Hello Bakers,
Here is the second - Bake Pink! Have you had a chance to bake pink? Today’s bake pink - Strawberry macarons with strawberry ganache. We bake a pink macaron - no getting around that.
The more pink ribbons the better….
For this post - I did a few short video tutorials and then a detailed step by step. If you would like a deeper dive into macarons, you can check out my macaron class on Bluprint. It’s called Miniature French Desserts, Macarons, Madeleines and More, https://www.mybluprint.com/playlist/4898/9287. Or, if you are in Los Angeles sign up for a macaron class at Sur a Table at the Farmers Market. www.surlatable.com
I am so grateful to all of you who are baking pink - please let me know and share.
My talented student, Sally created this post on her blog - please check it out. Prettiest pink cakes - ever!
https://bewitchingkitchen.com/2019/10/04/strawberry-mini-cakes-for-bake-pink-project/
Thank you all! If you have questions please let me know.
Happy Baking Pink! XO, Colette
Equipment
Scale, stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment or hand held mixer, spatula, teaspoons, medium sized bowl for folding, food processor or mini prep, #12 piping tip, 16”-21” piping bag
Ingredients
198 g powdered sugar
113 g almond meal
1 teaspoons Trader Joe’s Freeze dried strawberries - ground to a powder.
113 g egg whites
99g granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1g or a pinch (⅛ tsp.) of cream of tartar
Equipment: two - three heavy duty ½ sheet pans - Nordic Ware and Chicago Metallic are good brands.
Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
Flat spatula
Food processor or mini prep (small food processor)
Medium sized bowl for mixing
16-21” piping bag
#12 Wilton tip - or any plain round tip with a ⅜” opening.
Parchment paper or Silpat
Macaron Circle Templates (email me at bakingwithcolette@gmail.com and I will send them to you
Line 2 or 3 heavy (restaurant quality) half sheet trays with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
Grind ⅓ of the bag of the freeze dried strawberries to a powder or as fine as possible in food processor or mini prep.
Layer the powdered sugar, almond meal and 2 teaspoons strawberry powder in a food processor or mini processor.
Pulse until the almond meal and powdered sugar are combined and resembles fine meal, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
Place the egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Make sure that the bowl and the whisk attachment are impeccably clean.
Starting on medium speed, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until they look like light foam. The whites should not appear liquid. Foam will be light and should not have any structure.
Slowly rain in the granulated sugar, trying to aim the stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Turn off the mixer and scrape down if need be. Turn the speed up to medium-high (8 on a KitchenAid mixer)
Continue to whip the meringue until it is soft and shiny. It should look like marshmallow creme. Add color and flavor. Pink for Bake Pink!!!
Increase speed to high, whip the egg whites, until the meringue begins to dull slightly and the lines of the whisk are visible on the surface of the meringue.
Check the peak. It should be firm with the angle supporting the peak at 11:30 as shown on video. Transfer the whites to a medium bowl.
Fold in the almond meal mixture in three increments.
Paint the mixture halfway up the side of the bowl, using the flat side of a spatula.
Scrape the mixture down to the center of the bowl.
Repeat two or three times, then check to see if the mixture slides slowly down the side of the bowl.
Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with one of the tips listed above. Pipe on the prepared baking sheets.
15.Slam each sheet hard four to six times on the counter. Then fist bump each end of the sheet’s underside twice.
Let the unbaked macarons dry until they look dull but not overly dry. Drying time depends on humidity. In a dry climate, the macarons can dry in 15 to 20 minutes; in a humid climate, it can take 35 to 40 minutes. But I never let them dry for more than an hour.
While the macarons are drying, preheat the oven to 325 F
Bake as close to the middle of the rack as possible. You can bake 2 trays at one time but rotate them at the 9 minute mark. The one that started on the bottom may take a minute or two longer.
Check in 10 minutes. If the tops slide, then bake for 2 to 3 more minutes. The macarons should release without sticking. Check one or two. If they stick, put them back in the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes. Let them cool before removing from the tray.
Shells may be made up to two weeks in advance and frozen in an airtight container. Let that at room temperature, unwrapped for one hour before filling.
White Chocolate Strawberry Ganache
Equipment: Small saucepan, heatproof bowl or microwave safe bowl, spatula, whisk, scale
Ingredients:
6 ounces (170g) white chocolate (I used Whole Foods White Chocolate baking chips)
2 ounces (57g) heavy cream
2 Tablespoons seedless strawberry jam
Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl or microwave safe bowl depending on how you are melting chocolate
Melt the white chocolate over simmering water or in a microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring at each interval
Bring the cream to a rolling boil in a small saucepan.
Pour half the hot cream over the chocolate, and let stand for 15 seconds.
Stir with a spatula until smooth. It might seize up - is so switch to a whisk - that will smooth out the mixture.
Add strawberry jam and whisk until smooth.
Chill until it is the consistency of Nutella and can be piped.