom extract and orange food coloring to both and tasted as I went for potency and strength. I recommend that you do the same to get your desired finish.

Macarons:

Yields approximately 100 Vanilla or Extract Flavored Macarons

500 grams Almond Powder/Flour

500 grams Confectioners Sugar

6 1/3 ounces Egg Whites (180 grams)

1/2 cup Water

500 grams Granulated Sugar

6 1/3 ounces Egg Whites (180 grams)

1/4 Tspn Cream of Tartar

2 Vanilla Beans (for Vanilla Macarons) - or - Orange Blossom Extract (for Orange Blossom Macarons)

Food Coloring of Choice: Orange for Orange Blossom Macarons

Preheat convection oven to 310°F.

Put almond powder and confectioners sugar in a food processor and pulse to fully mix. Measure out 180 grams of egg whites and add either vanilla or other flavor component to the egg whites. For orange blossom macarons, I added 1 tspn of orange flower extract to egg whites. Then add food coloring to the egg whites and mix together… a few drops depending on desired depth of color.  (VERY IMPORTANT: If you are trying to achieve orange colored macarons, then use orange food coloring. Do Not mix read and yellow to create orange. You will be adding to much liquid to the macarons this way and will not get an optimal finished product.) At this point, add the egg whites to the mix in the food processor and pulse until fully incorporated. Do not over mix.

Beat the second batch of egg whites together with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form in a mixer with whisk attachment. While they are whipping, combine the granulated sugar and water in a small sauce pot and cook until the syrup reaches 245°F and then carefully pour the syrup into the beaten egg whites. Be careful not to spray syrup on the sides of the bowl so either pour a little in and then quickly whisk -repeating until everything is poured in, or pour in carefully when whisk is on making sure you don’t pour it directly onto whisk as it is in motion. Stop whisking once the egg whites stop producing vapor.

At this point, carefully fold the egg whites into the almond mixture with a spatula. Stir gently, the mixture needs to flow with a ribbon consistency.

Use a pastry bag to pipe macaron batter in small portions of equal size onto  parchment paper lined baking sheet pan. Let them sit out and harden for ten minutes and then bake for 9-10 minutes at 310°F in a convection oven.

Remove from oven when done, if they start browning a bit they have cooked too long. Let rest for a few minutes. An easy way to remove the macarons is to give them a “tickle” (as my mother would call it). Pick up the corner of the parchment paper and put a finger underneath paper under the macaron and rub it a bit like you are giving it a tickle. The macaron should come off of the parchment paper easily this way. Put them on a rack to rest and then pipe cream into them to creat a finished macaron.

Silk Meringue Buttercream:

Yields 4 cups buttercream

Creme Anglaise

100 grams Granulated Sugar (1/2 cup)

93 grams Egg Yolks (about 5 large)

121 grams Milk (1/2 liquid cup)

1 Large Vanilla Bean or 1-2 Tspn Flavor “of Choice” Extract

Italian Meringue

92 grams Granulated Sugar (1/3 cup + 2 Tblspn)

30 grams Water (1/4 liquid cup)

60 grams Egg White (about 2 large)

1/4 Tspn Cream of Tartar

454 grams Unsalted Butter, Soft and Room Temp. (2 cups)

To Make the Creme Anglaise - In a bowl, combine eggs yolk and sugar and mix immediately so that the sugar doesn’t “cook” the yolk. Mix until pale yellow. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean to a boil (if using extract, add at the end). Gradually add the milk to the yolk/sugar mixture, mixing to combine and so not to cook the yolk. When everything is incorporated, return full mix back to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until just below boiling point. By temperature, it should measure 170°F. By sight, the mixture should be nappant, which means when you run your finger down the back of a mixture covered spoon, it will leave a distinct streak. Strain immediately through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool down over an ice bowl. If using flavor extract, add now. To store, cover with plastic wrap and press wrap onto creme so as not to form a skin. Can store for up to five days in a refrigerator.

To Make Italian Meringue - In an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 Tblspn of sugar until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Meanwhile in a small saucpot, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 2 Tblspn of water/ Heat stirring until sugar dissolves. At this point stop stirring and heat until syrup reaches 248 - 250°F (the firm ball stage). Immediately transfer to glass measure to stop the cooking.

Then carefully add the syrup to the egg whites in a steady stream. Be careful not to pour directly onto moving whisk at it will spray the syrup onto the edge of the bowl and it will not incorporate evenly. Beat until vapor stops producing. Italian Meringue keeps for 2 days refrigerated. Re-beat briefly before using.

To Complete Buttercream - Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds or until creamy. Add flavor extract to the creme anglaise, and gradually beat in cooled Creme Anglaise until smooth. Add the Italian Meringue and beat until just incorporated. Buttercream is best at room temperature, about 70°F.

Use as desired - on a cake, as a filling for macarons, or just on its own as a guilt pleasure!