macarons with marscapone filling

I have been wanting to try making macarons.  The seem to be all the rage but they are also gluten free.  I read Tartelette and Helene Dujardin has written a great tutorial on the ins and outs of making macarons.  My insight?  It is all about the planning.  My egg whites sat in the refrigerator for more then three days.  Longer then they were really were supposed to actually but that is a key.  Also, I let my macarons sit for almost two hours before baking.  I was also baking bread the night I was making these and I needed to let the oven cool down.

What do I think?  I think they are good but I liked them the next day better then the first day because they did not taste as sweet to me.  My Beloved just thought they were too sweet.  The Tall Short Person would have eaten every single one if possible.  I can just make them for her.  My Beloved and myself like sweets that are not as sweet as these.  

I will probably make them again at some point because they are not a big deal.  I am the person who bakes bread three or four times a week using sourdough as my yeast so I am truly not the best person to ask (You should smell the house right now.  King Cake just came out of the oven)

Macarons with marscapone filling

100 grams egg whites (about three eggs) having sat in the refrigerator for a minimum of three days

25 grams granulated sugar

200 grams powdered sugar

110 grams whole almonds (you can use almond meal but you want as fresh as possible)

8 ounces marscapone cheese

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar and almonds.  Processes them until the almonds are meal and the sugar is mixed through.  i did this for close to two minutes.

In a large bowl, pour in the egg whites.  With a whisk, whisk until frothy.  Add the sugar a bit at a time until the egg whites are glossy and can hold a sharp peak.  Helene made the comment that her grandmother would say they were done if you could hold the bowl upside down above your head and the egg whites do not come out.  I put the bowl upside down but not above my head.  The beaten egg whites did not come out of the bowl.

Add the almond/sugar mixture to the egg whites.  Fold the mixture into the egg whites.  You want to fold and not mix so you do not beat out the air.  The first couple strokes should be fast but all others should be slow and gentle.  Make sure to scrape the bottom.  When you put a bit of the mixture on a saucer, you want the "cookie" to be lightly domed, no sharp edges.  If there are sharp edges, fold a bit more.

On a cookie sheet that has been covered with silpat or parchment paper, pipe or drop small mounds of batter.  I thought mine were a bit big.  Let sit at least an hour.  Because of my bread baking, mine sat probably over two.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit.  They will be golden brown.  Let cool completely.

Mix the cheese, 2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar, and vanilla together.

Take a cooled cookie and spread the cheese mixture on it.  Cover with another cookie.  Do this to all of the cookies.

Pretty yummy.  They just take planning.  And I really need skill on making each one the same size.  I dropped them on to the cookie sheet like chocolate chip cookies.  Next time, smaller cookies.  Which means I need to buy parchament paper.

Joy!