Parisian Macaron Memories

While the fragile dusting of snow on the ground today hardly resembles the colorful flowers one expects to see on the first day of spring, my heart is warmed by all of the cheerful colorful macarons I've see for the Jour du Macaron.

This year, the thought of macarons brings memories of Paris and a once in a lifetime opportunity I had last year to visit.
So pull up a chair, pour a glass of wine, maybe play Amelie in the background for ambiance while I share a glimpse of my trip.

My husband and I had precious little time in our trip to Europe and oh so much ground to cover. For all of the complexity, history, and depth of Paris, we had only two days to experience it.

We arrived in Paris by way of Germany, but my fascination for fine art and French pastries called like a siren song pulling us 8 hours across Europe to the modern day headquarters of the Parisian macaron.

The morning of our final day in Paris began with warm croissants and cappuccino in a narrow basement below our hotel with rounded brick walls nestled over us. We set off down the Rue de Richelieu, past sleepy fromageries, through the sun-baked square of the the Louvre, around the Notre Dame and the overflowing blooms of sunflowers and roses surrounding it.

 

From there we followed the Seine across the Lock Bridge and straight on down a crocked diagonal alley to the mecca of my pilgrimage, Ladurée, a quiet corner store with gold lettering and bright big windows filled with macarons! 

Le touriste! I was giddy with excitement, much to the amusement and chagrin of the ladies behind the counter patiently waiting while I carefully made the important decision of which flavors would I try. 

Living in a small town in the US means that not many bakeries even know what a Parisian macaron is, let alone have the full variety of flavors available. I had to chose wisely. 

Pictured are rose, dark chocolate, salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla -- all classic flavors!

Ladurée is the grandfather of macarons. The story goes that they have created  these little pastries since the 1860s. I'm a sucker for original trend setters, so Ladurée was definitely top of my wish list. 

But that doesn't mean, I didn't have time for Pierre Herme, the modern fashionista of macarons. 

Just a short walk down the street, past a large sculpted fountain and a string of small cafes, we found the bright square window display for Pierre Herme. Rectangular macarons were the latest rage!

But that was several months ago, so I'm sure they've moved on the star or octagonal macarons by now.

This shop was bustling! I had to push my way through people just to get a glimpse of the chic parfaits and jumbo macarons with full raspberries encircling.

Amazingly, each bite of authentic Parisian macarons proved that my self-taught macarons were actually really close to the originals. 

The flaky delicate crust, the moist interior, the firm, yet yielding icing holding it all together were so very much like my own macarons, which were based solely on the description of other passionate bakers online. Proof that with a little persistance and a willingness to try, delicious things can be accomplished. 

Happy Jour du Macaron everyone and may your spring be sweet!

March of Macarons Features

Thus concludes my first link party here at Tried and Twisted.

Thank you to everyone who shared macaron recipes for the March of Macarons link party! 

My mouth is watering and I can't wait for my next chance to get baking.

March was so busy, but it's important to stop and enjoy the sweet little things in life. The first smell of flowers in the air, the first warm sunny day, or a little sweet thing -- like the macaron!

I was on an awesome bridesmaid trip to Florida this weekend, when we were met with the unexpected discovery of a macaron shop!

This may not sound like a very big deal to some of you. Macaron patisseries may adorn every corner where you live.

But in my hometown, "macaroons" are assumed to be the coconut cookies, not the French meringue that gets its own fashion show in Paris. 

While I adore the variety, color, and pop of these cookies, it has been impossible for me to eat one without traveling many miles or making them myself.

So, I chose to learn to bake them myself.

But now, I've finally had a chance to eat a professional's macaron. So, how does my homemade ware compare?

Smooth hard shell, soft moist interior, ruffled feet, flat tops, sugar overload. Oh yeah, my macarons are just as good!

Last year, I baked Cadbury egg macarons to celebrate the Jour du Macaron, so this year I wanted to make something equally unique and challenging.

Enter the Boston Cream Pie Macaron! A twist on the old classic.

Now, let's look at the best of the March of Macaron guests! 

Macaron Fetish shared these adorable treats just in time for Easter.

 

 

Blahnik Baker shared these pretty perky pink Blood Orange Walnut macarons. Once you consider all of the flavors available when you try other nuts or flours in your shells, it really opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Like these clever macs! Passionate About Baking shared this very creative flavor combo of black sesame macarons with cherry chocolate ganache.

 

 How elegant is this macaron with this carmelized hazelnut garnish! Very fancy! Hint of Vanilla contributed these classic hazelnut buttercream macarons.

Chili & Toni shared a strong jolt to wake you up in the morning. Black coffee and chocolate -- yes, please!

