NO-FRILLS BROWN SUGAR AND CHOCOLATE SPREAD MACARONS - MACARONS TOUT SIMPLES AU SUCRE ROUX ET À LA PÂTE À TARTINER AU CHOCOLAT

Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
- Oscar Wilde

Make as many New Year's resolutions as possible so you have lots of future failures to choose from.
- Unknown

I don't believe in resolutions and never make any as they are rarely realistic, mostly aimless and always vowed to be broken, thus they are quite dangerous for our mental equilibrium (read this article). Instead, I'd rather set goals that are down-to-earth, manageable, easy to achieve and which I can carry out with firmness of mind and purpose. In short, non-applicable and directionless decisions without fundament are not my cup of tea as they generally trigger self-scolding as well as feelings of shame, failure and inadequacy if our plans sadly fail to materialize.

However, I am far from being perfect and I'm absolutely not trying to say that certain changes would not have a favorable effect on me. All the contrary. Yet, I refuse to build castles in the air as unmet grand expectations and illusional/delusional aspirations often lead to deception and depression. Certain things cannot be turned around within weeks or months and sometimes it necessitates us a few years to acquire what we desire, therefore we all need to remember that temporal length plays an infinite role in our quest for reaching our targets and that patience, determination and perseverance are the only keys to success. 

Of course, it is never too late to start transforming our lives, nevertheless we should all keep in mind that one can't obtain good and long-lasting results immediately. A period of transition is required, and small and gradual steps must be made as rash choices are bad, foster big mistakes and can be extremely destructive to anyone involved. Metamorphosing yourself and your existence involves deep thinking and a careful analysis of the situation before any action is initiated.

Besides why wait for the 1st of January to finally wake up and come to the conclusion that you have to modify the course of your trajectory? Embarking on another path can be done at any moment and specific dates or deadlines are secondary. What is important is that you get there, no matter how long it takes.

Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.
- Denis Waitley

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
- Anatole France

Anyway, since a while, I am determined to be happy, awesome and to find my place on this planet. This implies that I shouldn't give up my ambitions (being a skillful homecook/homebaker, a brilliant writer and a talented photographer whose creative endavors and talent are acknowledged) and have to stop bringing myself down. No matter how irrealizable and stupid my dreams may be, I have to hold on them and believe in my qualities.

Although my blog is a wonderful shop window to the world and draws many visitors on a daily basis, I realize that one cannot solely rely on this powerful medium in order to attain recognition. This is why, I'll have to advertize my work on a larger scale in the future - have a better presence on social media platforms and have recourse to sharing sites more regularly.

In addition, I have decided to care more about my physical and mental well-being. In the past, I thought that I could overwork my body and intellect endlessly. Unfortunately, this made me feel low-spirited and awfully tired - on many occasions, I nearly reached burnout status. The lesson I've learnt from that is: don't overestimated your strength as your health is sacred and you'll get nowhere if you are unfit, frazzled and on your knees. Battles can only be undertaken/fought when you are in possessions of all your faculties.

Hence, from now on, I will only write posts, shoot pictures and cook/bake for Rosa's Yummy Yums at my own rhythm or when inspiration hits me and I'm in the right mood to spend hours behind the computer, in the kitchen or freezing my ass on my improvised balcony studio. This means that I'll stop forcing my creativity and let my inner artist shine whenever it chooses to emerge from its hiding place.

Blogging is a lot of work and demands a truckload of devotion. Serious bloggers have to be blessed with solid nerves as this challenging and arduous hobby is comparable to a real job - minus the pay - and can be very cruel (await nothing from it as prestigious rewards and fame are rare; instead, be extremely thankful for your faithful followers' kind words, encouragements and valuable support as it is what keeps you going). This is the reason why I want this activity to be as stress-free as possible, otherwise it'll be destructive rather than of being ego-boosting, enrichening and gratifiying...

So, to start off the year on a positive note as well as in "rebellious", non-punitive, guilt-free and anti-resolution manner, the confection I am presenting today is not stereotypically diet-friendly and detox-oriented like most of the desserts and dishes you'll find in the pages of magazines or on the net in January. For me, this "trend" is extremely annoying and silly, because physical wellness and an equilibrtaed alimentation should be an important subject not only after the holidays, but at all times. I will tolerate no culpability here, nonetheless I want to inculcate the notion of responsable and mindful eating in my readers.

