FOOD AND TRAVEL

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Rhubarberric Macarons - A Guest Post by Xiaolu of Six Bitter Sweets

Photo 2 for Kulsum UPDATED

I'm always in awe of people who can bake beautiful things. I spend hours looking at baked creations and then sigh thinking to myself I can't make that! That's what's different about Xiaolu of Six Bitter Sweets.

You look at her beautiful creations, read her honest post and instructions and it will give you the confidence of making it yourself. Apart from being a fabulous baker, she is a dear friend always willing to help others by sharing her great photography skills. She has recently started offering her home made baked goods for sale for DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland Areas, so if you live anywhere near check out her menu here. I wish I lived there, I would take full advantage of having a baker friend. But for the time being she has made some fabulous macarons for Journey Kitchen and I'm sure you will love it!

As I often say, a huge part of the joy of blogging comes from the wonderful people I've been able to connect with around the world. Though I've known Kulsum for less than a year, connect we did...through our blogs and then even more through Twitter. And why wouldn't we? We have a lot in common: a passion for cooking, blogging, and food photography; a long-time love of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine; an addiction to good chocolate; and a lifestyle as students. When I get a chance like now to reflect, I'm really grateful for the technology that allows me to call this sweet woman in Kuwait whom I've never met a "true friend." I'm also thankful to Kulsum, not only for her support but for sharing such tasty and beautiful dishes here on her blog. As a big cauliflower fan, you don't know how hungry I got when I saw her recent Gobi Butter Masala! Plus it's only through her I've learned about Bohra Cuisine. I must say, my favorite Bohra custom so far is starting the meal with dessert =D.

Photo 1 for Kulsum

Just as blogging has introduced me to fantastic new friends and cuisines, it's instilled in me a fascination with a certain cookie, the French macaron. First, my interest was merely in tasting them, but once I sampled arguably the best macarons in Paris I knew I'd be trying my hand at making them myself. If you've heard anything about macarons, though, you probably know they're notoriously tricky to make. So it was later rather than sooner that I tried them...about a year later. Though it took a few tries to get the results I wanted, I realized that my own fear of failure had been my biggest stumbling block. Once I got past it, I opened up a whole world of possibilities for various, delectable macaron flavors. 

For those of you who may not know, macarons are a cookies made primarily of sugar, almonds, and egg whites. They should have smooth tops and ruffled "feet" around the base. Once a filling such as buttercream, ganache, or jam is added, these become moreish confections with delicate, crisp outer crusts that give way to slightly moist, flavorful interiors upon first bite. 

Photo 3 for Kulsum

Where I live it's hard to miss the signs of spring flourishing everywhere, whether strolling through the park or the farmers market. So it felt only natural to feature some of the season's bounty in today's macarons. Since macaron shells are fairly sweet (even by American standards), it's always a good idea to use a filling that can offset all that sugar. My favorites are dark chocolate ganache or, as in this case, a nicely tart fruit filling. 

Spring's rhubarb and raspberries are just perfect for this, don't you think? I boiled them down into a luscious curd with very little sugar -- for the sake of preserving that delightful tartness. But even if you're not a big sourhead like myself, you'll still be able to enjoy these. Once married with the almond shells, the filling becomes part of a single taste experience that balances crisp with creamy and sweet with tangy. When I devour *cough* I mean...nibble on these, I like to imagine I'm tasting the essence of spring in cookie form! And I hope you'll do the same! If I've aroused your interest in my other macaron flavors, I invite you to drop by my blog to check them all out. Thanks so much to Kulsum and all of you for having me over! 

Rhubarberric Macarons [Printable Recipe]

Filling adapted from Lara Ferroni
Makes about 25 to 35 macarons

XIAOLU'S NOTES: Please do not try to convert this recipe to volume measurements if you don't have a scale (I use and love this one). This recipe is very sensitive and will not work if the measurements are not exact. Please also note that every oven is different and you'll figure out what works best for yours over time (see this post for great information on ovens and macarons). Since mine has major hot spots, I bake on 2 stacked pans for insulation. If you're uncertain of your ability to pipe uniformly-sized macarons, like me, simply trace 1 1/4-inch circles on your parchment paper, flip the paper over, and pipe on the other side, using the outlines as your guide OR print (choose "fit to page") and slide this template under your parchment as a guide but don't forget to remove before baking! See my first macaron post for helpful videos of the whole macaron-making process!

120 g almonds [not roasted or salted]
150 g powdered sugar
5 to 8 g freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
35 g granulated sugar
2 g egg white powder [optional, to stabilize batter in humid weather]
95 to 100 g egg whites [about 3 large egg whites]
1/8 tsp cream of tartar or 1/4 tsp lemon juice [optional, to stabilize meringue]Red or pink powder or gel food coloring (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 cups Rhubarb Berry Curd [Recipe below]

Microwave fresh egg whites 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave on medium heat.

