French Macaroons- FOUND!

French macaroons!!  I've been wanting to make but been too intimidated to actually try for about 4 yrs now.  I was at Waitrose the other day and found a box of them! Hurrah! I've tried them and they're OK.  I think they're probably out of this world when fresh.  I am now more determined than ever to try them myself... maybe

French macaroons!!  I've been wanting to make but been too intimidated to actually try for about 4 yrs now.  I was at Waitrose the other day and found a box of them! Hurrah! I've tried them and they're OK.  I think they're probably out of this world when fresh.  I am now more determined than ever to try them myself... maybe

Are French Macarons difficult to find? They're the next big thing in Pastry i.e they're the next big thing as cupcake fashion starts to fade and they seem to be everywhere. You can get them most patisserie places, for instance PAUL (normally found in stations) does a really passable vanilla macaron.  Whole Foods does them too, although the last ones I got from there were stale and I needed to swap them out. Bleugh.

I'm a bit of a Macaron connoisseur and have been for awhile now, I prefer Hermes (I get them in Selfridges) to Laudree (Harrods or the La Laduree store in London)
Hermes has the robust flavours that I like and I find them more creative. Laudree are delicate and perfect. I almost cried when they stopped serving them at Yauatcha, damn you Alan Yau!  I don't want a tea set, but now Hermes is in London things are good

I make them fairly often, their complicatedness has been exaggerated....BUT oven temperature is absolutely critical and I lost several batches on Sunday due to my over cutting out. They are temperamental, but then anything meringuey always is. Follow the recipe exactly and use an oven thermometer.  Your piping skills will be put to the test as it's not an easy batter to pipe. Also grind the almonds down further in a food processor as commercial ground almonds are not smooth enough.

I believe Hermes uses an italian meringue (hot sugar syrup) whereas I use a french meringue which may be the difference, the English translation of Pierre's Macron isn't out until 2011 so I'll wait and see Laduree uses a french and they are definitely lighter, I find Hermes more complex texturally and the flavours are punchier, but Laduree does the balance of flavour and lightness so well.

Hermes Macarons

Laduree salted caramel macarons are the best thing ever.  I make a special trip to Picadilly every time I'm in London just to buy them.  Cheesebiscuit, do you know if Le Notre macarons are available anywhere in London?  I got a box in Paris last March and they were fantastic as well.

I've made them before and they were quite fun! I was scared at first too, but they weren't really difficult, just time-consuming.

Here are mine (orange-flavoured and rose-flavoured):

I've made them before and they were quite fun! I was scared at first too, but they weren't really difficult, just time-consuming.

Here are mine (orange-flavoured and rose-flavoured):

Nice feet! Well done You might want to try sifting the almond powder to get a smoother top, but that's a really good job

I did sift! And resift! I think the tops were smoother than they look in that picture. I also tried pistachio ones but they didn't work well. I'm not sure why, but they didn't ever get that lovely gloss and didn't pop.

I did sift! And resift! I think the tops were smoother than they look in that picture. I also tried pistachio ones but they didn't work well. I'm not sure why, but they didn't ever get that lovely gloss and didn't pop.

If you leave them in the fridge overnight they'll develop more flavour and the shiny tops, Macarons need beauty sleep before being munched

They look really good, just like they either haven't risen quite enough or something wasn't mixed through as they're not domed. Maybe try banging the tray on the counter once they're piped and leaving them to sit for 30 minutes to form a skin.

Getting anything that resembles a macaron is something to be proud of, I assume they're french not Italian? I don't have a stand mixer so Italian would be a bit of a pain for me. I think I prefer the French anyway

If you leave them in the fridge overnight they'll develop more flavour and the shiny tops, Macarons need beauty sleep before being munched

They look really good, just like they either haven't risen quite enough or something wasn't mixed through as they're not domed. Maybe try banging the tray on the counter once they're piped and leaving them to sit for 30 minutes to form a skin.

I was actually more than happy with they way they came out.

those of us who don't live in London Town do have to search around a bit to find them.  I'll have to check out Selfridge's in Manchester for them.

Laduree salted caramel macarons are the best thing ever.  I make a special trip to Picadilly every time I'm in London just to buy them.  Cheesebiscuit, do you know if Le Notre macarons are available anywhere in London?  I got a box in Paris last March and they were fantastic as well.

Salted Carmel Macaroons sound like the best food ever. I am drooling at the thought!

I love salted caramel anything! There's a local chocolatier down here who makes the most gorgeous Cornish sea salt caramels coated in choc. Mmmmm.....

Salted Carmel Macaroons sound like the best food ever. I am drooling at the thought!

You'll really be drooling at this picture!   
http://londoneats.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/salted-caramel-macarons/

Just a bit of info.  MacarOns & MacarOOns.  I like them both.  Yum!
http://www.yumsugar.com/Macarons-vs-Macaroons-8038818

I almost cried when they stopped serving them at Yauatcha, damn you Alan Yau!

WHAT WHAT WHAT? When did this happen?? Noooooo!  

Their macaroons were mindblowing! My friends brought them to me in hospital to cheer me up. We'd buy sixpacks on a whim. They had flavours and colours and pearlised finishes I've never seen anywhere else. They were like the Heston Blumenthal of macaroons.

CB, you've just ruined both my and my husband's day. *sob*

Edit: oh god, they're still listed on their menu, too!

I love salted caramel anything! There's a local chocolatier down here who makes the most gorgeous Cornish sea salt caramels coated in choc. Mmmmm.....

M&S is selling salted caramel sauce..its in their Christmas range of goodies!

M&S is selling salted caramel sauce..its in their Christmas range of goodies!

Oooh, thanks for that! I'll have a look for it next time I'm there!