Mango Macarons and LA GREVE!!

So I don't know that I can rightly call these "macarons." 

In fact, I have been saying "mac-a-RONES" all night. But I feel something could be developing here, y'all. I have recently become enamoured with these perfect little pieces of sugar puffs that are called Macarons and in reading so many baker blogs I have become increasingly insecure about my first attempts at these seemingly small but truly monumental cake/cookie/sandwiches.

I would actually feel more comfortable saying these are sandwich cookies for now. Oh trust me, I will be doing this again. 

Next time I will get "feet" by avoiding a wet mixture. Next time I will make sure my meringue forms stiff peaks of insane proportions, behemoth peaks! Next time I will be sure not to overbake or underbake, and I will let them dry and harden BEFORE putting them in. In fact, next time I will be using the bible of macarons to guide me, and this other handy website where we learn all the fix-its.

But in the meantime, hey check it! I made them pink!

That was also kind of supposed to be red (solidarity with student strikers!! VIVE LA GREVE!!) but I didn't quite put it in at the right time, bla bla...

I also blanched a bunch of almonds and then ground it into a fine powder. Well, almost a fine powder. More like granulated almonds. 

OK. So I think that covers all the things I did wrong on this attempt, but I have to say something. Macaron snobs, you may want to skip ahead and stop reading. Right....now.

They still tasted pretty good! I mean, what can I say? You put sugar and almond powder and mango mash together, how can that taste super shitty? I mean, I read some blogs that were like "I've made many batches I had to feed to the dogs." Really? REALLY? I mean, what do you have to do to a sandwich cookie that makes it into dog food. Also, don't feed your dog that, it's not good for them.

And you can call me "alternative" or "weird" or a "bad baker" if you want, but we ate all this shit and weeeeee liked it! MANGO JAM!

Macaron recipe

(pulled directly from Martha's recipe)

For The Macarons

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 
  
• For the Filling
• 1 ripe mango
• 3 tbs water
• 1 tbs vanilla sugar

Directions

1. Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.
4. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)
5. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

FILLING:

Dice the mangos finely, cook on medium heat with the sugar and water for 5 minutes, till it's nice and jammy. take off the heat, allow to cool and put in a piping bag to add in between the cookies.