The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

Dating back to the 18th century, the macaron is a traditional French pastry, made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts' baker's oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base.


Macarons, also anglicized "macaroons", are not to be confused with a similar pastry also called macaroons. Macarons are sandwich-like pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache between the cookies. Macaroons are dense cookies made either with coconut or with a coarse almond paste.

Now to the recipe,

Cardamom Macarons: (Followed this recipe)

2 egg whites, at room temperature
3.5 oz Confectioners sugar
2 oz almond flour
1 oz fine sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Few drops of food coloring ( optional )


Method:

1. Sift together almond flour, confectioners sugar and cardamom powder.

2. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with 1/2 tsp of fine sugar until foamy. Add the remaining sugar and beat on high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Add in the coloring.

3. Add the dry ingredients in batches and fold gently. Do not overwork the mixture.

4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip ( ateco # 806 ).

5. Pipe one-inched-sized mounds of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchement paper.Leave it to rest for 1 hour.

6. Preheat oven to 320 F.

7. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. After 8 minutes, crack the oven door open and reduce the heat to 290 F.

8. Take the macarons out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.


White Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz white chocolate.

Method:

1. Put cream in a microwave safe glass bowl and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, until just about to boil.

2. Put chocolate in a seperate bowl and pour the cream over.

3. Let it sit for 2 minutes then stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.

4. Chill the ganache to a thick spreading consistency.

Assembling:

Once the macarons are cooled pipe small amount of ganache on the flat side of the macaron and cover it with another.