Zimt und Anis MacaronsCinnamon and Anise Macarons

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

This month challenge for the Daring Bakers were French Macarons. The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

Zimt und Anis Macarons

I was a bit scared, because I tried macarons some weeks ago the first time and they went totally wrong. The shells weren’t really hard, almost no „feet“ (you can see feet in the picture of my succesful anis macarons below) and they were much too soft. But I was also eager to do it better.

Zimt und Anis Macarons

In the (english) food blog world everyone is about macarons. But here in Germany nobody knows them. Or precisely macarons are known as something different. Dessicated coconut with beaten egg whites and sometimes nuts or chocolate within. „Feets“ are not wanted, it’s more like small piles. Germans wake up and get to know french macarons!

The challenge itself was challenging. After my first mishappening and reading in the Daring Bakers Forum about the problems with the recipe given and the better-going recipes with Tartelette’s one, I decided to give the disaster not a chance again and go with Tartelette’s recipe.

The recipe is very easy to vary. I made the Cinnamon Macarons with hazelnuts and a Tbsp. cinnamon and a gianduja (rounded up with some cream) filling and the Anise Macarons with almonds a Tbsp. grounded anise and a white chocolate filling.

Zimt und Anis Macarons

Some tips, which I found important are:

Ground your grounded nuts again yourself (something like a Moulinette would be helpful). They are not fine enough. Sieve your powdered sugar before.

I used a silicone mat and normal parchment paper and I would prefer the parchment paper here, because the macarons sticked so much to my silicone mat, I didn’t get them off right. Also after baking let them cool for about 15 minutes outside, then move the baking sheet back in the warm (but not hot!) oven. Let them cool completely over the night. Mine were mostly *fingers crossed* easy to peel off the parchment paper. If it doesn’t work give some sprinkles of water under the paper, if the sheet is still warm or hold it over some steaming water. The steam dissolves the macarons from the paper.

For piping: stand your bag up in a high glass. It’s easier for filling and when you rest.

In my opinion the macarons are the better the smaller they are. Furthermore the ywill expand a little while baking. Hope all this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask! This is how my macarons looked like after piping, while drying, before baking.

Zimt und Anis Macarons

This month challenge for the Daring Bakers were French Macarons. The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.

cinnamon and anis macarons

I was a bit scared, because I tried macarons some weeks ago the first time and they went totally wrong. The shells weren’t really hard, almost no „feet“ (you can see feet in the picture of my succesful anis macarons below) and they were much too soft. But I was also eager to do it better.

cinnamon and anis macarons

In the (english) food blog world everyone is about macarons. But here in Germany nobody knows them. Or precisely macarons are known as something different. Dessicated coconut with beaten egg whites and sometimes nuts or chocolate within. „Feets“ are not wanted, it’s more like small piles. Germans wake up and get to know french macarons!

The challenge itself was challenging. After my first mishappening and reading in the Daring Bakers Forum about the problems with the recipe given and the better-going recipes with Tartelette’s one, I decided to give the disaster not a chance again and go with Tartelette’s recipe.

The recipe is very easy to vary. I made the Cinnamon Macarons with hazelnuts and a Tbsp. cinnamon and a gianduja (rounded up with some cream) filling and the Anise Macarons with almonds a Tbsp. grounded anise and a white chocolate filling.

cinnamon and anis macarons

Some tips, which I found important are:

Ground your grounded nuts again yourself (something like a Moulinette would be helpful). They are not fine enough. Sieve your powdered sugar before.

I used a silicone mat and normal parchment paper and I would prefer the parchment paper here, because the macarons sticked so much to my silicone mat, I didn’t get them off right. Also after baking let them cool for about 15 minutes outside, then move the baking sheet back in the warm (but not hot!) oven. Let them cool completely over the night. Mine were mostly *fingers crossed* easy to peel off the parchment paper. If it doesn’t work give some sprinkles of water under the paper, if the sheet is still warm or hold it over some steaming water. The steam dissolves the macarons from the paper.

For piping: stand your bag up in a high glass. It’s easier for filling and when you rest.

In my opinion the macarons are the better the smaller they are. Furthermore the ywill expand a little while baking. Hope all this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask! This is how my macarons looked like after piping, while drying, before baking.

cinnamon and anis macarons

Knusprig, dünne PekannusskekseCrispy Thin Pecan Cookies

Update: Für das deutsche Rezept nach unten scrollen!

Back since one week I hadn’t had much time for the blog. But first I want to give you some impressions of my great holiday in Scotland and how we cooked there. We rented a car for three weeks and drove through almost whole Scotland. We were on the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Mull (climbing on Ben More), in Glasgow, Oban (love it!), Edinburgh, Inverness, St. Andrews (visiting the ruins of the great cathedral), Loch Ness, the beautiful white sandy beaches on the north coast, the Highlands of couse, Glenfiddich destillery and so much more. Think that are some impressions? 

camping in Scotland

So this pictures are originated on the Isle of Mull, the night before climbing Ben More. We did wild camping, between old murals of a low ruin near the sea. There we collected our own mussels and cooked them. It was so great! We ate them together with some filled tortelloni and tomato sauce. Thanks, Scotland is so civilized and you can get everything you want from the (bigger) supermarkets. And thanks, that I’m not eager to make holidays in India or so. 

I love just how much different food you can get in Scottish supermarkets. We have also a wide range, but it’s just different. So of course I had to buy some food to bring it home with, like Heather Flower Honey or Lavender Honey (so expensive here, just like Tahini, which I bought too), delicious (cheap) Darjeeling tea, ready to roll icing (you can’t buy icing here in supermarkets), liquid Glucose and more baking material.

But in the beginning I promised you cookies. I promised them myself this week, because I was so eager of cookies (none at home!). After seeing and tasting so much food with pecans in Scotland, like cereals or puff pastry with pecans and maple syrup (yummy!) I was fond of making cookies with pecans. Luckily I had some at home and found this recipe which I remembered, I have seen somewhere somethime.

camping in Scotland

crispy thin pecan cookies

Back since one week I hadn’t had much time for the blog. But first I want to give you some impressions of my great holiday in Scotland and how we cooked there. We rented a car for three weeks and drove through almost whole Scotland. We were on the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Mull (climbing on Ben More), in Glasgow, Oban (love it!), Edinburgh, Inverness, St. Andrews (visiting the ruins of the great cathedral), Loch Ness, the beautiful white sandy beaches on the north coast, the Highlands of couse, Glenfiddich destillery and so much more. Think that are some impressions? 

camping in Scotland

So this pictures are originated on the Isle of Mull, the night before climbing Ben More. We did wild camping, between old murals of a low ruin near the sea. There we collected our own mussels and cooked them. It was so great! We ate them together with some filled tortelloni and tomato sauce. Thanks, Scotland is so civilized and you can get everything you want from the (bigger) supermarkets. And thanks, that I’m not eager to make holidays in India or so. 

I love just how much different food you can get in Scottish supermarkets. We have also a wide range, but it’s just different. So of course I had to buy some food to bring it home with, like Heather Flower Honey or Lavender Honey (so expensive here, just like Tahini, which I bought too), delicious (cheap) Darjeeling tea, ready to roll icing (you can’t buy icing here in supermarkets), liquid Glucose and more baking material.

But in the beginning I promised you cookies. I promised them myself this week, because I was so eager of cookies (none at home!). After seeing and tasting so much food with pecans in Scotland, like cereals or puff pastry with pecans and maple syrup (yummy!) I was fond of making cookies with pecans. Luckily I had some at home and found this recipe which I remembered, I have seen somewhere somethime.

camping in Scotland

crispy thin pecan cookies