The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor.
- Chinese Proverb

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.
- Jim Rohn

During important celebrations one doesn't need to pork out and become a depraved consumerist in order to have fun at the table and fulfill his/her cravings for scrumptious dishes. Quantity and impudent extravaganza are not synonymous of delectation as you cannot savor your food rightfully if you behave like a licentious Roman at a banquet and you definitely can't get any pleasure out of gobbling victuals like an insatiable ogre. You just fill your stomach to the point of heartburn as well as contribute to expanding your waistline and worsening your case of bad conscience. 

My philosophy is to constantly feed in a harmonious way - no matter if you are planning on indulging a little - and to never forget that your body is your temple and it deserves to be treated respectfully. Better eat a reasonable amount of calorie rich chow on a daily basis than devour your month's count of carbohydrates and fats in one day, and end up stocking on weight since your metabolism is incapable of coping with your excesses.

Macarons are a delicacy to be enjoyed moderatly, however this refined pastry can be integrated in a wholesome nutrition plan. As long as you keep an eye on your intake and consider them an occasional treat and not a meal in themselves, then there's absolutely no problem. It's all about balance and self-control. In consequence, you have absolutely no excuse whatsoever not to bake my "Brown Sugar And Chocolate Macarons" and delight in them - in moderation, though!!!

Brown Sugar And Chocolate Macarons
Recipe adpated from "Recettes De Réveillon" by Sabine Paris (éditions Larousse).

Makes about 20 macarons.

Ingredients For The "Shells":
110g Powdered sugar
90g Almond powder
75g Egg whites, at room temperature
60g Superfine light brown sugar
Ingredients For the "Filling":
Chocolate spread (homemade - recipe 1 & 2 - or store-bought / I used Nocciolata organic hazelnut spread which is palm oil-free, made with brown sugar and not cloyingly sweet)

Method For The "Shells":
1. Preheat the oven to 155° C (311° F).
2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
3. Sift together the icing sugar and almond powder. Set aside.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gradually beat in the brown sugar.
5. Using a spatula, fold the almond mixture into the meringue and stir briskly to remove the air (the batter should be shiny and ribbon-like).
6. With the help of a pastry bag, pipe 1/2- to 1-inch macarons about an inch or more apart onto the prepared baking sheet.
7. Leave your macarons to dry for about 30 to 40 minutes (see remarks).
8. Then bake for approximately 12 minutes.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the macarons rest for about 10 minutes before carefully peeling them off the baking paper/Silpat. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Method For The "Filling":
10. Turn the macarons so their flat bottoms are face up. Pipe one half of them with about 1 teaspoon chocolate spread. Sandwich these with the remaining macarons, flat-side down, pressing slightly to spread the filling to the edges.
11. Serve.

Remarks:
It is possible to make macarons using superfine white sugar instead of superfine brown sugar.
The macarons are ready to be baked when they are dry to the touch (the batter should not stick to your fingers) and are slightly "crusted".
If you do not want to use chocolate spread in order to garnish your macarons, then you can also use chocolate ganache or any other filling of your choice (check out the following links for ideas: 1 & 2).
Macarons are generally better the next day, so don't eat them straight away.
Keep (up to 5 days) in an airtight container in the fridge.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with some sparkling or dessert wine, or just simply with a cup of tea or coffee.

Macarons Au Sucre Brun Et Au Chocolat
Recette adaptée de "Recettes De Réveillon" par Sabine Paris (éditions Larousse).

Pour une vingtaine de macarons.

