LAUDUREE MACARONS RECIPES

Steps:

• For Macarons:.
• Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• If using whole almonds, pulse in a food processor until very finely ground, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the confectioner’s sugar and process to a fine powder. Sift to remove any lumps.
• Beat the egg whites in bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed, adding the food coloring as you go until you reach the desired shade. Then increase speed to high and continue to beat until the whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Quickly and carefully add the almond-sugar powder. (Meringue will deflate.)
• With a wooden spoon, mix from the center of the bowl outwards, turning the bowl as you go. You want to achieve a smooth, lightly colored mixture.
• Spoon batter into a piping bag with a 1/4-inch round tip. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a plastic freezer bag, pressing out excess air. Snip off one corner to create a 1/4-inch opening. Pipe inch-wide macaroons onto the baking trays, about 1-1/2 inches apart. You should have peaked mounds of batter, about the size of a chocolate kiss.
• Cook for eight to nine minutes, leaving the door of the oven slightly ajar.
• Remove the macaroons from the oven. Pour a little water between the baking tray and the parchment paper; this makes the macaroons easier to lift off when they have cooled. Cool completely on racks, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully peel macaroons from parchment; they are fragile. Sandwich a thin layer of fillings between two macaroons—ganache, marmalade, jam or whipped cream. The two bottoms face the filling.
• If you can, leave the finished macaroons in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This allows the flavors and texture to develop and intensify.
• Whipped cream macaroons must be stored in the refrigerator; others can be kept in airtight tins at room temperature for up to three days after production.
• For Chocolate Raspberry Ganache:.
• Melt chocolate with cream in the top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. If you don’t have a double boiler, use a metal bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
• When the chocolate is melted into the cream, remove bowl from heat. Add the butter and raspberry extract, stirring until butter is melted.
• Let stand at room temperature until cooled completely and slightly thickened.

Steps:

• Start by making the raspberry jam. In one bowl, combine the sugar and the pectin. Purée the raspberries and transfer them to a medium-sized pan. Heat the puréed fruit over low heat just until slightly warm, then add the sugar and the pectin mixture and the juice from half a lemon. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes. Transfer the jam to a bowl, cover, and leave to cool, then place in the refrigerator so it can chill.
• Before proceeding to make the macarons, set the oven to preheat to 150°C/300°F.
• Combine the sugar and the ground almonds, then sift them through a sifter until the mixture is fine and contains no lumps.
• Separately, in a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy, then set the mixer on medium speed, and slowly add the granulated sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, up the speed to medium-high, and whisk the egg whites until thick and shiny. Then, add the food coloring and whisk only until incorporated.
• Using a spatula, fold the sugar and almond mixture into the meringue in thirds until everything is blended, making sure not to overbeat.
• Line 7 half sheet (18x13 inch/45x33 cm) baking trays with parchment paper.
• Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a 10 mm (1/3-inch) plain tip. The batter will remain stable while in the bag.
• Pipe 3-4 cm (1-1.5 inches) in diameter macarons onto a single half sheet tray lined with parchment paper, taking care there is enough space between each. Do not pipe all the macarons at once. Let the piped macarons rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. To check the doneness, test one macaron by breaking it open to see if the insides have set. If they are still moist or molten, bake the macarons for 1-5 minutes more.
• Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely while still on the baking tray.
• Then, repeat the steps 8, 9, and 10 until you’re out of the macaron batter.
• To assemble, glue two macarons together with a dollop of jam; keep the finished macarons in an airtight container.
• For the macarons to ripen, refrigerate them for at least 24 hours, and before serving, bring them to room temperature.