Fail

My macarons failed.  For two (possibly three) reasons (that I can think of).

1) I didn't have the patience to make a good almond flour/almond meal.
2) I didn't have parchment paper.
and
3) (maybe) because the "icing sugar" I used wasn't pure sugar...it was a mix of sugar and cornstarch.

Oh well.  They still taste good.  What's important is I know what went wrong so I know how to make them better next time.

Also, I have yet to make a filling.  That will come later.

Macarons vs Macaroons

Do you know the difference?  I didn't even realize they were spelled differently until I was reading a random post on my RSS feed this afternoon.

How could I pass up a blog post on "5 Cooking Projects for Snow Days?"

I clicked on the link for Macarons and at the bottom of THAT page I found this article: Weekend Project: Make Macarons!

And so, I'm reading reading reading.  Trying to figure out which Macaron recipe to make (I didn't like any on that website) and do I have all the ingredients.  At the bottom I found a link called "What's the Difference? Macaroons Vs. Macarons" and it took me a couple minutes to even realize the difference between the two spellings.  It makes sense now that I was so confused when macarons became so popular. I didn't know there were two different spellings and I always thought they were made with coconut...until MACARONS became popular and I thought "maybe they TASTE like coconut?"

And then I found out I have to "age" the eggs overnight by letting them sit out at room temperature.  Not sure how I feel about that.  Doesn't sound very sanitary.  Anyhow, I'm going to make these macarons.  But first, I must set the eggs out on the counter and roast some almonds so I can make almond meal.

Marshmallows!

Ok ok ok.  It's been FAR too long since I've updated this damn thing.

Marshmallows are my latest obsession.  Homemade marshmallows to be specific.  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and decided that I absolutely HAD to try it.  I've made it twice now (I added food coloring to the second batch to make them a light lavender color).

Finding that recipe is how it began and now, here I am...making new batches of marshmallows all the time.  Doing something a tiny bit different each time.  Lovely.  That's exactly what happened when I started making candy corn until I got my technique perfected.

Luckily, I had all the ingredients in my cupboard and I even have a candy thermometer!  Thank goodness I didn't need to go to the store for that!  I love it when I have everything I need.  Oh wait, no, I didn't have the unflavored gelatin.  Sorry about that little lie.  I corrected myself though.

Anyhow, I had to bring sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil first.  You're suppose to use a nonreactive saucepan (meaning not aluminum)...but I have no clue what kind of metal our saucepans are so guess what!  I just used whatever the hell I wanted to!

Next I had to bring in the handheld mixer that I bought almost a year ago.  After boiling the sugar mixture, I had to melt the bloomed gelatin in a mixer bowl with the hot sugar.  After the gelatin was dissolved  into the sugar I whipped it into oblivion!   

It was so nice and fluffy and beautiful at that point that you would almost think you don't need the next step.  It was gooey like marshmallow fluff too.  And warm.  Mmmm.  The next, and most surprising ingredient (surprising to me at least) are egg whites!  You whip them up real good and then you mix them into the sugar fluff along with a little vanilla or almond extract, pour them into a greased and powder sugared (instead of floured) 9x13 metal baking pan.

You let them sit in the fridge for 3 hours then you can pop the formed sugar out of the pan and cut into smaller pieces!  Like I said, I've made the Smitten Kitchen Recipe twice now.  I found another recipe in my textbook for school which actually has you whip the egg whites first and then slowly add the un-whipped, hot sugar mixture into the egg whites and fold in some orange oil (I used lemon extract) at the end.  Another difference is that you let the pan sit out, uncovered overnight....not in the fridge.

And last, but definitely not least, I decided to temper some dark chocolate tonight and dip some of my homemade marshmallows into it.  They are currently sitting on my counter cooling/hardening.   I hope they turn out delightfully!  I took advice on tempering chocolate from this article.  Hopefully they harden/cool nicely!

I've gotten rave reviews from my friends about both recipes but haven't decided which I like better yet.  The Smitten Kitchen recipe is a bit easier (at least I think it is) and I haven't tried the Smitten Kitchen marshmallows in hot cocoa yet but the second (we'll call it Art Institute Recipe) recipe gives a delightfully foamy touch to a nice warm cup of hot cocoa.

Smitten Kitchen Marshmallows

Makes about 96 1-inch cubed marshmallows

Ingredients: 

• About 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3.5 envelopes (2tbps + 2.5tsp) unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup cold water, divided
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp vanilla (or 2 tsp almond or mint extract)

Directions:

1. Oil bottom and sides of a 13x9x2 inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar.
2. In a bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.
3. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved.  Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240F, about 12 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
4. With standing or hand-held mixer beat mixture on high until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer.
5. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks.  Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined.  Pour mixture into baking pan.  Sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar evenly over top.  Chill marshmallows, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.
6. Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board.  Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board.  With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow (I didn't do this) and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes.  (Make sure to oil the knife or cutting device so the marshmallow doesn't stick to it) Sift remaining confectioners' sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Art Institute Marshmallows

Makes about 4.5 dozen squares, approximately 2-in each

Ingredients:

• 5 egg whites
• 16 oz granulated sugar
• 4 oz corn syrup
• 6 fl. oz. water
• 1 oz granulated gelatin (plus 4 oz cold water to bloom) (Note: Step 5 requires you to melt the gelatin in order to do this, you have to put it in a saucepan over low heat to make it liquid.  Do not overheat because the gelatin will burn.) (The book's recipe called for sheet gelatin but most normal people only have easy access to granulated gelatin)
• 10 drops orange oil (I used lemon extract)
• Powdered sugar and cornstarch (equal amounts, as needed)

Directions:

1. Line a sheet pan with oiled parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (Note: I didn't have either so I oiled and powdered sugared the bottom and sides).  Place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip attachment.
2. Bring the sugar, glucose and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, start to whip the egg whites on low speed.
3. While the eggs whip, cook the sugar syrup to 265F.
4. As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 265F, increase the mixer speed to medium-high.  Pour the syrup over the whipping egg whites, holding the pan close to the inner wall of the bowl to avoid pouring syrup onto the whip.
5. As soon as all the syrup has been added to the whipped egg whites, melt the gelatin and pour it into the whipped egg mixture, avoiding the whip attachment.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer.  Gently fold in the orange oil, using a whisk or spatula, without deflating the meringue.  Spread the marshmallow in an even layer onto the prepared pan.
7. Let the marshmallow dry, uncovered, 24 hours at room temperature.
8. To portion the marshmallows, sift together equal amounts of powdered sugar and cornstarch.  Sprinkle the surface of the marshmallow with half of the mixture.  Invert the pan of marshmallow onto a clean sheet of parchment paper.  Cut the marshmallow into 2-inch squares.  Toss the cut pieces of marshmallow in the remaining sugar mixture.