Hazelnut Chocolate Macarons



I have so many things to tell you tonight.

Like about how sometimes I overthink things.  Like when it's time to start something new or really take action I freeze up, like how I'd like to sell my cupcakes, but

I know that if I put up an ad on Craigslist I'm going to get overwhelmed with orders and not be able to keep up, or I won't get any at all and some rude teenager will see my flier (that I haven't made, but I'm considering a flier) and

laugh in my face because I'll happen to be standing on the sidewalk when he sees it and laughs, and then I will make my cupcakes and one of them will have a hair or an eggshell and I will get badmouthed and no on will eat Icy Violet's Cupcakes again, and maybe



sued or fined because I don't have my foodhandler's permit (yet!  yet!), and I'll have to start selling them in the parking lot of the grocery store from the trunk of my car like

the tamale lady at the Smith's shouting 'lady want cupcake!?' and then ducking in case you're a cop (this woman is onto something*).

Bam.  Welcome to my brain on the cusp of a new endeavor.

I was also going to tell you how I am finally jumping back on the macaron bandwagon after two years of failed batches, which in turn followed two or three marvelous successes with them when I first started out. 



Beginners luck, I guess.

But chuh choo!  I am back on the macaron train!

What?  No one's eating macarons anymore?

It's all about the whoopie pie now?



Wait, the whoopie pie was so 2010?

Nuts to you, food trends!  I'm 'onna stick with cupcakes.  Let me know if you live in the Eugene area of Oregon and want some.  There will be neato flavors, promise.  It will all be on the flier.

Oh but don't tell the feds, kay?  I'm in trouble enough as it is.

*and if anyone ever yells at you to buy the tamales out of the trunk of their car, DO IT.  DO IT DO IT DON'T THINK JUST DO IT.


Hazelnut Chocolate Macarons

So macarons are famously testy.  The ingredients are incredibly simple, but there are a lot of factors you need to look out for.  The one that has been tripping me up lately is the humidity.  Here in Oregon it's a little bit like living underwater.  Wait for a day when the tide goes out, is what I'm saying.  Don't make them on a rainy day if you live in a humid place.

I get my basic recipe from the brilliant Aran at Canelle et Vanille.  I find this recipe is endlessly adaptable.  Just add 2 - 3 teaspoons of the powdered dry flavoring of your choice to the sugar/almond mixture, or if you're using a liquid flavoring add 1 tablespoon or so to the egg whites when they are nearly whipped up.  For hazelnut or other nut flavors, switch out the almond flour for the nut flour of your choice.  It's brilliant.  That's what I did here for a lovely hazelnut flavor, with a chocolate ganache for a filling (okay I used Nutella...but the fancy pantses out there would enjoy a rich ganache).

Other advice...adhere strictly to the drying schedule.  It is really important that the tops of your unbaked cookies be dry enough to not stick to your fingers when lightly touched.  Mine actually have little tips here rather than smooth domes because I overdried them.  But I'd rather overdry than underdry, since underdrying can lead to all sorts of problems.

Are you wigging out over this recipe yet?

Bam.  You overthought it.  Just make them, you can do it.

8 comments:

Cakebrain said...

Hey hey!
those look delectable! I wish I could have some right now!
thanks for checking up on me Anna!
Yah, I'm kind of foodie-depressed 'cause my doc just told me a couple of weeks ago that my insulin levels are all wonky (I was feeling weird and breaking out). So he said to get my hormones to even out, I'll have to change my diet and start doing more cardio. He also reduced my thyroid meds because I was hyperthyroid.
He prescribed NO SUGAR and cardio 3-4 times a week. So I've been busy doing that. It's actually kind of like a Paleo diet I'm doing. I'm dying here. my blog is dying. Looking at all those Paleo desserts online isn't doing it for me either. and I thought GF was hard!
I'm practically licking your macarons off my screen! bwah! keep up the good work! I will attempt a post soon.

cupcake store said...

I don't know maybe my town is a little bit late in trend. cause cupcakes are just in recently at my town...... especially cupcakes with character topping like angry bird...
hahaaa....

amlamonte said...

aww cakey i'm sorry about your insulin issues! and i am VERY sorry about having to give up sugar! i had to go GF and CF for a while because the baby had thrush, but the worst thing by far i had to give up was sugar. it is literally like giving up a drug. once i did it i was very proud of being so healthy but as you can see i am thoroughly back in it :) good luck! you rocked the GF, you can totally rock the paleo!

Ana Regalado said...

Awwwww ! Lucky you ! I'm on my 7th feet less :P :D macs ackkkkkkk lol But being a lunatic I'm gonna try again sometime ...later ..... hee hee That macs looks yummy and that filling ?! Scrumptious ! Now , let me drool over some more at your macs *sigh* :D

amlamonte said...

ha anne i feel your pain! those FEET! i almost cried when these came out with feet, so many of mine have been missing them...

Una Semplice Passione said...

These macaroons look soooo yummy!!!!!!!!

Just go for your cupcakes selling adventure, do not overthink, just do it! Too bad I live in Switzerland, that is a bit too far for orders, huh?

LynnieBee said...

I love Macaroons!!!

Nancy said...

Wow, they turned out perfect Anna! I have yet to try making them, one day soon.

Thanks for being a part of May's YBR :)