My Next Challenge...

This may remind you of my mouth watering post about True Italian Gelato. However this post is about a European delicacy of which I've fallen in love with over the last year & am now challenging myself to become an expert in.

This is about my romance with:

French Macarons

Now how cute are they!!?? I love anything mini-sized. I had a run in with lady luck in March and got to finally taste one at a fancy restaurant in California. They taste better than they look. Hard to describe. The top is crust like, then it turns soft and chewy inside and then the filling...oh the filling!! But don't let these sandwich-like desserts fool you. They are very complex to make. In fact, there are few states in the US that even make and sell them.

I have found 3 favorite bakeries that sell them in California & Louisiana but the cost to ship them is outrageous. Macarons sell for as much as $2 a piece. Yes...a delicacy indeed!


So after much searching the internet with recipes that don't quite turn out. I decided to hit the pros.

ROAD BLOCK!!

Most Macaron books are in a foreign language. With the exception of this book...

It's amazing!! I got it in the mail and have studied it over and over as if I had a big test at the end. And I can see why they are so intricate. You have to have the right tools, supplies, ingredients, methods, temperatures, air environment. The book itself says "you probably won't get it right on the first try".
Well THAT'S discouraging...thanks!
But I'm ready. Ready for the challenge. I so dream of being able to display these at my parties & sell them so I can share them with Utah!!

Literally dozens of flavors of meringue & fillings! Not to mention the colors!

So many flavors to mix and match!!
And so Dear French Macaron...I leave you with this promise...

I will give you hours of my valuable life
I will tire my fingers and my patience
I will buy for you whatever you ask of me
I will be delicate, trusting and enduring
I will be proud of our successes & learn from our failures
I will savor every taste & promise to share you with the world
If you will make of me a French Macaron Baker!!

Wish me luck...hopefully it won't be long before my successful post!