Ingrédients Pour Les "Coques":
110g de Sucre glace
90 de Poudre d'amande
75g de Blancs d'oeufs, à température ambiante
60g de Sucre roux/brun en poudre
Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture":
Chocolat à tartiner (j'ai utilisé du Nocciolata, mais il vous est aussi possible de fabriquer votre pâte à tartiner vous même - recettes ici et là)

Méthode Pour Les "Coques":
1. Préchauffer le four a 155° C.
2. Recouvrir une plaque à pâtisserie de papier sulfurisé ou d'un Silpat.
3. Tamiser ensemble le sucre glace et la poudre d'amande. Mettre de côté.
4. Monter les blancs d'oeufs en neige ferme en y incorporant peu à peu le sucre roux/brun en poudre.
5. Ajouter le mélange amande-sucre glace et remuer vivement pour chasser l'air (la pâte doit devenir brillante et lisse).
6. A l'aide d'une poche à douille, déposer sur la plaque des petits dômes de pâte réguliers et espacés.
7. Les laisser "croûter" pendant 30 à 40 minutes à l'air libre (voir remarques).
8. Puis les enfourner pour 12 minutes environ.
9. Sortir la plaque du four et laisser les coques reposer pendant 10 minutes avant de les décoller délicatement du papier/Silpat. Laisser complètement refroidir sur une grille.

Méthode Pour La "Garniture":
10.  Coller les coques de macarons deux à deux avec une noix (1 cc) de pâte à tartiner au chocolat.
11. Servir.

Remarques:
Il vous est aussi possible de confectionner des macarons avec du sucre blanc en poudre (qui remplacera le sucre roux/brun en poudre).
Les macarons sont prêts à être enfournés lorsque la pâte ne colle plus quand on pose un doigt dessus et qu'elle forme à la surface une petite "croûte".
Si vous ne voulez pas utiliser de la pâte à tartiner pour garnir vos macarons, vous pouvez tout à fait les remplir avec de la ganache au chocolat ou tout autre garniture de votre choix (voir recettes: 1 et 2)...
Les macarons sont meilleurs le lendemain.
Conservez-les (max. 5 jours) dans une boite hermétique au frigo.

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec du vin mousseux ou liquoureux, ou tout simplement avec du thé ou du café .

MACARONS - THE DARING BAKERS

The end of the month is once again on our doorstep and time has come for all of us lovers of flour, eggs and sugar to post our Daring Bakers latest creations to date...

Can you believe that this is the 25th consecutive challenge that I complete as A Daring Baker (2 years and one month as a member)? Incredible! Sometimes, I amaze myself with my voluntarism and capacity to never call it a day even if I'd love to do so. It is a real miracle that such a pessimistic fraidy-cat like me like me is able to gather enough strenghth in order not to throw the towel when my baking skills are being put to the test. I am able to prove that I can surpass myself, jump over my shadow and confront my fears with much perseverance and determination...

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

Some of you might remember that in December 2008, I had made my very first "Macarons" with my friend Jessica from Maryland (USA) and wrote about how that French speciality always filled me with apprehension and how scared I was at the idea of trying to compare with people who mastered the art of making "Macarons" to the perfection, yet how, at the end, we found them not as daunting as we imagined...

Well, to tell you the truth, this time around, I wasn't as relaxed as I wished to be considering the fact that it would not be my very first time with that speciality. Unfortunately I was as scared of getting started as if it had been when I made my inaugural batch of "Macarons" batch. What made me uncomfortable was the fact that "Macarons" are notoriously tricky to make and testing an unknown recipe made me even feel more edgier. Silly girl! Sometimes I can be really stupid, but nevermind.

Anyway, no matter how uneasy I felt about going through the whole process of making "Macarons" again, I promised myself that they were going to look better than the first time around and that I would forever put an end to my "Macarons" angst. The result was surprinsingly very exciting and with my fears put aside, I instantly understood why people can't stop carrying on about those cute little sugar gems-

As we were free to use the flavorings of our choice for our "Macarons", I decided to add some vanilla sugar to the delightfully almond-tasting macaron shells and make an "Orange, Cinnamon & Cubeb Pepper Buttercream" as filling. Heavenly!

Apart from having the most luscious aroma, my "Macarons" also had the most perfect texture I had ever come across. They weren't shallow, were crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. A macaron-lover's dream!

I wish to thank Amy S. at "Baking Without Fear" (USA) for choosing this awesome recipe! I really enjoyed making "Macarons" and was so happy to get a little training in order to perfect my skills.

~ Vanilla Macarons With Orange, Cinnamon & Cubeb Pepper Buttercream ~ Recipe taken from Claudia Fleming’s "The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern".