Combine the almonds, powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberries, and salt in a food processor, and pulse on and off until the nuts are finely ground (about 1 to 2 minutes). Sift the powder to remove any large chunks that remain. Put those chunks back into the food processor and pulse again for another 30 to 60 seconds. Sift again. You will probably have some slightly chunkier almond bits. Hopefully they're no more than a tablespoon or so, in which case you can throw them out.

Weigh out and mix your granulated sugar and egg white powder in a small bowl until uniform; set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-low speed with cream of tartar until foamy, then turn the speed up to medium to medium-high and gradually add the sugar mixture. Add a small amount of food coloring and continue whipping until you obtain a glossy meringue (it'll look like shaving cream, hold stiff peaks, and stay in place if you turn the bowl upside-down; but don't over beat your meringue or it will be too dry).

Add all of the nut mixture to the meringue and fold together. Use both a folding motion that scrapes the bottom of the bowl (to incorporate the dry ingredients) and a gentle pressing motion, to deflate the meringue against the side of the bowl. Slow down after all the dry ingredients have been incorporated, and continue folding the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that looks somewhat glossy and flows from the spatula in a thick ribbon. Test the batter by spooning a small amount of the batter up, then dropping it back down on itself. It shouldn't disappear immediately, but if it melts back into the rest of the batter within 20 seconds, it's ready for piping (this page has a nice photo of this test). If not, fold 2 more strokes and test again.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/3 to 1/2-inch wide plain tip (I like Ateco #804 or 806) with half of the batter. (When your bag is too full, the pressure causes the batter to rush out in a way that’s difficult to control, making for sloppy macarons.) Pipe tiny blobs of batter onto the 4 corners and center of 2 baking sheets, then line baking sheets with parchment paper OR line with silicone mats. Pipe small rounds (slightly larger than 1 inch wide) straight down and about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheets. Pick up each sheet with both hands and slam it firmly straight downward on the counter 2 to 3 times. This will to force out any large air bubbles. Immediately pop any bubbles that rise up but don't break with a toothpick. Do NOT do this once a few minutes have passed because you'll mess up the shell that's forming.

Preheat the oven to 285 to 300 degrees F. Let the macarons sit out for 25 to 90 minutes to harden their shells a bit (to prevent tops from cracking during baking). Test if they're ready by touching the top and side of one shell lightly. It should feel dry and not stick to your finger at all. Bake one pan at a time for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the macarons. After the first 10 minutes of baking, rotate the pan and place a large piece of foil loosely over the macarons to prevent browning (do NOT press foil down). Let cool completely before trying to move the shells.

Once cool, flip the shells over. If you have trouble removing them from parchment paper, pour a couple of drops of water under the paper while the sheet is still a bit warm, and the macarons will lift up more easily due to the moisture. Don't let them sit there in it too long or they will become soggy.

Fill the shells (spooning or piping) with 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons curd and top with a similarly-sized top shell. For the best flavor and texture, store in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before eating (shorter time since this filling is so moist) but these are best if eaten within 3 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.

Rhubarb Berry Curd
Makes about 12 oz.

10 oz. rhubarb, chopped
4 oz. raspberries OR chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
9 Tbsp sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon zest
3 1/2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

Stir the rhubarb, berries, and 1/4 cup of sugar together in a medium sized pot. (Since I was using frozen raspberries I didn't add any water, but if you are using fresh, you can use about 1/4 cup of water.) Cook over low heat until you can no longer see whole pieces, and it looks like a largely uniform sauce. Let cool and puree the sauce in a traditional or stick immersion blender. Then strain puree to remove the berry seeds.

In a double boiler (or a bowl over simmering water), whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, remaining sugar, and salt. Whisk until well combined and warm. Add about 1 cup of the rhubarb sauce and the lemon zest and stir until well combined. Check for taste and add more of the pureed rhubarb until you get the desired flavor and color. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter a piece at a time until is melts and disappears into the curd. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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49 comments

  1. Kulsum, such a good choice in having Xiaolu guest post for you. A beautiful guest post in a beautiful space. These macarons are stunnning. Xiaolu is so talented. Celebrate the seasonal produce and all natural. Love it! Now, if only Xiaolu can come up with peanut base macarons for a guest post for me. I trust she will find the right formula. I am willing to beg! lol:)

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  2. I'm so terrible with macarons so this post is pretty helpful and pretty too!!

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  3. These are simply beautiful! One day, I'll be brave enough to try macarons in my oven, until then, i'll ogle at these beautiful pink buttons on your blog :)

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  4. Amazing beautiful yummy pictures!
    http://www.6bittersweets.com brought me here :)

    xx

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  5. These macarons look so pretty! I don't bake much at all... one day i hope i can make macarons like these!!

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  6. My (ancient) oven has hot spots too...and can't maintain a consistent temp. The reason why I don't want to make macarons in it... :(
    These look wonderful - love the cheerful bright color!

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  7. I love Xiaolu's blog. Everything is so perfect and this is a great guest post. Really love it!

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  8. Just pretty! Xiaolu is such a talent! Great guest post!

