May 31 National Macaroon Day #NationalMacaroonDay is a food Holiday I would like to share with you this morning. If Charlie was still in school and taking his cooking class I would have had him make Macaroons for us to try. Neither Charlie or I’ve ever had a Macaroon and before you ask me what about David I don’t know if he has had one or not. It might be time to visit a bakery or two and try one or two out. Would you like to come with us?
Macaron or Macaroon? May 31th is definitely National Macaroon Day and it’s most assuredly an American holiday since the Macaroon is definitely an American Cookie! However, the confusion is natural. The origins of Macaron and Macaroon are the same and many of the ingredients overlap. Both use a fair amount of Sugar to make these recipes. Both use Egg Whites to make the Cookies rise and give them a light texture. However, the French Macaron (which actually originated in Italy) uses Almond Flour at its base while the American Macaroon uses Shredded Coconut to great effect.
We have Mrs. Esther Levy to thank for popularizing the great Macaroon. In 1871 Mrs. Levy published the “First Jewish American Cookbook.” She originally published this recipe in the chapter on ‘Cakes’ as there was not a chapter on Cookies. However, it’s understandable because the texture of a Macaroon isn’t very Cookie-like. It is soft and a little chewy, more like a Cake than a Cookie. However, the bite-size serving is most definitely Cookie-like.
Macaroons deserve to be celebrated and recognized for their own characteristics. Coconut was substituted for Almond Flour when the first Coconut Palms planted in Florida began to yield Fruit. Thus Macaroons are not only tasty little delights, they were an early exercise in the locavore movement, eating produce grown close to home.
NATIONAL MACAROON DAY ACTIVITIES
- Whether you make Macaroons from scratch or use the shortcut of using sweetened Condensed Milk, it’s a simple recipe to make and you can have homemade Macaroons ready to eat from scratch in less than an hour. If you are making Macaroons from scratch, be sure to have a kitchen mixer or hand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment to make the Egg Whites impossibly light and fluffy. The better you do at this step, the better the overall Cookie will taste. Be warned: don’t make these when you are home alone or you may not be able to stop yourself from eating every last one.
- Don’t be daunted by the fact that you don’t know how to separate your Egg Whites from your Egg Yolks, Although most commonly seen in stores around Spring, you can either buy Egg Whites at your local grocery or order them online and there are a number of companies that make Egg Whites in a range of prices and a variety of flavors!
- While we have Esther Levy to thank for getting Coconut Macaroons the attention they deserve, we can thank her too for informing people about Jewish cooking in the U.S. Make your family a whole Jewish feast. Be warned: Jewish food is comfort food at its best and you may have difficulty getting any guests to leave. Start with Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls, braise a Brisket complete with Potatoes, Carrots, and Gravy, and end this hearty repast with some beautiful and traditional Coconut Macaroons.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL MACAROON DAY
- If you were to ask how to describe a coconut Macaroon we would have to say they have great texture from the shredded Coconut. Macaroons are sweet, and when the Sugar in the Cookie around the edges is cooked just right, it caramelizes. Macaroons are both chewy and soft, like a Pastry, but your eyes tell you that clearly, based on size and portability, it must be a Cookie! Best of all Macaroons are insanely easy to make. You can use shredded Coconut, Vanilla extract, Egg Whites, and Sugar. Did you know you can cheat and use just sweetened Condensed Milk and shredded Coconut.
- Long before gluten was even recognized, Macaroons were being made by Jewish housewives for their Passover celebrations. The lack of any kind of leavening agent meant Macaroons satisfied the dietary laws that rule Passover. It was just a happy accident that Macaroons are so tasty as well. So if you or a friend are doing a gluten-free diet or someone is allergic to gluten, you can look like a hero by serving Macaroons. Once you taste a Macaroon, you’ll know it’s not a sacrifice.
- Macaroons have grown in versatility over the years. There’s the child-friendly Chocolate Chip Macaroon or the elegant-enough-for-a-tea-party Chocolate-dipped Macaroon. There are even Red Velvet Macaroons!
