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Wednesday January 19, 2011
Bitters and Blood Orange a grown up Creamsicle macaron
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Prior to working at Table 310, I could count the number of occasions I’d made macarons on the tines of a fork. They turned out perfectly fine, but my only reaction? Yawn.
Cute, colorful shell? Yeah. It’s called food coloring, big whoop. Exciting, fun flavors? Well, truffles have fun flavors and chocolate. Delicious buttercream filling? Please, I make buttercream every day, it’s not exactly a novelty at this point. But the deliciousness! Uh huh, welcome to the world of pastries, lots of yum up in this joint. Whatevs.
And those dismissals all hinged on someone actually skillfully preparing the macarons. My desire to consume straight-from-the-fridge, stale, hyper-sweet, chemically flavored, Red Lake 5 soaked, macarons sold in most shops? Exactly 0.
I just didn’t grock the confectionery Monopod.
But now I work for a Frenchman and make macarons daily. I have to admit, however grudgingly, they have totally grown on me. And yeah, the exciting flavors have alot to do with it.
I ran these blood orange macarons on last week’s cookie menu and also sold them at Wine + Market, sister establishment to Table 310. A classic French macaron with blood orange zest, juice, and Fee Brothers Orange Bitters, sandwiched with vanilla bean and Orange Bitters Swiss buttercream.
Like an Orange Creamsicle, transfigured.
I’ve done my best to write a macaron recipe that anyone could follow. But more importantly, because there are a lot of great macaron recipes out there, I want to demystify the process a little.
Like: forget the weird mystical steps some tout for Macaron Perfection (drying for X minutes, leaving the whites out overnight, aging the eggs, using cornstarch-free powdered sugar, rap-a-tap-tapping). I don’t do any of those things, and my macarons turn out fine. Some people do all of those things and their macarons turn out fine too. And lots of people in between fail. Why?
Macaronage, plain and simple.
None of the funky tricks in the world can give overmixed macaron batter precious little feet or prevent undermixed macarons from puffing up and cracking all over.
Entire books have been written to describe macaronage. But, unfortunately, like the Matrix, no one can be told what the Macaronage is. You have to see it for yourself.
If you’ve never made macarons before, now’s the time. Don’t fear failure. No one hits a home-run the first time they swing a baseball bat, so take a deep breath, check your performance anxiety at the door and give ‘em a try. Worst case scenario, you wind up with some tasty meringue cookies. Nothing wrong with that.
Best case scenario? You’ll conquer a fear and earn a plate of lovely little macarons sandwiched with Swiss buttercream for your efforts.
19 comments and counting
Jan 19, 2011 · 11:34 AM
Perfection!!! I’d love one (or two) of your delicious gems with my hot tea right now~
Jan 19, 2011 · 11:51 AM
It sounds stupid, but the primary thing that makes making macarons enjoyable for me is the fact that they can be such a pain in the ass to make. I get a thrill out of making a successful batch, you know?
Your directions seem very helpful. I wish the process was more easily-explained, but you’re totally right that you just have to do it.
Anyway, I’m glad that you’re having fun experimenting. I’ve never had bitters, but from the way you’ve described it, these sound yummy!
· Kaitlin · whisk-kid.blogspot.com
Jan 19, 2011 · 12:54 PM
You’re right about see it for yourself part! I made plain vanilla macs the first time and they were okay, but then I had some amazing ones from Gerard Mulot and decided to try other flavors.
Your orange ones sound amazing, although I don’t know what I will do with a whole bottle of orange bitters!
· Vicki @ Wilde in the Kitchen · wildeinthekitchen.blogspot.com
Jan 19, 2011 · 1:07 PM
@Kaitlin, agreed! I’ve certainly had some duds here and there and it keeps you from getting cocky! And it keeps you on your toes, wondering what caused a problem when things have gone so well before. I make a few batches a day and found if I re-use a pastry bag, the second batch acts funny…
@Vicki, I loooove a few good shakes of orange bitters in a glass of water! I. Can plow through a bottle in two weeks using it to jazz up water alone. Especially good in sparkling water too. 
Jan 19, 2011 · 6:18 PM
ah, simon. you rock the cookies & everything in between. the fee brothers orange bitters are delightful in all things consumed. you are a talented and darling woman and we love you up here in GODS country. love your buzz…….
· mamacookiecakes · carolhoekstra@edinarealty.com
Jan 19, 2011 · 10:37 PM
Stella, your adoring public includes home cooks like me who take such heart from your ways of squeezing all the condescension out of pastry recipes. You have succeeded where David Lebovitz and lots of others have failed — I now think I might have what it takes to make macarons. And buttercream. Thought of your candy corn dessert today when I read this article about root veggies in desserts. Best part is the sidebar. http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food/3202839-423/root-vegetables-says-chef-butter.html
· Rona Roberts · www.savoringkentucky.com
Jan 20, 2011 · 5:03 AM
Haha I love your no nonsense approach to this post. Macarons are kind of intimidating, but like you said, you just have to try it out for yourself, find your own method.
· Jessica · www.jessicasdinnerparty.com
Jan 20, 2011 · 8:42 PM
As someone who’s eaten an insane number of macarons, I’ve never had any made from blood oranges . . . and now I want them! Sadly, much like peanuts, it might be one of those things the French don’t recognize as edible. So I could be waiting a while. Lovely feet, btw!
· Paris Pâtisseries · www.parispatisseries.com/
Jan 24, 2011 · 5:24 PM
These look adorable, I always love your pictures! I have tried making them in the past, and only half failed. I’ll definitely be trying again!
· cathy · www.savorynotes.com
Feb 23, 2011 · 10:41 PM
I definitely like the idea that I don’t need to crack my eggs days in advance to get good macaroons. So forget that! You’ve inspired me to make macaroons, and i just so happen to have some blood oranges lying around. Also, those blood oranges of yours are the lightest I’ve ever seen! I made a blood orange cake today and mine were deeeeeeeep purple inside. Wonder why they vary so much in color.
Feb 26, 2011 · 4:02 AM
Blood orange macarons sound like a flavour match made in heaven! Also the colour is so so pretty. Cheers for this idea!
Btw, did you get “feet” even without resting the macarons before baking? If so that is SO handy.
· Zo · twospoons.wordpress.com/
Feb 26, 2011 · 10:11 AM
Zo, yup! I toss them in the oven as soon as they’re piped, no resting. And they turn out like the ones in the photo. I’ve tried resting them before, but I’ve never noticed any improvement. Saves a lot of time too!
Feb 27, 2012 · 9:30 AM
Table 310 has a cookie menu?? I have found my holy grail. I truly believe that the best way to end a meal is with a cookie (or 3). So few restaurants offer them and I never understood why.
You macaron post is just lovely. I have spent the past hour just surfing your blog. I am a new fan!
Congrats on being named one of Food and Wine’s Top Pastry Chefs. Wear the “Pastry Chef” badge proudly.
Now I must book plane tickets to Kentucky!
· saltandserenity · www.saltandserenity
Feb 27, 2012 · 9:09 PM
@saltandserenity, thank you so much! Cookies are most definitely the best! If you ever make it to Kentucky, please give me a heads up so I can make time to say hello!
