Hello fellow macaroners!
If this is your first attempt at macarons, then be prepared to get through a fair few batches and washing up sessions before you produce something that resembles what we all love! I am yet to have a success! But have recently invested in PROPER equipment, so can't WAIT to try my next batch!
First and foremost, you NEED to make sure that you have the correct equipment. I tried without the correct equipment for 7 batches and surprise surprise... all fails!
I didn't have a kitchenaid (still don't) but Kenwood's version. Which would have been fine, BUT the whisk attachment was too wide, so whenever I poured in the sugar syrup, it would hit the whisk, go everywhere, so in the end I would be left with a whisk that had just been through a sugar syrup snow storm, and a bowl of over whipped egg whites! NOT a good start! Tried three different methods to try to overcome my equipment failure... even trying the french meringue method! In the end, I managed to persuade myself that I was obsessed enough to invest in some equipment. So I bought an electric mixer. (most households have one, but ours got lost, so had to buy one... £20) I also bought a digital theremometer (£18.50 from Selfridges). It took me A SERIOUSLY long time to find one. But this is definitely a worthwhile investment!
So equipment goes as follows,
Food processor (for almonds)
Sieve (for almonds and icing sugar)
KitchenAid/ electric hand mixer
Digital Thermometer
Baking Paper
Digital Scales (precision needed)
Piping Bag (disposbale ones from Lakeland are BRILLIANT)
Nozzles for batter (I use a 8 diameter nozzle)
For inspiration, top tips, and a good old browse, go to http://ladymacaron20ten.blogspot.com/ I'd put her up there with Pierre Herme! No joke... just check them out!
Off to try my batch with the pros equipment.... fingers crossed
p.s. when I remember and work out how to put photos up... I'll do just that!
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