Class: The Art of the Macaron
During tonight’s two-hour class, The Art of the Macaron, I realized that I have never tasted a macaron before. Incroyable!
I’ve spent some extended time in France and recognize the lovely rows of macarons in select patisseries across the U.S. But how did I miss the AWESOMENESS of actually eating one?
Well tonight I tried one five for the first time, and oh my, how brilliant those little “buttons” (as Romina called them) are. The best part? We learned the finer points of preparing and baking them, too.
Here are my top four reasons why macarons are brilliant and why you should learn how to make them:
- They are little and perfectly bite-sized.
- Five (mostly) manageable ingredients make up the meringue “cookie” part of the Macarons Gerbet recipe that we experienced. (Macaron recipes use almond flour and are naturally gluten free.)
- They’re quite tricky to make so they’re a fun challenge.
- The cookie shell and its filling are the vehicles for customization of flavor. (Think vanilla, matcha, ginger, and beyond. Some folks in the U.S. have even experimented with “manly macarons” à la Cheeto or bacon flavors. Say what?! )
The tough part about making these treats in northern Utah seems to be managing the humidity, barometric pressure, altitude, peaks, blending, and fluffiness. Moisture + macarons = bad, so wait for a sunny day to make them.
If you’re going to spend the time (to cook), if you’re going to make the effort, if you’re going to have the calories, then make it count. Use quality ingredients.
–Romina Rasmussen of Les Madeleines and maker of delicious treats.
I don’t tend to fill my free time with cooking or baking, but I am determined to make some artful macarons. (As Yoda says, “Do or do not. There is no try.”) This class gave me the knowledge and confidence boost to get baking. I’ll show you my results next week.
P.S. This class is quite popular. Get on the email list for Continuing Education to be notified of similar upcoming events or ask to be put on the waiting list for the summer session once it goes live at Lifelong Learning.