Honorable mention to Jill at Mad about Macarons for her adorable mendiant "Easter bonnets" for her chocolate macarons! I've never heard of mendiants before, but those pretty little chocolate disks sound like a tasty treat.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed and made this year's March of Macarons so flavorful!

Boston Cream Pie Macaron

The English language can be so confusing. Fat chance, slim chance -- same difference. Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo. 

And we strangely call some cakes "pie", but only when we're talking about the famous Boston cream pie. Or whoopie pies, but that's a horse of a difference color.

Just to confuse things even more, today we'll be talking about the pie, that's really a cake, that's actually recreated as a macaron. 

March of Macaron Linky Party

Welcome to this year's March of Macaron festivities!

 For the first time, I'm hosting a link party for all to share their best and favorite macarons.

Have you been inspired to try your first batch of macarons since last year's March of Macaron tutorial? Are you a master of macarons, branching out into new and creative flavors? I'd love to see them all.

Share your baking stories with us all month long!


Linking at: Natasha in Oz, Pin It Monday,

Calling All Macarons

The sun is shining, the snow is melting. It's almost that time of year again!

Well, sure, I guess it is almost spring too, but more importantly, it's almost March, which here on Tried & Twisted means it's almost time for the all month marathon of those delicious, colorful French Macarons!

French macarons are pastries of sugar, almond flour, egg white, and a dash of pure awesome. I might be biased though. I do have a diagnosed obsession with these happy little treats. 

Some concerned friends and family members have suggested professional help, but the doctors have just recommended immersion therapy, so bring on more macarons!

Last year, to celebrate the annual Jour du Macaron on March 20th, I dedicated the entire month of March to macarons. As it turns out, a lot of you out there are also lovers of these desserts too, and many of you asked if you could join the fun. 

So this year, I'll be hosting a party!

For this year's March of Macarons, let's share a parade of macarons on my blog!

All are invited! If you've been making macarons for years, share your favorite. If you bravely tried them for the first time, share the experience with us. Even if you just went to a local patisserie and found a cool new flavor, send it in! 

In March, I'll host a linky party for bloggers to share their favorite, colorful, flavorful macarons. 

If you'd like to write a guest post or if you'd like to share your baking experience, but you don't have a blog to post to, then just email me at triedandtwisted@gmail.com.

I'll be sharing new tips and new recipes all through the month of March, so stop by often for more of the March of Macarons.

I'll also be pinning macarons on my Minor Macaron Obsession board, so feel free to follow along!

Be sweet, everyone! 


Linking at:
Natasha in Oz Saturday Linky Party, Flaunt it Friday, 

April Fools! Chocolate Avocado French Macaron

Here eat this...don't you trust me? Is it because it's green? Is it because of April Fool's Day?

The guinea pigs, er, I mean, the lunch crowd at work are notorious sugar fiends. Any one of them would be willing to trudge through a calorie-burning walk in the snow every break just for an extra doughnut. Of course, so would I!

But many of my taste-testers are also a bit Dutch, which means an instinctive distrust for green things, exotic things, flavors which no sane grandmother would ever think to combine. So, naturally, I wanted to scare their taste buds.

Especially when I saw this! This delicious recipe came from Steph over at Raspberri Cupcakes, who is such an inspiration to me as a baker and as a blogger. She takes such experimental risks with flavors and is so creative with the presentation. Learning new recipes and putting them to the test is my goal here on Tried & Twisted, so how on earth could I resist such a unique new flavor combination?

Would such a daring flavor combination as avocado and chocolate ever possibly be accepted by my taste-testers?

March of Macarons: Beginner's Shortcut

Parisian macarons are the sort of tempting, tantalizing dessert that many people love to look at, but would never dare to try at home.

The reason is not always the challenge, but because of all of the prerequisites needed before you can even begin. You need to buy almond flour, you need a kitchen scale, you need a piping bag; the list gets so long and daunting that some home bakers can't invest in all the fancy do-das necessary just to try a dessert they may have never even eaten before.

Maybe you can't manage to bake macarons the "right way", but what if there were a short cut?

I can't say it will be an easier way. It is far easier to make macarons when following the correct method with all of the necessary equipment. But if you want to put macarons on your plate as hassle-free as possible, here are a few tips for your shortcut route.

March of Macarons: Blueberry Macaron Flop Fruit Dip

I am a sucker for old movies. Theatrical, dramatic, no CGI -- the actors had only their talent to rely on. So the other day, I was rewatching The Agony and the Ectasy, which is based on the story of how the Sistine Chapel ceiling was painted by Michelangelo under the direction of Pope Julius II. Man, Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison have such a fiery dynamic in that film. You just have to see it!

So why do I bring up an obscure old film in the middle of my March of Macaron series? 

