Ogita - I Love Macarons

i macarons i macarons By Hisako Ogita Photographs by Yasuo Nagumo and David Barich First English edition published in the United States of America in 2009 by Chronicle Books LLC. First published in Japan in 2006 by Shufu-To-Seikatsusha. English Translation rights arranged with Shufu-To-Seikatsusha through Timo Associates Inc., Tokyo Copyright 2006 by Hisako Ogita. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-2380-6 Editors: Junko Satoh, Seiji Yamamura Planning and research: Mitsuko Kohashi Photography: Yasuo Nagumo, David Barich English translation: Alma Reyes and Seishi Maruyama Art Direction and design: Mika Takaichi, David Barich Stylist: Akiko Suzuki Cooking assistant: Mari Watanabe Production: David Barich, Rico Komanoya (ricorico) Chronicle Books LLC 680 Second Street San Francisco, California 94107 www.chroniclebooks.com NOTES ON THE INGREDIENTS, UTENSILS, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT: * One tablespoon = 0.5 ounce/15 milliliters * One teaspoon = 0.2 ounce/5 milliliters * One cup = 6.8 ounces/200 milliliters * Use medium-size eggs. * Use a 500 watt microwave oven. * The baking time varies depending on the heat source condition and the model of the oven. Adjust the baking time while checking the pastry based on the time indicated in the recipes. CONTENTS PREFACE Macarons. Their white, pink, yellow, green, and various other color combinations and their round, domelike shape make them charming.

The sweet, crispy texture of the puffs and the thick cream between them add a rich harmony to this delicate pastry. It is the type of pastry that makes you so happy when you receive it as a gift that you are bound to say, Wow, how cute they are! Several years ago, macarons may not have been popular in many countries. They were often placed in corners of pastry shops display shelves. Now, macarons are popular. One can find many lovely macaron shops or buy these pastries in coffee shops. In some shops, macarons are displayed on the top shelf counters, as if to show off the skill of their bakers.

In this book, I have tried to create some recipes for making superb macarons at home. After going through many trialssuch as trying to figure out how to make the pied (the little foot of the macaron) or how not to crack the pastriesI finally came up with recipes that anyone can make. I also used ordinary equipment and utensils for preparing the ingredients, such as simple cookware and a regular oven, so that anyone can give the recipes a try. When you start making macarons, you might fail several times, but dont give up! You will certainly be successful when you learn the secrets for mixing the paste, knowing the timing for drying, mastering the characteristics of the oven, and more. These small and cute macarons have a variety of flavors and colors that make them perfect as gifts. For that reason, I have also presented some ideas for easy gift wrapping.

I hope you enjoy macarons not only at teatime but also on Christmas, Valentines Day, and other special occasions. Hisako Ogita THE THREE MAJOR INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING MACARONS: GROUND ALMONDS, POWDERED SUGAR, AND EGG WHITES CRISPY CRUST! SOFT AND MOIST FILLING CUTE PASTRY SHAPES STYLISH GIFTS WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE BEST? DELICIOUS TOPPINGS Part 1 MAKING MACARON BATTER There are two methods for making macaron batter, and each produces a different texture. The most common method is to make meringue first and then mix it with almond powder. The other method is to mix Italian meringue and almond powder. This book also presents two methods for coloring and flavoring the batter. One method calls for adding the colors or flavors to the almond powder; the other method is to add them to the meringue.

MAJOR INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING MACARON BATTER You will need ground almonds, powdered sugar, and flavorings that do not contain cornstarch. Pay attention to the ingredients on the package when you buy powdered flavorings because the powder that contains cornstarch does not work well for making the macaron batter. Egg whites Bring eggs to room temperature. Eggs at room temperature beat up better than an egg that you crack open right from the refrigerator. It is fine to use frozen egg whites after thawing them. Ground almonds or almond flour or meal You can buy almond meal or flour at many supermarkets or mail-order sources.

Be sure to store almond flour in the freezer, as it goes rancid quickly. You can also buy whole or sliced almonds and grind them finely for an excellent effect. Powdered sugar Use pure powdered sugar or sugar that contains oligosaccharide. Just as with almond powder, avoid using powdered sugar that contains cornstarch because it may cause the pastry to crack. Other ingredients Powdered or cube flavoring that contains little moisture (hazelnut, dried raspberry, etc.) is mixed with almond powder, whereas flavoring with moisture (natural colorings and food colorings dissolved in water) is mixed with meringue. EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS FOR MAKING THE BATTER You dont need any special cookware for making macarons, though an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer can be useful for power when beating the egg whites.