Macaroons!

ANYWAYS, I've gone and FINALLY tried my hand at making macaroons.

They have been eluding me for years now cause firstly, I never heard of them (in the early years) and then later, I turned my nose at them cause I felt "Cheh, just 2 biscuits with some filling squished in between them, WHO COULDNT DO THAT???"

That is until I found out that macaroons are the current rage and they are selling at RM4 per macaroon. Seriously. Those little neon coloured biscuits with some filling squished between them... 1.5 inch in diameter sell for more than what I'd pay for a bowl of mee hoon kueh! (not the kay-liow version with extra ikan bilis and fried onion - which would cost a bit more... but i digress).

So I tried making some. First attempt failed of course.... they rose and everything but didnt have any "feet" (*the ruffley edge running around the bottom of the macaron disc), and the surface cracked. badly. On top of that, I had followed the recipe to the T and it turned out tooth achingly-send-a-herd-of-elephants-into-diabetic-shock (hi Eric!) kinda sweet!

2nd attempt worked tho..... feet and everything. Managed to cut 60% of the sugar... wasn't very confident it'll work cause ALL the recipes warned, put motion sensors and plastered DANGER WARNING signs against messing with the recipes..... BUT ...... (as Austin Powers would say... "I like to live DANGEROUSLY...")

So i cut the sugar, piped the little macs and hoped for the best.

Curiously enough, made them in orange and pink. The orange ones rose, but without feet, but the pink ones... my NEON coloured pink ones (I was going for sweet pastel pink.. these food colouring thinggies really should come with better directions...) but anyways.... my neon pink ones rose, WITH FEET!!!!!!!!!

Oh the JOY!!!! Now I understand what these blogs mean when they talk about the "rush" they feel when a batch of macaroons turn out right... It's like you've performed.... (*Sleepless in Seatle pause for effect here) .... "MAGIC!"

So anyways, I immediately whipped up a batch of strawberry swiss meringue buttercream and sandwiched them precious pink discs together.

My sis tried it, and she, has shown her support by being straight up and almost BRUTAL in her honesty when it comes to my baking....

(Me : I think I'll bake a xxxx cake today! (*eyes shining with excitement, mind
already taking in the measurements and ingredients)

Sis : Please don't bake. I'll take you shopping, buy you anything you want, but
please don't bake...)

... actually said "WOW! Now THESE are macaroons!"

I take it that she approves.

Well anyway, neon pink or no, my little macaroons happened! And I was the happier for it.

Next project..... Salted Gula Melaka ice cream - No thanks to Eric, who MADE me (he litereally put a plastic tea spoon to my neck) try this after lunch the other day... and since then....the idea of making this has taken root in my brain and it won't go away till I have a big sloppy mess of cream, gula melaka and salt in my freezer!

Till next time!





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