- You can bring a whole plate of Macaroons when you receive an invitation to an elegant and intimate dinner or you can whip up a batch and keep Macaroons around for the kids to snack on because they are the perfect anytime, anywhere Cookie.
Recipe for Macaroons
Ingredients
- 100g egg whites (usually between 3–4 large egg whites)
- 1/4 teaspoon (1g) cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon extract such as vanilla, almond, coconut, etc. (optional)
- 80g superfine sugar (aka caster sugar, see note)
- 1–2 drops gel food coloring (optional)
- 125g almond flour
- 125g confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Wipe down a large glass or metal mixing bowl with lemon juice or vinegar. Add egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, then bring to room temperature.
- Line 3 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add cream of tartar and extract (if using) to egg whites. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together on medium speed until very soft peaks form. This takes a few minutes of beating. At first the egg white and cream of tartar mixture will be foamy, then the bubbles will begin to tighten and the beaters will leave tracks as the egg whites build volume. Once they begin leaving tracks, you likely have soft peaks. Stop beating. Add about 1/3 of the superfine sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 seconds, then with the mixer continuing to run, add another 1/3 of the sugar. Beat for 5 seconds, then with the mixer continuing to run, add the remaining sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. (This means the whites have stiff, smooth, and sharp points in the bowl or on the lifted whisk attachment/beaters. Stiff peaks do not droop down. You can turn the bowl upside down and the egg whites will not move or spill out.) Using a rubber spatula, slowly and gently fold the food coloring (if using) into the egg whites.
- Sift the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar together in a large glass or metal mixing bowl. Use a spoon to help work any larger pieces through the sieve. You don’t want to discard a lot of that because then you won’t have enough dry ingredients in the batter.
- Slowly fold the beaten egg whites into the almond flour mixture in 3 separate additions, folding until combined before adding the next addition. After you add all of the egg whites, pay very close attention to the consistency of your macaron batter. Continue folding the batter (which deflates air) until it thins out into the consistency of honey. What’s a more helpful cue is the figure 8 test. Drop the macaron batter off of your spatula in the form of a figure 8. The figure 8 should take no more than 10 seconds to sink back into itself. If it takes less, your batter was overmixed and is too thin. If it takes longer, continue slowly folding the batter to deflate more air, then perform the figure 8 test again. It’s best to go very slow so you don’t accidentally overmix.
- Spoon the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip, such as Wilton 12, Wilton 1A, or even Ateco 806. The macaron batter is very drippy, so transferring to the piping bag can be messy.
- Holding the piping bag at a 90 degree angle over the baking sheet, pipe batter in 1.5 – 2 inch rounds about 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. I usually pipe little mounds—see video tutorial above. The piped macaron batter flattens out. Bang the pan a couple times on the counter to pop any air bubbles, then use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles.
- Let the piped macarons sit out until they are dry and no longer tacky on top, usually 30-60 minutes. This time allows the top to firm up and form a skin, which helps the macarons rise UP and form their trademark ruffly “feet.” Do not let them sit out for longer than they need to because they could begin to deflate.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Bake for 13 minutes. As the macaron shells bake, they should form feet. To test for doneness, lightly touch the top of a macaron with a spoon or your finger (careful, it’s hot). If the macaron seems wobbly, it’s not done and needs another 1-2 minutes. If it seems set, it’s done. Basically, bake until the macarons don’t move around when touched.
- Let the shells cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling. The macaron shells may stick to the parchment paper/baking sheet if you try to remove them too early. If this is happening, let them cool on the baking sheet a little longer before removing.
- After cooling, the shells are ready to fill and sandwich together. I have plenty of filling suggestions in the recipe notes below. You can spread filling with a knife or pipe it using the same round tip you used for the macaron batter.
- You can eat right away or, as some professionals prefer, cover and refrigerate them 12-24 hours so the macarons and flavors can mature. Bring to room temperature before serving. (I usually just serve them right away!)
- Cover leftover macarons and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
