Italian macaron class

For my birthday, Michael signed us up for a macaron class taught by a pastry chef in San Francisco.  We went this last weekend and, in a group of 6, finally got some formal training :)

pictures coming soon.  recipe is after the page break.  here are the results of our labor. 

The flavors were

• strawberry balsamic
• passion fruit
• yuzu
• coffee
• chocolate
• peanut butter

I'm excited to try this again and experiment with some flavors.  I have a few ideas: ginger peanut butter, lavender, earl grey, key lime, rose water.

Macaron (Italian Method)
(green are my notes)

Mass:
150 g - almond flour (or 50% almond flour/50% hazelnut flour or pistachio flour)
150 g - powdered sugar
5-10 g - cocoa powder, green tea powder, coffee powder (optional flavors)
55 g - egg whites
pinch of food coloring

Italian Meringue - always do a full recipe of this part:
150 g - sugar
35 g - water
55 g - egg whites

1.  Mix ingredients for mass until it comes to a thick paste.  fold and turn technique
2.  Whip egg whites on medium-high speed in a mixer until you get soft peaks.  At the same time, bring sugar and water to 240 F (stop cooking just before 240).  Pour the hot sugar into the egg whites and whip on high speed to stiff peaks (1-2 minutes).  The temperature should be around 95-100F (bowl should still be warm to touch).
3.  Use 1/3 of the meringue to lighten the dense mass paste.  fold and turn technique.  fully incorporate meringue and mass. 
4.  Fold in the rest of the meringue.  fold and turn technique with a spatula.  when close to done, every 3 folds, check if it's ready.  it should not be too runny, but should slowly spread.
5.  Pipe into 1" diameter, and let rest for an hour.  Ateco #3 tip.  drop silpat and metal pan (bottom side up) from 1 foot up.  then tap the bottom of the pan to even smooth out the tip from the piping.  if you want to decorate, do it now.  (sprinkle some cocoa power, or ground coffee on top).  after an hour, touch the top of the biscuit and it should have formed a skin on top
6.  Bake at 285-300F for 8-10 minutes.  (one tray at a time)  bake on the top shelf.  if not convection oven, rotate at 5 minute mark.  at 8 minute mark, touch the top of macaron.  it should be firm.  small macarons would be around 8 minutes.  larger macarons would be around 10 minutes.  when outside, let sit for 3 minutes and then slip silpat off.


For hazelnut/pistachio ganache
40 g - heavy cream
30 g - hazelnut/pistachio paste
70 g - milk chocolate (41%)

For blue cheese ganache
40 g - heavy cream
30 g - blue cheese
75 g - white chocolate (34%)

For green tea ganache
50 g - heavy cream
3 g - green tea powder, unsweetened
65 g - white chocolate (34%)
10 g - unsalted butter, softened

For cream cheese filling
113 g (4 oz) - cream cheese
25 g - powdered sugar
25 g - preserve/jam
50 g - unsalted butter, softened

For dark chocolate ganache
50 g - heavy cream
60 g - dark chocolate (66% or 68%)
5 g - lemon/orange/mint/coffee extract

For strawberry/raspberry/passion fruit ganache
50 g - heavy cream
12 g - strawberry paste or 30 g strawberry juice (reduce to 12 g)
75 g - white chocolate/milk chocolate
5 g - liquer (optional, reduce 5 g from heavy cream)

1.  Bring cream and flavor to a boil
2.  Remove from heat.  Wait 5 minutes.  Whisk in chocolate
3.  Chill.  Let sit in the fridge for 40 minutes - hour.