The Attack of the Macarons

Ever since Johnny and I went to France last year, I have been in love with macarons.

I ate them all over Paris.

In Philadelphia, we had a great French pastry shop called Miel Patisserie that was a block and a half from my school.  I went there for macarons and coffee about once a week.  After our miscarriage, some of my students even went out at lunch time and brought me back a few.  Since living in Kansas, I have been pleasantly surprised with how macarons are catching on.

I posted here about how Johnny got me macarons for Valentine's Day from Bloom Bakery in the River Market. 

I have also enjoyed Milk & Honey macarons sold at The Roasterie.  But darn it, they are expensive!  With tax, you end up shelling out almost $2.50 for each tiny cookie.  That's fine for vacation or holidays but not for a random Wednesday when I feel like I want a few.  So I have decided to try to make my own.

Macarons are notorious for being extremely temperamental and difficult to make even though they are only made up of four ingredients.  I tried to make some using a Martha Stewart recipe a year ago and failed miserably.  It almost scared me away permanently.  But this time, armed with a cookbook (thanks Melissa Clemmens!) and Mrs. Humble's tutorial, I felt a bit more prepared.

So far I have tried to make plain macarons with lemon curd, chocolate macarons with peanut butter filling, and lime macarons with lemon curd.

Some have turned out...most of them haven't.  They all taste good; it's just that some of them collapse or don't have the crinkly bottoms called "feet."  I want to keep trying, but it is a very frustrating endeavor.  I am not usually a fan of working hard at something until I get it right.  I kind of like to just do things that I'm good at the first time...that's why I don't do sports, of any kind....except for that time I coached lacrosse.  Maybe macarons can be my new lacrosse.