The Great Macaron Challenge, Part 2
After failed attempt #1, I reviewed recipes online and decided to try again. This time, I figured I’d do pistachio macarons (pistachio was my favorite flavor, I thought it would give me motivation).
So, armed with a better recipe (or so I hoped) I set about making the new batch of macarons.
As you can see, my piping improved, although notice some of the crazy blobs! I could tell immediately that I was working with a better recipe. The batter was behaving the way I thought it should. Also note the green color even though at this point I was not using food coloring. Adding ground pistachios to the almonds was giving the macs the hue naturally. It was quite pretty in real life although they look a little gray in the photos. Maybe that’s what caused me to be artsy and sprinkle the top with pistachios.
I didn’t know it then, but I had overmixed my batter. And then came the real test, the actual baking!
After baking, these puppies literally burst and fell in the oven. Problems of using too high a temperature. I still had a way to go but after experiment number 2 I knew I had a better recipe, but my macronage technique was still lacking and I didn’t understand my oven at all. Time to try again!