Monday, April 22, 2013

I Heart Macarons

via Cajulicious
Macarons are becoming quite the trend. With reports of the cupcake bubble being popped these delightful little french cookies could be making their way to the top of the food craze chain.

If you're unfamiliar with a macaron it's important to know the difference between "macarons" and "macaroons".

via Lovely Little Details
French Macarons are delicate french cookies carefully made up of almond meal, egg whites, powdered sugar and granulated sugar while Macaroons are egg whites mixed with sweetened flaked coconut and sometimes dipped in chocolate.

via Serious Eats
Making a macaron is much harder than a macaroon. These fragile cookies have a reputation of being temperamental due to the egg whites. Over whip them or under whip them, don't let them dry out long enough, fail to use aged egg whites, or you can do everything right and STILL end up with cracked macarons. The saddest sight to see after working so hard for such a tiny cookie.

via Mercedes Macarons
But I digress. When done right these little darlings are delightful! Perfectly chewy, sweet and almost like eating a little cloud. Aside from the standard Chocolate or Vanilla lies a wild array of flavor combinations for this complex cookie. I still haven't overcome my fear of failing at macarons, I'm sure at some point I'll attempt them but for now I leave you with some successful macaron recipes!




29 comments:

Frozen OJ said...

Happy SITS Day! I don't think I've ever heard of macarons before!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the clarification--I didn't realize the difference and I also didn't realize they were a little difficult to make. I love the aesthetics of these little cookies--they photograph so nicely; they're like little pieces of art. Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

Happy SITS day! These would go over big at my house.

The Dose of Reality said...

I would happily take the cracked ones off your hands! ;) YUM! They look delicious! Happy SITS day! :)

Michelle said...

They look delicious but I will leave them for my daughter to make. I will pass on these recipes to her! Baking and I do not mix...I have many horror stories!

Janine Huldie said...

Happy SITS Day and thanks for explaining the difference here between the two. Happily following you now on FB and Twitter, too. Hope you can do the same at: Janine's Confessions of A Mommyaholic.

Julie M. said...

They look like a cookie that I would love! I have trouble with temperamental recipes, myself, but I still find myself trying them because there is part of me that loves a challenge. :)

Happy SITS Day! If you have any "spring" themed recipes you'd like to link up to the Spring Fling, Blogger-Style! link-up going on right now, we'd love to have you! :) (You can find it by going to my Natural and Free blog.) If you can't, it's cool, but I wanted to extend the invite to you. :) Have a great day!

Angela Gilmore said...

I definitely was asking the question in my head after reading your first sentence. I'm glad you clarified. I've noticed that these are usually pastel colored. Is this a flavor thing or food coloring thing?

Jodi said...

Sounds yummy!

{{ stopping by from SITS }}

Mama Up! said...

Frankly, a cracked top macaron still tastes just as nice!

Happy SITS Day!

Unknown said...

Happy SITS Day!

Love the Blog and congrats on all your Foodie accomplishments.

I love, love macaroons - yummo.

Keep up the fab work!

A Fabulous Life in Jamaica

Vicki M. Taylor said...

Food blogs are always fun to read. Happy SITS Day, and congratulations on being featured blogger. Hope you have a blessed day!

menopausal mama said...

Happy SITS day!! These look delicious!

Anonymous said...

I'd never even heard of these cookies before. At first I thought you were talking about a macaroon. LOL Glad you explained.

Happy SITS day!

Misty, Handbags + Handguns said...

I don't think I have ever had a macaroon. Crazy, I know!

Stopping by from SITS. Enjoy your special day. :)

Carlo said...

CONGRATULATIONS on your SITS Day! Love your blog!

Terri said...

The chocolate banana macarons should delicious! It makes me wish I was a decent cook :-(

Unknown said...

Those look scrumptious! Happy SITS Day!

Robin said...

Thanks for pointing out the spelling difference. I kept seeing those and thinking, "Those aren't the macaroons I remember." I don't think I've ever had a macaron. They sound yummy. Guess I'll have to try one.

Congratulations on your SITS day. I hope it's a fabulous day for you.

Kate @ Another Clean Slate said...

Happy SITS Day!!

Susan Cook said...

Hope you have a great SITS Day. I never heard of those. I know macaroons but not the other.

Looks good though :)

cooking with curls said...

Congratulations on your SITS Day!!!

mypixieblog said...

Happy SITS day!

I'm embarrassed to say that I've never tried a macaron before. Macaroons, yes. These look delicious; I'll have to give them a whirl :) Though I'll leave the baking to someone else--I'm nervous when it comes to baking temperamental recipes. XOXO and you have an adorable blog!

Erin said...

Happy SITS Day! And I join the ranks of not knowing the difference between the two either! I assumed it was a macaroon :)

CaramelRell said...

Happy SITS day! I love food! I never knew the difference with macaroons.

Tina said...

Happy Sits Day! Those Macaroons look delicious

Dakota said...

Happy late SITS Day! I absolutely LOVE macaroons - but I've never had a macaron! :) I'll have to try it now that I'm looking at this delicious looking picture! :)
Thanks for sharing!
~Dakota

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