French Macarons!

Macarons. Or French macaroons. Whatever. Dainty pastries that have a filling sandwiched between two delicate meringues. One of the best things I've ever had. Mind you, I've never been to France (yet) but the ones I've tried have shown me what a good macaron is. Flavourful, not hollow, not hard, and not too small! I've had macarons that were a bit blah (I don't even know how that happens with all that sugar), too small, and pretty hard (like cardboard).

I tried my hand at making macarons by compiling information from various sources. I made a few batches, which I barely have any photos of.

My first batch was pistachio - I mistakenly didn't add enough sugar so the ratio was so off, they were flat cookies. No feet, no rising. Just flat failures lol. But delicious failures nonetheless. 

My second batch - I added enough sugar but my oven was too hot. They formed feet but unevenly.

My other batches - I always piped them too close together. So they were monster macarons. They had feet though! And they were the closest thing to perfect macarons. My very last batch was chocolate macarons with chocolate ganache. 

I stopped making macarons for months simply because I didn't like using my electric hand mixer. I finally got a KitchenAid (hallelujah!).. So I started making them again.

The first batch I made after a hiatus was a failure lol. I don't know what it was. I tried a recipe I used to use with techniques I gathered elsewhere. Everything seemed to go well until feet didn't form. The oven was too hot, I think? Oh, and I screwed up my filling. Too watery. Sigh, one failure after another!

The second batch I made, some formed feet, and some didn't. And a lot of them cracked. Oven too hot. I don't remember my oven being this annoying before!!! Maybe it's me, lol. 

The third batch I made... they cracked, even with lower oven temperatures, and a wooden spoon keeping the door open!!! Ugh. But they did form tiiiiny feet. Not good enough, lol. I think despite what I've read telling me not to let the piped macarons rest, I probably should :(. But I'm so impatient!!

 Please stop cracking! :(

~

The macarons I've made all tasted the way they were supposed to, but aesthetically, it's not what I want. As long as they're eaten, I know, but the perfectionist in me wants to get this right. I have all of the tools I need! I just need to figure everything else out. I may look at the egg:almond flour:sugar ratios as well.


I've compiled information from the following (so far that I can recall)...
bravetart.com
foodnouveau.com 

notsohumblepie.blogspot.ca

WISH ME LUCK!!