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Failed attempt nr. 1
Ever since I tasted the very first macaron in my life at Laduree in Paris, I’m hooked… I love the texture of these phenomenal cookies and the taste is just well…. to die for!
Last year I was in France with a friend and we found this little bakery in Dijon where they had macarons, so – you guessed it – we had more then our share of them. At that point I thought that it would be really cool to try and make them myself at some point in time. So I told my friend (who does not cook at all) who started to laugh and told me that was impossible…
I admit that the prospect of making these beauties myself was indeed a bit daunting and not something I would attempt to do lightly, but it had been done before right and I am not one to not take on a challenge. Still it is now almost a year further and today is the day I am making my first attempt at a macaron. I am saying attempt on purpose since I already know the outcome… 
It all started quite well I think; I had bought the ingredients the day before, split my eggs, mixed the almond and the icing sugar, made my sugar syrup and thought I had done all the things correctly untill I put everything together and you just know that the batter is too thin…
Putting the stuff in a piping bag and then making rounds all equal in size proved to be another challenge I did not master at all! I didn’t have the right size tip but I don’t think that I can blame the tip for everything else that went wrong (I would love to do that though…!!) If it was only the size that would have been wrong, I could have lived with it, easily! No problem…
I let the mismatching size macarons sit outside for about an hour, which apparently is necessary to harden the shells a bit. So I did and then popped them in the oven at a 145 degrees C. I sett the timer for 15 minutes but when I checked after 15 minutes they still seemed very fragile when I took one out of the oven. It broke immediately. So I left them in the oven a little while longer, but as it turned out – none of that mattered! I could not get them of the baking sheets. I tried a knife, I tried a cake knife, I tried to rub the blade in oil to make it more smooth, but whatever I did… no success. So this is how it all finally came of the 
sheet…
I was planning to bring them to my parents in law tomorrow when we go there! O haha… I already see their faces before me when I present them with this sugary mess… I guess I have to make something a little bit simpler tomorrow, so at least I have something!
I emailed the queen of macarons, Helen aka Tartelette, with a cry for help and apparently I have used an Italian recipe for meringue instead of a french one.
Don’t think I will give up!! My friend will no doubt laugh herself silly when I present her with the last picture of how my first adventure into the world of making macarons ended. But at some point I am going to have to prove her wrong. Even if it takes me 10 batches of failed macarons (who by the way, despite their apparent look, where still very tasty. I have a sugar overdose now!)
So again, I present you with failed attempt numbero uno!
If you liked that post, then try these...
Cooking club Kort Lontje by Simone (junglefrog)
Daring Bakers: Nanaimo Bars by Simone (junglefrog)
Pangafilet en papillotte by Simone (junglefrog)
Poffertjes by Simone (junglefrog)
Chicken, lentil & sweetcorn chowder by Simone (junglefrog)
Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it sooner than later. It took me a while, but it’s all worth it.
I so want to try this, but the fear of failure freaks me out totally!!!I am proud of you for trying!!!
I cannot stay away from this site!!!
Congrats on attempting them! You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I look forward to your successful post! =)
They honestly don’t look so bad! I know you probably used the nicest ones for the pictures, but really, it’s very good for a first attempt! Learning what the right texture of the batter is is the most difficult aspect, in my opinion: I still get it wrong often.
I have made macarons with both French and Italian meringue (separately, of course), and it seemed like I got better results with the Italian version, so I stuck with it. But I know that a lot of macaron experts use French meringue with great success, so I think I will give that another try next time. Or, I’ll see how it works out for you.
I don’t think I’ve ever managed to get my macarons to be all the same size. And I’m a disaster with a pastry bag, so most of the time I just spoon the discs onto the baking sheet… which leads to very homemade-looking macarons.
Regarding the baking, I’ve always baked them at 180 degrees, for 8-10 minutes. And here’s a really useful tip for prying them off: line the baking sheets with parchment paper, and after the baking is done, take the paper off (with the macarons on it) and place it on a slightly wet surface. They will come off much more easily.
Sorry if I’m offering redundant or unwanted advice: I just have a passion for these little cookies, even though they can be a real pain to make! But you’re off to a really good start, and I can’t wait to see your next attempt!
Thanks Valerie for all the advice (and believe me I can use all the advice I can get, so feel free to share!) I’m just gonna use the french method for next time and see how that goes.
As for the sticking problem; I did use parchment paper and I even tried it with a wet surface but for some reason I think they were still a bit too soft on the inside so did not want to me parted with the paper. I made a new batch out of some batter I still had left over and rubbed a bit of oil on the paper. I also baked on a slightly higher temperature and they did come of quit easily. Although the taste is not so good as the first ones! It’s a bit more chewy and not so fluffy as the first batch… Hmmm, got more practising to do!!
I love macaroons but I don’t think I could ever make one..
Sorry to hear about your macaron misfortune Simone. I’m curious to see how your French meringue ones turn out as I’m planning to do some next week. Good luck!
I do think that your macarons look lovely for the first attempt! Good luck for the next ones! I would realy wanted to taste the first batch!
I don’t think that I would make them: it is a lot of work!
Have a look at the blog called ‘la cuisine de Mercotte’, she’s a specialist, she even wrote books about it, and she gives great advices in her blog. I know they were a mess but I like the look of your meringues
) very soft looking texture 
Macarons are a difficult bake to master and if i’m honest Simone you’ve done a great job for your first attempt!
But you tried! Don’t you get points for trying?? It’s more than I have done. I do have about ten egg whites in the fridge right now just waiting to be made into something good. I’m still too afraid to try. He he!
ooh, you are so brave! i just keep on talking about trying these, and not doing anything about it.
Gorgeous pink color!!!
Thanks guys, you’re all just too kind…
I just bought the ingredients again for attempt number two. Not sure if it will be possible to make this weekend, but definitely planning to!
You are so daring! I’m glad you are not going to give up:)
Don’t give up! I bought a cookbook years ago for the macarons recipe, and I still haven’t attempted it. I live in fear of it. One of these days though. Looks like some of them turned out great!
That was what happened to mine! I’ve yet to try this again.
This is very weird I just finished my first batch of macarons using Helen of Tartelette recipe (using the French method)!!! It seems that macarons seems to make most people afraid very afraid and I was a little fearful also. Good soild effort on you first attempt. Will go over to your 2nd attempt and see how it went. Yours Audax