anyone with experience baking french pastries?

[i<3glennbeck]

macarons, in particular? (not macaroons.)
what kind of problems did you have, if any? i have been wanting to make these for a while now but i've come across a lot of sites that said if the weather isn't right, you'll botch 'em. intimidating!

if you haven't had experience with macarons, talk about baking other pastries/share pastry recipes you love!

[party_music50]

Macarons is a new one on me! I had to research them.

They are eye-catching when done in different flavors/colors... not sure if I would like them or not. Macaroons never did much for me. They're both based on eggwhites and sugar, and the basic difference is that macaroons also include coconut, while macarons include ground nuts.... then are filled with ganache too! Definitely a SWEET sweet. ;^)

The consolidated info is: the key to making a proper/good macaron is to let the egg whites sit at room temperature for a minimum of 48 hours. I also read that they taste best if left to sit 24 hours after construction before eating... supposedly allowing the flavors to meld. What they DON'T tell you is how to properly store them once made! My experience with macaroons is that they are time and moisture sensitive and best eaten very fresh (IMO). It sounds like macarons should have the day-old+ texture of macaroons (very chewy).

While having never made macarons, I have a ton of baking experience... I don't know where you live, but if it's in an area that tends to be humid, I would advise you to choose a time when it won't rain for several days to do the baking. Crack the eggs as soon as you see the forecast. lol!

Macarons are something different to consider adding to my xmas sweets tray. I like to have a selection of "favorite" sweets with many different flavors and textures, and usually add something new for everyone to try each year.

[i<3glennbeck]

i've actually never had them but a friend of mine made them for a party and she said the actual cookie is really not sweet, but whatever you choose as filling can be. she made pink ones, they didn't turn out as pretty as all the pictures i've seen though. baking them even a little too long will discolor the dye! also, i imagine it takes a little practice to get the amount of food color right to how you want it to look prepared :/ she told me her recipe said to store them in an airtight container, and they'll only last 2-3 days in storage.
when i was looking around for prices on ingredients, i couldn't find the ground almond powder anywhere! all the recipes i read said its best to do the grinding yourself but i don't have a way to grind nuts to a powder- chunks, maybe but not anything finer than that. i can probably order it online before the holidays.
thanks for your answer, though, i'm not really an expert on what steps in baking recipes are essential or just the author's preferred way of doing things, heh.

[party_music50]

Baking them too long might cause some browning, but it shouldn't hurt or affect the dye. The concensus seems to be that chocolate are best, and they wouldn't involve using any dye, so try those. lol!

Try looking in the baking section of your grocery store for "almond flour" (or "almond meal"). It's just finely ground/powdered almonds. If they don't have it, try a health food store. I have used a mini-cuisinart and a blender for grinding almonds and both work fine (for making marzipan). Store any excess in the fridge or freezer to extend the shelf-life.

According to everything I read, the one thing essential to making macarons with the correct texture and "foot" is to separate the eggwhites and leave them at room temperature for a LONG time (days) before making the batter. Some also recommend letting them sit for an hour or more before baking -- some say it's not necessary.

If you are an inexperienced baker and want to make something that's impressive to look at, great to eat, and simple to make, try cream puffs or eclairs.

[i<3glennbeck]

i'm not a pastry chef by any means but i'm not inexperienced. i've seen inexperienced bakers make perfect macarons and inexperienced completely botch them. they're touchy. and they're a challenge. i'm not making them because i want something pretty to eat- honestly, i'll probably not eat many of them. i don't even know if i like them, either! i am making them BECAUSE they are difficult. i definitely like the process much more than the finished product.

plus, they're definitely way prettier than cream puffs & eclairs. a lot more sophisticated, i think. i will feel a lot more accomplished making an "okay" macaron than an excellent eclair.

[party_music50]

Re macarons vs eclairs, that's definitely a case where "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". lol!

Sorry I apparently misunderstood the point of your posts.

[i<3glennbeck]

Re macarons vs eclairs, that's definitely a case where "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". lol!

Sorry I apparently misunderstood the point of your posts.

the point of my post was just to see what kind of experience other people had making them.

did i offend you?