Miracle on Rue Royale

I entered into my professor’s office to discover he had not yet arrived. There to discuss my final paper, I was apprehensive of how the meeting might go. His menacing reputation preceded him, and even students who never had him knew that the crack of a smile on his face was about as likely as an A in his class (slim chance). His ominous air gave away his arrival; I turned around to look up at him. His imposing figure was like something out of an Edgar Allan Poe tale. He was tall and hunched over like Dracula, yet the stoic coldness he emitted reminded me of Nurse Ratched. He stomped into his office in a huff, somehow acknowledging me and scattering the contents of his briefcase onto his desk simultaneously. I sat silently for him to say something (all subjects of small talk left my brain).  Flustered and searching amongst his papers, he mumbled something in his heavy French accent, “Ze pastries a these facultee ehvents are PFT.” He gestured his distaste with a flick of his hand. “Zey should be luhcky to ever try ze Laduree”

...

“On Rue Royale?”

...

Every motion of his being came to a halt- the calm after the storm that was his entrance. He looked at me with wide eyes that shrank back to normal size as a smile appeared on his face. We swapped stories of going to the famed Parisian bakery and I explained my quest to recreate their famous macaron chez moi.

In front of the famed store front, treasures in tow!

Chris, Steph, and I eating our macarons in the Tuilerie Garden

The bakery opened in 1862. Adorned with elegant pastels and chandeliers, its interior is what I believe the inside of a Faberge egg to look like. To say that their famous macaron is a cookie is to undermine the precision and technique that bakers of Laduree have honed for their craft.

I would say that macarons have a certain je ne sais quoi, but I know what makes them so special. Their filling of savory ganache joins two layers of sweet, airy almond pastry to create a truly unique confection.  The two layers of pastry puff up to form their signature rounded dome and “feet” that form just at the base where it meets the filling. In flavors such as Salted Caramel, Orange Blossom, Hazelnut, and Rosewater, it is no wonder that my professor scoffed at the sprinkle cookies served before him. (*Not trying to knock sprinkle cookies)

A macaron recipe book, several more trips to (the newly opened!) Laduree NY (previously only in Paris, Monaco, and Geneva), and many unsuccessful attempts later, I finally got the macaron right! Now that I’ve perfected the procedure, I think one of my own macarons would be able to fit in among the perfect rows that line the glass cases of Laduree!

I owe it to the macaron for securing me a great relationship with my professor (who later became my advisor). Maybe by reminding him a bit of his home in Paris, he felt more at ease!

Try them out for yourself! You will be so impressed at how perfect and scrumptious they come out!

Vanilla Macarons
(makes about 2 dozen)

• • For The Macarons

• 
  
  

  • • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • Pinch of cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup superfine sugar
  • 
    
  • For the filling
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tbsp. milk (to thick consistency)

Directions

1. Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.
4. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)
5. Make filling. Mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk to frosting consistency (dye with food coloring if you'd like!)
6. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!