French Macaron question

[whole milk]

For the past three weekends I've been practicing how to make French Macarons. I've aged the whites from 2 hours to 56 hours and I always have (some degree of) success but they're never perfect. They either:

get a little tail from the piping
or
the feet raise them high and beautifully in the oven but either during the last minutes of cooking or while cooling they lose the height. They don't fall flat. They simply aren't as tall as when they're in the oven.

Can anyone give me some suggestions that might help me improve next weekend?

Cheers,

 

[TheMetalChef]

I imagine they fall because the steam inside condenses as they cool.

Best bet (I'm strictly guessing here, based on my work with Pate a choux) would be to split them as soon as you get them out of the oven, to let that steam out before it collapses the pastry.

 

[Wyogal]

Or poke a hole in them to let the steam escape, using a skewer or toothpick.

 

[TheMetalChef]

Or poke a hole in them to let the steam escape, using a skewer or toothpick.

Good point, and an excellent alternative.

 

[whole milk]

Good point, and an excellent alternative.

Thanks for the idea but actually it wouldn't work. This kind of cookie can't be split because of it's nature and to poke a hole in it would ruin the presentation. You may be correct about moisture causing it to fall which COULD mean that I need to reduce it in the batter or adjust the cooking time.

Cheers

 

[TheMetalChef]

There again, my experience is outside of the realm of this specific recipe. But yes, reducing the moisture content in the batter sounds like it'd be your best route.

I saw some pictures of these Macarons on other sites, and it looked like they had been split to fill and create a "sandwich" of sorts, so I thought that might work.

 

[whole milk]

Ah, I know what you're talking about. Those would actually be two mararons glued together with a filling. You see, the shell is just a bit crisp and the inside is soft, so it would be impossible to split an individual cookie.

You should give them a try. Despite what people say, they're not that difficult to make. To perfect, well, that's another story. But I'm a perfectionist.

Here's the best link I've found about macarons

http://www.syrupandtang.com/200712/...wrongs-and-macarights-macarons-day-and-night/

 

[TheMetalChef]

Definitely going onto my list of things to try.

 

[macaron]

Don't poke or split them!

Macarons won't take that.

To make them smoother try folding the batter a little bit more - but don't over-do it, runny batter won't work!

If they raise too high in the oven, it could be a temperature issue. Try lowering the temp or using double trays.

Have fun!

__________________________________________________________

The Macaron Master - Create Bakery-Quality Macarons For Pleasure & Profit!

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Please see Post by Gravy Queen - Dated April more or less ...

Ciao,
Margi Cintrano.

 

[CWS4322]

Do you let them dry for a bit before putting them in the oven?

 

[Gravy Queen]

Yes, you do let them dry out before they go in the oven.

No, you dont split them.

I will dig out the recipe I used, it was pretty good as its the first time I have made them.

Always check the temp of your oven too, an oven thermometer is a wonderful thing to have.

 

[Gravy Queen]

This is the recipe I used:
Vanilla Macarons with Raspberry Filling
Recipe by Galton Blackiston - "Summertime" book

For the macarons:
175g (6oz) icing sugar
75g (3oz) ground almonds
75g (3oz) egg whites
half teaspoon vanilla extract
25g (1oz) castor sugar


For the raspberry filling:
250g tub mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon icing sugar
2 drops vanilla extract
5 tablespoons raspberry puree (made from fresh raspberries pushed through a sieve)

1. To make the macarons, line a baking sheet with good quality greaseproof paper and set aside. Sift the icing sugar and almonds into a bowl. Place the egg whites into the bowl of an electric food mixer and whisk until they form stiff peaks. Whisk the vanilla extract into the egg whites, then gradually whisk in the castor sugar and continue to whisk until stiff and glossy.

2. Fold in the almonds and icing sugar gently until the mixture is smooth. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a plain 5mm nozzle and pipe the macarons of the required size onto the greaseproof paper. Leave to rest for 10 -15 minutes to allow the surfact to become dry.

3. Pre heat the oven to 150 c/300f/Gas Mark 2

4. Bake for about 25 minutes (depending on size) - the macarons are done when you can lift them off the baking sheet. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet.

5. While the macarons are in the oven, make the raspberry filling by mixing all the ingredients together thoroughly, adding a little more icing sugar or raspberry puree to taste.

6. When the macarons are completely cold, sandwich them together with the filling.

*GQ note - I found that smaller ones worked best *

 

[mehdi57000]

Hi,

There is a trick, when you cook them, you have to superimpose 3 plate firings.

Sorry for my english, I'm french.

 

[CWS4322]

Can you describe the 3-plate firings? If you are not sure how to explain it in English, please explain it in French for those of us who read/understand French. Merci.

 

[mehdi57000]

In french : superposer 3 plaques de cuisson l'une sur l'autre.

image of "plaque de cuisson" :

You have to superimpose 3 of them.

 

[CWS4322]

Okay--so you put them on a stack of three baking sheets, correct?

 

[mehdi57000]

Yes, it's correct, i will post a recipe from a famous pastry in France (Pierre Hermé) soon.

 

[CWS4322]

Yes, it's correct, i will post a recipe from a famous pastry in France (Pierre Hermé) soon.

Thanks for explaining that. I've never heard of doing that, but it makes sense, and would for other things that might brown too quickly on the bottom...can't think of anything at the moment, but I seem to recall folks having issues where cookies, etc., burn or are over brown on the bottom, and this trick would probably take care of that.

 

[mehdi57000]

It's a well-know trick to succed the baking of macarons, and to have a great corolla like on the picture :