baker beware

 

Phoebe and I went to a macaroon class on Saturday. We had a good time, learned how to make them properly, and came home with boxes of beautiful, pastel macaroons that looked like something we might have bought in Paris. Today the macaroons are still looking beautiful, pastel, and Parisian on our windowsill, since nobody has eaten them. This has nothing to do with preserving their delicate appearance or me forbidding anyone to touch them. No, the simple reason is that they don't taste good.

The macaroons bear out my basic baking belief that simplest is best. The macaroon shells are totally traditional and delicious, but the fillings are too clever for their own good. As soon as we saw that we would be making lychee/white chocolate/rosewater, orange and lemon curd/cinnamon, and dark chocolate/mint fillings, we decided we would remove at least one flavour from each combination (lychee, rosewater, cinnamon, mint) to make it nice to eat. However, as we were working in groups Phoebe and I couldn't be subversive, so we filled our pretty and perfectly formed shells with stuff and goo we knew we wouldn't be eating.

Tellingly, the only macaroons that were eaten within minutes of us getting home were those with a caramel filling. Because they were simple and quite simply delicious.

Comments

[Monica]

I agree! Simple is best...being creative is wonderful, just not always when it comes to dessert ingredients. The macaroons do look beautiful though!

[Marie]

A bit disappointing to not be able to enjoy eating your pretty macaroons. You will just have to make some more!

[Hen]

They look fab though! I'd like to have a go at making those, ah yes one day. Definitely the best idea to tone down the flavourings, shame your cunning plan could not be pulled off, drat!
Hen x

[Juti]

I finally tried making your world-renowned rock buns yesterday. Oh my gosh, they're fabulous. Truly perfect with tea. Thank you!

[Sue]

Ha! I knew it, those fancy schmancy macaroons are too good to be true. They do look gorgeous though.

Thank you Juti for reminding me that Jane's rock cakes are so simple and so delicious. Just the things to fill the cake tins when I bake tomorrow.

Sue x

[Martha]

I totally agree!!
Well, they can look pretty until they mold...and you can bake some more that are yummy - and simple!

[Katherine]

lol
That is sooooo true of life. Simple is best.

[Virginia]

Well, they are quite pretty.

[geraldine]

They are so pretty, and I love the fAct they are frilly round the edges! Do you have a recipe to share I can try for my sweet-toothed husband?!

[Jane]

There's a macaron shop here in Montreal that makes all sorts of wonderful flavours that are as amazing as they are delicious. But I think they keep it to one flavour to a macaron.

[MissHeliotrope]

Why do people try to improve on the original? Food that is successful, and has been for some time, does not need you (a generic you here) to come & add twenty different flavours that dont even match when written down.

Mind you, I've seen some lamington macarons that could be interesting...

Could the pretty but inedible macarons become christmas tree decorations?

[Peg in Kensington, California]

I suppose you could scrape out the fillings. I wouldn't have liked those combinations either.

[Fee]

Congratulations on such beautiful macarons! I have tried a couple of times and dismally failed to get that lovely frilly foot.
However, while I relish the challenge and admire the aesthetics of the macaron, I don't like eating them!
Thanks for being the first to break the silence Jane, I feel unburdened from my terrible secret!

[jen]

So true! What's wrong with a simple chocolate filling or a nice buttercream?? They look beautiful though!

[Sophie]

Ah the sight of them is making me dream of Paris and Laduree macaroons. Yes, I know you can get them in London now, but that always seems like cheating.

[Julie]

Simple is the best - I just prefer the macaroon part......
Julie xxxxxx

[Lizbon]

Which bears out my preference for unfrosted cakes, when the cake itself is good. Particularly a good chocolate cake.

[penny]

they are pretty, but simplicity is best!