Macaron Shells

Yields 10 dozen macarons

Preparation time:
Not taking into account the amount of time it takes for you to bring your egg whites to room temperature, the whole baking process, including making the batter, piping and baking will probably take you about an hour to an hour and a half.

Actual baking time:
17-20 minutes in total.

Equipment required:
• Electric mixer, preferably a stand mixer with a whisk attachment
• Rubber spatula
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or nonstick liners
• Pastry bag (can be disposable)
• Plain half-inch pastry bag tip
• Sifter or sieve
• If you don’t have a pastry bag and/or tips, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off
• Oven
• Cooling rack
• Thin-bladed spatula for removing the macaroons from the baking sheets
• Food processor or nut grinder, if grinding your own nuts (ouch!)

Ingredients:
225g (2 1/4 Cups) Confectioners’/Icing sugar
190g (2 Cups) Almond flour
25g (2Tbs) Granulated sugar
5 Egg whites, at room temperature

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and a cup of confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.
2. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.

3. Sift a third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. If you are planning on adding zest or other flavorings to the batter, now is the time. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.
4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.
5. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).
6. Let the macaron rest for 30-60 minutes.
7. Bake the macaron for 17-20 minutes at 150° C (302° F)
8. Cool on a rack before filling.

***************

Orange, Cinnamon & Cubeb Pepper Buttercream Filling

Makes about 1 cup buttercream.

Ingredients:
120g (1 stick) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
(1 Cup) Confectioners'/icing sugar
1/2 Tsp Orange essence
1/2 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Freshly ground cubeb pepper

Method:
1. Cream the butter until pale and smooth.
2. Add the sugar and spices. Incorporate.
3. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy.
4. Fill the macarons.

Remarks:
This buttercream melts, so keep your macarons in the fridge.
The macarons will be better the next day, so don't eat them straight away!

Additional information:
David Lebovitz breaks it down.
More macaroon 411.
Get inspired by our own Tartlette!
Go behind the scenes of Paulette.
Watch a pro pipe macaroons.
Beating egg whites.

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Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteur s et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Jasmine de "Jasmine Cuisine" (Canada)
Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)

MACARONS WITH CHOCOLATE & PB GANACHE

Although, I have proven to be a daring bakers in every sense of the term, the thought of making Macarons always filled me with immense apprehension. The only thought of baking that traditional French pastry scared me to the highest point...

Thankfully, my friend Jessica (see older post) from Baltimore (Maryland) asked if we could get together in order to bake Macarons. My answer was, of course, yes. What an opportunity! I was finally going to overcome my unexplainable fears of that cute little speciality!

So, last Thursday afternoon, Jessica came to my place and we baked a batch of Macarons, according to a trustworthy recipe (see post) I found on Helen's at the wonderful blog "Tartelette" (USA).

The recipe wasn't very difficult, although, at some point, we had to make Italian meringue. We went through the whole process like real pros of the whisk. The end result was quite satisfying (apart from a few cracked shells), especially if you consider that it was the very first time that we made this much mythologized speciality...

Those "Macaron With Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ganache" are fantastic! Their outside is crisp and their inside ever so smooth and tender. Taste-wise, they are just delightful. Those heavenly sugar cookies are just too addictive!

~ Macarons With Chocolate Ganache ~
Recipe by Helen at "Tartelette" (USA) and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes about 20 assembled macarons.

For the "Macarons":
120 g Egg whites, divided
35g Cristallized sugar
150g Finely ground almonds (see remarks)
150g Powder sugar
Ingredients for the "Boiling Syrup":
150g Cristallised sugar
50g Water
For the "Chocolate Ganache":
130g Bittersweet chocolate (64 % cocoa)
60g Unsalted butter
40g Double cream (35% fat)
For the "Peanut Butter Filling":
3 Tbs Smooth peanut butter
2 Tbs Caramel sauce (see recipe here)

Method for the "Macarons":
1. In a stand mixer or with the help of a handmixer, whip 60g egg whites to soft peaks.
2. Add 35g cristallized sugar.
3. In the meantime, in a saucepan on high heat bring the water and sugar for the syrup to 110° C (230° F).
4. Slowly add the boiling syrup to the egg whites and continue to whip on medium-high speed until they are completely cooled and you have a shiny meringue, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Mix together the remaining 60g egg whites and the sifted almond/powder sugar and carefully fold into the meringue.
6. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the mixture and pipe macarons about 3cm (1.2 inches) in diameter on parchment paper lined baking sheet (see remarks).
7. Bake at 150° C (302° F) for 13-14 minutes.
8. Let cool.

