I have been in love with French macaroons ever since I saw my first box of the beautifully colored cookies. I was working an office job that I didn’t care for, however, the people I worked with traveled often and after one trip to Paris, someone brought back a lovely pink box filled with a gorgeous array of authentic French macaroons. My desk was in the middle of everyone so the box sat on my desk. I really wish I had had something to capture their beauty with (this was before nice cameras on phones). It was the most beautiful box of sweets I’d ever seen. Throughout the week, I got to sample quite a few of them.
For about two years now, I’ve been meaning to attempt a batch of macaroons. I have the ingredients all ready but the more I read, the more worried I get. ‘Macaroons are finicky’, ‘they are hard to make look pretty’, ‘they are difficult to make correctly’. Not exactly phrases of encouragement. Enter in Jeni’s book of Splendid Ice Creams at Home.
If you have a love for ice cream, please get Jeni’s book. My mom purchased a book for both my sister and me and herself because we are all homemade food nerds and we’ve loved every single one we have made. Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk, Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry, Maple Ice Cream with Salty Buttered Nuts (major favorite), Ugandan Vanilla Bean (which is the base of the Vanilla Roasted Raspberry Crisp Ice Cream I made), Browned Butter Almond Brittle and Lemon Cream Ice Cream. It is real, amazingly awesome ice cream. Real ingredients, real flavors, good food.
Back to the macaroons. The book has a recipe for macaroon ice cream sandwiches and I finally got up the courage to make them. Love Bug might have bugged me a bunch about them (They are so pretty, Mom! I want purple and pink.) but I did it. I concentrated really hard and even worked up a nervous sweat but I did it. And really, Jeni’s recipe takes out all the fuss. They were quite simple, albeit step heavy. I got to use my food processor and make meringue and despite my novice macaroon skills, my cookies had the crisp outer shell and the soft chewy center like those authentic macaroons. But these cookies had a leg up on the ole Frenchy ones – a middle filled with ice cream.
The moral of the story is: don’t wait two years. Buy Jeni’s book and get to making macaroons for your ice cream. The end.
Recipe from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 8oz whole almonds
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup egg whites (6-7 large eggs), at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- Optional - food coloring
- Ice cream, slightly softened
Instructions
- To prep, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, trace 12 circles on the parchment. These will ensure that the cookies are all the same size. When complete, turn the sheet over.
- In the bowl of a food processor, grind the nuts with 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar until a fine nut flour forms. Do not allow the mixture to become a paste. Add the rest of the powdered sugar (2 1/4 cups) and pulse just until incorporated. If it's needed, strain the mixture through a sieve and discard any large pieces of nuts.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt until frothy. With the mixer running, slowly add the granulated sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Whip until the meringue is shiny and holds medium peaks which takes about 5 minutes.
- With a rubber spatula, fold in the almond mix one-third at a time until thoroughly combined. The almond cookies will be a light golden color. If you want color, fold in food colorful, a few drops at a time, until the desired color is reached.
- Place a 1/4-inch plain tip on a pastry bag and fill the bag halfway with batter. You can also use a plastic freezer bag. Fill the bag, press out the air and then seal. Cut about 1/6 inch off one of the corners to make a tip to pipe from.
- With the bag, pipe macaroons on the stenciled parchment starting in the center and working out.
- Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry. This step will create the signature crisp crust on the outside of the macaroon.
- Heat the oven to 300F. Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through until they have risen slightly and look crisp and set on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Take the parchment sheet of macaroons and gentle transfer it to another cookie sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, they can be packed into a freezer bag or storage container. Be careful though. Macaroons are delicate. Keep for up to a month.
- To assemble
- Lay out one cookie for each sandwich you are going to make (Making 4 sandwiches? Get out 8 cookies and lay 4 of them on the counter, top side down.). Place a small scoop of ice cream on each cookie and top with the second cookie. Gently, press the cookies together until the ice cream comes to the edges of the macaroons.
- Wrap in wax paper, parchment or plastic wrap and freeze. Keep for up to 2 weeks sealed in an airtight container.
Notes
Other nuts like smoked almonds, pistachios (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) or toasted and blanched whole hazelnuts (1 1/2 cups) can be used too. Chocolate macaroons are made by adding 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to the powdered sugar and almond mixture.
I find the idea of making macarons intimidating, but after looking at these I’m thinking I should give it a try!! They look amazing!
Try it! They are so worth it!
Drooling over here! I’ve heard the same about macaroons…so daunting/intimidating. So glad u made a go for ’em!…I’ll be dreaming of these tonite Amy!
Wish I could send you some. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of them survived. :)
Irresistible. What a fun twist of a French and American classics! Thank you for sharing!
Macarons (and Madeleine) making skills only added luster to my (French) husbands allure! I love Macarons, too! We, too, make them and I’m found as long as you give yourself time, they work!
Did you know that La Duree (the Master’s of Macaron) actually has candles scented in their flavors? (In their luscious color palette!, too) I’m normally not terribly big on scented candles but, these put Paris in any day! Wishing you continued inspiration and happy summer days!
Thanks Gina! What perks of a French husband! :) I will have to look into the candles, I need a little Paris in my day to day.
These look AMAZING! I think you are my new fave. Just sayin’ :)
Oh my goodness, you are so sweet!! Thank you!!
These look absolutely delicious! I’m so going to try these.
OOOOOH pretty. Do the shells freeze and defrost well?