One of the pitfalls of working full time is the inability to take lovely natural light weekday photographs. By the time I set my mise en place and get the oven going, my natural light is at an end. So, I have to be satisfied with marginal photos.
I've hit on a macaron kick, spurred by Tartlette's class sponsored by La Fujimama and Jen last Friday. So inspired, and with promises to inbound in-laws, I'm a macaron making machine.
Tonight's batch are of the espresso variety... Tartlette's mac recipe boosted with 1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder from King Arthur Flour. I didn't take the Trader Joe's almond meal shortcut, and hauled out the 28 pound Cuisinart and ground the almonds with the powdered sugar. Most of the recipes I saw online called for 2 Tbsp finely ground coffee, but I didn't want to go that route- I had enough of speckled macs last night. I figured the instant espresso powder would give a lovely coffee colored shade, and right I was.
Glossy macs forming their shell...
Okay, they're out of the oven and I'm not crazy about the coffee/almond flavor. They taste a tad burned to me. Could I have used too much espresso powder? Maybe when they've melded with the mocha buttercream I'll like them better. They're lovely, though I had four random shells crack while the rest of the batch turned out ideally.
Next up is the mocha buttercream frosting:
- MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 4 oz. Callebaut bittersweet (left over from yesterday's ganache)
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
FOR MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
DISSOLVE instant coffee in milk in glass measure. Beat butter, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl for 3 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate until blended, scraping occasionally. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in coffee mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired spreading consistency.
The buttercream is awesome! I love the consistency and taste, divine.
Tour des macarons... Jeff loved these. I haven't tried one yet- waiting for maturation. I don't know if I'm going to be crazy about them. Too sweet perhaps? I'll try for some natural light beauty shots tomorrow and will update on the final product.
I came home today and found that my darling husband had eaten all but one of the espresso macarons, so it's a lonely beauty photo shoot.
My final verdict on the taste is AMAZING. They're seriously delicious. I think that if I'm going to make them again, I'll use a tad less espresso powder- just under 1 Tbsp instead of just over.
And yet more perfection! Wow Helen, aren't you proud?!? :)
Posted by: Fuji Mama | March 15, 2010 at 04:24 PM