Method for the "Chocolate Ganache":
9. Put all ingredients in a pan, over low heat.
10. Stir until you get a homogenous ganache.
11. Let cool and put in the refrigerator until smooth enough to spread.
Method for the "Peanut Butter Ganache":
12. Mix together both ingredients.
Method for "Assembling The Macarons":
13. Fill a pastry bag with the ganache and layer your macarons with it.
14. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Remarks:
Before you sift you ground almonds and powder suger, I recommend you to blend them together in a standmixer.
Once you have piped the macarons, you can let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, if desired. This is often done to assure those little feet at the bottom.
Generally, the macarons are better when eaten the next day as their texture improves and so does their taste.

Serving suggestions:
Eat with a cup of tea or coffee.
You can also decorate your cakes with those pretty macarons.

***************

~ Macarons With Chocolate Ganache ~
Recette par Helen de "Tartelette" (USA) et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Donne environ 20 macarons (assemblés).

Pour les "Macarons":
120 g de Blancs d'oeufs, divisés (60g + 60g)
35g de Sucre cristallisé
150g d'Amandes finement moulues (voir remarques)
150g de Sucre en poudre
Ingredients pour le "Sirop":
150g de Sucre cristallisé
50g d'Eau
Ingrédients pour la "Ganache Au Chocolat":
130g de Chocolat type "Crémant" (64 % cocoa)
60g de Beurre non-salé
40g de Crème double (35% de mat. grasses)
Ingrédients pour la "Ganache Au Peanut Butter":
3 CS de Beurre d'arachide
2 CS de Sauce au caramel (voir recette ici)

Méthode pour les "Macarons":
1. Dans un mixer ou à l'aide d'un batteur à main, battre 60g de blancs d'oeufs en neige ferme.
2. Ajouter 35g de sucre cristallisé.
3. Pendant ce temps, dans une petite casserole, porter l'eau et le sucre à ébullition, à température élevée. Le sirop doit atteindre les 110° C.
4. Ajouter (tout doucement) le sirop bouillant au mélange oeufs/sucre, tout en continuant à fouetter le mélange jusqu'à ce qu'il ait refroidit (environ 10-15 minutes) complètement et que vous obteniez une meringue brillante.
5. Mélanger ensemble les 60g de blancs d'oeufs restants et les amandes ainsi que le sucre en poudre tamisés (voir remarques), puis incorporer délicatement la meringue à ce mélange.
6. Couvrir une plaque avec du papier sulfurisé, puis remplir une poche à douille (embout lisse) et faire des petits tas de 3cm de diamètre (voir remarques).
7. Cuire à 150° C pendant 13-14 minutes.
8. Laisser refroidir.

Méthode pour la "Ganache Au Chocolat":
9. Mettre tous les ingrédients dans une casserole et chauffer à feu doux.
10. Faire fondre le beurre et le chocolat tout en mélangeant bien afin d'obtenir une ganach homogène.
11. Laisser refroidir, puis mettre au frigo afin que la ganache soit plus étalable (moins coulante).
Méthode pour la "Ganache Au Peanut Butter":
12. Mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients.
Méthode pour "Assembler Les Macarons":
13. Remplir une poche à douille avec la ganache et garnir vos macarons.
14. Mettez vos macarons au frigo.

Remarques:
Avant de tamiser votre sucre glace et vos amandes, mixez la poudre d'amande avec le sucre glace.
Une fois que vous avez faits des petits tas, laissez-les reposer pendant 30 minutes avant de les enfourner. De cette manière vos macarons auront une collerette.
Generalement, les macarons sont meilleurs lorsqu'ils sont consommés le jour d'après. Leur saveur et texture s'améliore avec le temps.

Idées de présentation:
Mangez ces macarons avec une tasse de thé ou de café.
Vous pouvez aussi les utiliser pour décorer vos cakes et autres pâtisseries.