Early in the movie, Michelangelo is downtrodden and frustrated. The ceiling is being done exactly to the Pope's direction, but it's just not right. It's not inspired, not perfect yet. Michelangelo goes to the bar to get drunk in his despair, but he finds that even the wine at the pub isn't good. He complains and the barkeep dumps his entire tank full of wine, stating that if the wine is bad, throw it out! With those words, Michelangelo is inspired to take the mediocre ceiling, throw it out, and start again to make what would become one of history's most famous frescos.

In the creative process, there will be failures, but you have to let it go, so you can try again next time with a fresh start.


When dealing with a dessert that's notoriously challenging to learn, you have to expect that every batch will not be perfect. Even professionals sometimes make less than perfection -- just look at Michelangelo. But there's no reason to give up creating or making macarons. All you have to do is start again!

When dealing with a dessert that is just so sweet and tasty, it's an awful shame to throw it away just because it doesn't look perfect. So why not reinvent it?

March of Macarons: Cadbury Creme Egg French Macaron

Every year a few weeks before Easter, I suspect minions of bunnies are dispatched from headquarters, sneak into supermarkets, and fill the shelves with delicious chocolate-covered candies that somehow magically jump into your shopping cart as you pass by.

Hm...perhaps they work in cahoots with the gremlins in the closet that sew clothing tighter while you sleep.

In either case, it is the day for chocolate-covered candies, like the coveted Cadbury creme egg. So to celebrate Easter and continue my March of Macarons series, here is a new macaron of my own: the Cadbury Creme Egg Macaron!

March of Macarons: Happy Macaron Day!

Ah, the first day of spring! March 20th, a day of warm sun, dainty spring buds, green grass, fresh fruit, pastels, and macarons!

Since Piere Herme first began the tradition eight years ago, the first day of spring has shared the title of the Jour du Macaron or Macaron Day, an international celebration for the classy meringue cookie, the French macaron.

Since I do have a minor macaron obsession, I thought I would encourage you all to celebrate by visiting your nearest participating patisserie and by picking up your own macaron for free. And it's for a good cause too!

Here's a post listing some participating patisseries to help you find your mac for the day!

Sadly, I cannot make the four hour drive to the nearest patisserie on a whim...or can I?

Au Revoir!

Strawberry Jam & Buttercream French Macarons

The other day, I shared an in-depth tutorial on the process of making the finicky, but rewarding dessert: the French macaron. Several of the photos in that tutorial featured a gorgeous ruby red macaron. Who was that lady in red? That was the strawberry jam & vanilla buttercream macaron, and today I'll introduce you to her recipe.

This recipe reminds me of days long ago with my Grandma, eating all varieties of fruit jams and jellies preserved in jars in her farmhouse cellar. The super sweet strawberry flavor always made me feel like I was getting away with eating dessert for dinner, like eating a strawberry ring pop in a sandwich.

While I do often challenge myself to make the jam from scratch, for this batch of strawberry jam macarons, I cheated and bought my jelly at the grocery store. Will you ever forgive me? Will you still respect me as a food blogger if I admit this? I promise I'll make it up to you with a jam recipe from scratch...eventually.

March of Macarons: French Macaron Tutorial

Hungry for macarons after reading my first March of Macaron post? This month, I welcome all adventurous at-home bakers, curious novices, and macaron addicts looking for insight into the Parisian macaron. Here you will find solace that you are not alone with your confectionery obsession.

The French macaron can be a difficult dessert to perfect since it involves many steps and several techniques. I've been baking macarons for almost a year, but some batches still don't turn out perfectly. Have no fear! Every failure is a learning opportunity, and even if the screw-ups may not look perfect, they still taste delicious. All it takes to master baking macarons in your own home is patience, time, and a little practice.

March of Macaron: St. Patty's Whiskey & Mint Macaron

Let's add a little spirit to our French macarons for St. Patrick's Day with the Irish whiskey and mint macaron.

The whiskey is a surprisingly subtle flavor hidden underneath the mint, so you may wish to add more or less whiskey to your personal taste.

Overall, this is a simpler macaron recipe, once you've mastered the technique, relying on a few drops of peppermint flavoring and whiskey buttercream to jazz it up and make it special for the holidays. Care to give it a try?

March of the Macarons

Welcome to my first feature series: March of Macarons!

All month long, I'm going to feature tutorials and recipes dedicated to my favorite dessert, the French macaron. My series, the March of Macarons, is inspired by Macaron Day (le Jour du Macaron), an annual celebration for the confection on the first day of Spring.

These sweet and challenging desserts rose from obscurity to popularity recently, now featured in wedding magazines, food blogs, and movies. Some would say macarons are the new cupcakes -- but I say there's enough room in the dessert world for both!

Allow me to introduce you to the sugary sweet world of the French macaron.