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  9. A lovely post! Those macarons are superb and look dreamlike. I am a big fan of rhubarb and always admire people who are talented bakers...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  10. Xialou's pictures are always treat to the eyes.This post is all the more special coz its pink all over- my fav color.I dont think I can dare to barge into macaron making territory by so so loved these!Thanks for bringing these to table Kulsumm :)

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  11. They are beautiful!! I just love the rhubarb color! Yes, technology has made it so wonderful to connect with others. With our transient lifestyle, it has really been helping me to find a place I can connect with others.

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  12. These are perfect! I just love the possibilities with macarons!

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  13. Yum. I love rhubarb and anything. Put it in macarons? I'm a happy camper.

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  14. seriously, why are these macarons so darn pretty? i LOVE the pink here, even moreso since it's made from a natural source like rhubard! lovely recipe!

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  15. Like I told Xialou on Flickr, I love the combination of raspberry and rhubarb and I love macarons even more!

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  16. wow, these are gorgeous. what a great combo - rhubarb and raspberry!

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  17. Hi Kulsum! I just found your blog and Xiaolu's blog very recently around the same time and it's so nice to see both of you in one place! Your introduction of Xiaolu was wonderful and she did an amazing guest post! I looooooove the look of these macarons and I can look at these forever.

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  18. I never had rhubard before but these are beautiful. The color is just perfect!

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  19. Wow, love the pretty pink color of the macarons...can keep looking at it forever..great recipe and superb pics!!

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  20. I am a huge macaroon fan and these are not only drop dead gorgeous but I love the flavor combination too! I can't wait to get into the kitchen to give them a try.

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  21. What a beautiful macaroon recipe, I can't wait to try these little bites of summer.

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  22. your macarons are looking excellent and all your tips are very helpful.

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  23. I also love Xiaolu's blog, so sweet and delish. Loving your rhubarberric Macarons. Such a cute name too. The photos are stunning as are the Macarons.

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  24. Incredibly beautiful - I love Xiaolu's blog too. Such a perfect fit here!

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  25. These macarons look amazing and the color is perfect for your blog's theme :D

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  26. These look just amazing!!

    The image is so delectable, Congratulations on Top post!

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  27. beautiful colors! You know Xialu is totally the new macaron queen :))

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  28. Ok, this is not fair. I leave the blogosphere for a few days and you guys come up with such gorgeous posts that I later regret I missed!
    Kulsum you have some of my most favorite people lined up to guest post for you. Loving all your posts and wish I had more time to try them all!
    Xiaolu, you are my girl :-)

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  29. Bravo on top 9 - so glad to have discovered such a lovely site and such a beautiful guest post. Couldn't help drooling over Xiaolu's gorgeous macarons - raspberry and rhubarb are a wonderful combination and LOVE the photos! So sweet.

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  30. I really need to try my hand at macarons one of these days! Your spring version looks so good as I adore rhubarb. Great guest post!

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  31. Just wanted to say thank you for all the lovely friends, old and new, who've left your kind comments here =)

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  32. Love the pink shade and rhubarb in these tiny baked goodies! Lovely read about your friendship and food blogging.

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  33. Congrats on making it to Top 9! Not surprising, the macarons look so gorgeous! I love the color!

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  34. Goergeous photographs and the recipe looks totally doable :) Great post and a joy to ogle at ;)

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  35. What a magnificent idea. Macarons are usually too sweet for me and having the sourness of rhubarb into them creates a perfect taste. Thanks for sharing this fantastic idea and congrats on top 9.

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  36. What gorgeous photos! I love the idea of rhubarb in a macaron.

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  37. Lovely guest post, these macarons are gorgeous! Such a pretty color.

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  38. Two of my favorite flavors in one of my favorite desserts!

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  39. These may be the most beautiful things I've seen all day; I could eat macarons everyday and not get sick of them!

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  40. Your berry curd looks phenomenal! The color is fabulous and I bet it tastes wonderful. Along with your photography, your macarons are always perfectly beautiful Xiaolu! I have failed at macarons, but maybe I will do better with this berry curd:) Thanks for the recipe.

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  41. Thank you everyone for your lovely comments. I knew you are going to love this :-)

    @Aida MollenKamp - I'm so so flattered you dropped by my blog. Such an honor :-) Exactly my feelings - two amazing flavors in a macaron!

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  42. Oh such a beautiful post Kulsum, love the colour! i have never trued my hands on Macarons, such an inspiring post to try it!

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  43. Thank you for introducing me to Xialou! Her macaroons are perfection, I'm way too scared to try and make them, hopefully one day. The rhubarb makes for a stunning color and I'm sure wonderful flavors. :)

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  44. Great post from Xiaolu!! Love this macaron flavour!

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  45. oh god! im speechless, i really am !

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  46. These look so adorable! I love the unique flavour combination, especially since I would never had thought of using rhubarb in a macaron. Very creative!

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  47. Those are absolutely gorgeous! I love the combination of flavors here!

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