Confession: I’ve tried my hand at making macarons three times with no success. The result each time were pans full of sad little meringue shells that couldn’t even be bandaged with a good filling. Although it’s been a while since my last attempt, I have not given up on them by a long shot, especially since I’ve received a huge dose of inspiration from Chef Alon Balshan, owner of Alon’s Bakery & Market.
I, along with several members of The Atlanta Food Bloggers Society, had a rare opportunity to witness a batch of Black Currant Macarons being made in the kitchen at the Perimeter bakery. Here are some of the helpful methods and tips he shared:
Making macarons can be expensive. Alon’s macarons are made using good quality ingredients like Almond Flour, food colorings, white chocolate and fresh fruit purees. I’ve always believed that you get out of it, what you put into it. If you’re going to attempt to make these at home, know that macaron making can be quite an investment.
Chef Alon uses the Italian method for making his meringue which requires heating sugar and water to 115 degrees then adding the warm mixture to egg whites previously beaten to soft peaks. I’ve heard of this method before but the clumsy side of me has been playing it safe. If someone can make warm liquid sugar fly, I surely can. Since I’ve seen it first hand though, I’m not feeling so intimidated by this method so I’ll definitely give it a try.
When we follow recipes, we tend to stick to the recommended times for mixing ingredients. While I think it’s okay to do this for many recipes, time isn’t the best gauge to use when mixing macarons. Chef Alon says it’s more about achieving the right texture so mixing times may vary.
After piping the meringue onto your baking paper, allow it to sit long enough for a crust to form. When touched lightly, the skin won’t be tacky at all. Instead, you’ll find that it’s smooth to the touch.
Alon’s uses different fillings but most are ganache like the Black Currant Filling used here. They blend real fruit purees with white chocolate because it is sweet (but not too sweet) and it won’t take over the flavor of the fruit. The puree is heated first, then white chocolate and a generous amount of butter is stirred into it until the mixture is smooth. After mixing the ganache, Chef Alon uses a blender to emulsify it so that it’s shiny and elastic. The filling is allowed to sit at room temperature until firm enough to pipe. After filling the macarons, allow them time to mature before eating. It makes a difference in both the flavor & texture.
A proper macaron should be soft & chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Since a batch yields quite a few macarons and because they are perishable, it’s a good idea to freeze them until ready to consume. Wrap them securely with plastic wrap, taking care to avoid air pockets before placing in the freezer for storage. Allow the macarons to thaw completely before removing the wrapping. Consume with a couple of days of removing from the freezer.
3000 macarons of varying flavors are prepared each week at Alon’s Bakery & Market. Aside from the Black Currant Macarons, I am a big fan of the Caramel and the Pistachio Macarons. To try them for yourself, visit one of their two locations:
Virginia Highland – 1394 N. Highland Avenue
Dunwoody – 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE
Thank you to Chef Alon for generously sharing these tips and to DeEtte Kattel in Marketing & Catering for facilitating our journey into Alon’s kitchen for this unique experience!
