Mactweets: Happy “Jour du Macaron” 2011!


Yes, it’s the Jour du Macaron again! I can hardly believe it’s been a year since the famous FIVE batches of macarons it took to get one pretty picture last year! Time flies when you are having fun, I guess!

I was planning on posting my Mactweets for this month today and yesterday, set about organising my ingredients in a methodical fashion, trying to will them to be a success.  Truth is, macs take probably 15 minutes from the time you start mixing your ingredients and really, apart from being finicky, they are relatively straighforward.  The finicky part you can’t control, though I am a big believer in baking being affected by your mood and I have not much felt up to cooking lately so was concerned that would play into the success of these babies.  Still, I followed my faithful recipe, that mostly works, and tried to think positive thoughts of dainty feet.  I divided my batter and made two colours – I was planning on strawberries and cream and lemon meringue macarons, in keeping with the “fruity” Mactweets theme.

Well apparently, one should not bake with vertigo.

Because my first tray looked most definitely like they have been suffering the same virus as me, LOL!

You gotta laugh, otherwise you would be in tears, right?

Strangely, I had a little of the lemon batter left and just for the heck of it, I piped out some much smaller macarons

Yup, some definite feet action happening there! I did a little jig (in my head, because otherwise I might just fall over!)

I filled them with buttercream into which I mixed some lemon zest and they were really good. The flavours were delicate and not overpowering, just like their little feet!

Thank you, oh gods of the macaron for blessing me with these few precious macs this month.  I literally would have cried had they ALL failed.

And as my mum said on the phone last night “Oh well, at least you have enough for a photo, right?” Had to laugh – even she “gets” that about the blog.  And someone Neil will be having a nice little treat in his lunch bag every day this week 😉

As a little treat on this special day for macs,  I am including a link to a  fascinating video about how Ladurée make macarons –  click here. It’s all in French but even if you don’t understand, the visuals are interesting. I wanna work there though I bet those bakers never eat a macaron. They are literally surrounded by thousands of them!

77 thoughts on “Mactweets: Happy “Jour du Macaron” 2011!”

  1. Those tiny baby macaroons look amazing 😉 I bet they taste even better because they are so small, you get to appreciate them more becuase of the scarcity :-P.
    And the colors are so vibrant and happy.. Great job!

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  2. I didn’t know it was the Jour de Macaron. Not that I would have made them anyway. I do believe that baking is affected by our mood too. And sure I can’t make macarons when I’m in a hurry, considering that last time it took me 3 days of attempt to get them right 🙂 As you say, you’ve got to laugh about it. At the end, though, your lemon macarons look fantastic!

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  3. Yay you Mardi girl. Your stories and mine run in similar vein, and I had a very similar experience this time too. Strange how mac-emotions can connect us across nations and oceans! Gorgeous pictures and flavours that win my heart! Thank you for bringing the zest to MacTweets!

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  4. It is so very reassuring that experienced macaron makers have the occasional fail – it makes my consistent failures seem not so bad!!

    I completely agree with your assessment that baking is affected by mood – or at least that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it!!!

    Hope you are back to 100% soon!!!

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  5. Well done! See all was not lost. I bet the first lot still tasted good. I love the flavour ideas.

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  6. Glad that a few turned out! When I’m not feeling well I always turn to baking – and some days it just doesn’t work! So here’s to happiness on days that it does!

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  7. OMG… you’ve made my day! I had such a giggle when I saw your virus infected macarons;) I still have the odd bad day and I think you’re absolutely right about our moods affecting our macarons. At times, I’ve also thought I’ve lost my macaron mojo but then when I’m feeling better I get it back again. I’m glad you’ve got a sense of humour because that’s what keeps us going. Awesome post!!!! And, btw I still think the mini ones look really cool.

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  8. They look lovely. At least you are honest, I have an outtakes page too, it’s good to share problems as well as successes 🙂 hope you feel better soon, a sweet treat should help.

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  9. Your macarons are lovely. Even the vertigo-stricken batch looked good enough to eat. 🙂 Glad you had a few turn out so nicely–they look like they’re bursting with lemon flavor. 🙂

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  10. Joyeuese jour de macarons a toi! So foolish question, but if they don’t turn out well, do they still taste good?
    I’m glad some of them worked out for you, for the blog and your sanity:)

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  11. I have certainly had my share of fails, I know that feeling! That’s usually about the time that I just start eating the filling by the spoonful. 😉

    I am having trouble with a good strawberry filling for macs; what were you going to use as your strawberries and cream filling?

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  12. I have turned out several batches of macarons that could be kissing cousins to yours above. But the few yellow ones are lovely and the color..yummm.

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  13. So sorry to hear that you are still reeling. I’ve had vertigo and it’s annoying, to say the least. It is terrific to read this whole account, so at least there is an upside to having macarons as unsteady on their feet as you: a terrific, funny post. You could have easily hidden the wobbly little guys from us and just shown those gorgeous shots of the lemon beauties, but I for one liked this account.

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  14. LOL! As I slipped my tray in the oven today I found myself praying “I just need enough perfect ones for the photo!” I love it when the family finally gets it, too. And your tiny ones are adorable and so pretty and I love the flavor. And I forgot it was Jour du Macaron!

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  15. LOL you are funny! Dare I say my first macaroon experience looked exactly like that I never tried again? I should I think. But one thing is for sure – they still tasted great and I’m pretty sure the same was the case with yours!

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  16. I love the baby mac resting on the lemon – great pic! They look like they tasted good. Lemon macs sound yummy.

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  17. Mardi, thanks for this lovely post! True indeed, the emotions associated with macaron-making!

    I have yet to try the Italian Method.

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  18. Ah, they look so spring-y and inviting!!
    Reason I haven’t posted a macaron on my site is because something always goes wrong in that oven… yes, I blame the oven. They taste great, though! But don’t look good enough for a picture. 🙂
    My mom is a macaron expert and she always has advice…her advice has yet to work in my kitchen.

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  19. *love* the photo of the tiny mac on the lemon! hope you’re feeling better and can do that jig for real soon. 🙂

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  20. Gorgeous photos again. I love the colour of the little macaron. I cannot imagine making them when you aren’t feeling well, so I think you did really well. And got the shot!

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  21. Lemon macarons are tricky, aren’t they? I’ve had food flops of my lemon macarons 3x already. Sigh. At least you had some nice ones for a MacAttack photo. 🙂

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