Macarons (the eternal struggle)

[droqen]

MACARONS

[droqen]

Today's Macarons:
- No cream of tartar, but the merengue stiffed up fine
- First tray 7:54
- Second 8:00
- Third (in pieces) 8:08

Trying:
340 F for 8 minutes
Release steam
330 F for 2 minutes
Release steam
330 F for 2 minutes

340\330\330 was cooked but the batter was fucked?
335/330/330 was sticky bottoms
330/320/320 was sticky bottoms

[droqen]

Next time try 330 without bottom protection.

[droqen]

Today's Macarons:
- First merengue batch failed due to low sugar (?)
- Second merengue batch used un-aged egg whites. was fine, a little soft. Even after macronage, batter was very thick
- Made two full trays, plus two more partial trays

First bake:
- Top rack full tray, Beneath rack partial tray, at 335 F for 8 min.
(Awkward swap)
- Top rack partial tray (kinda messed up since they didn't form good skins), Beneath rack full tray, at 325 F for 2 min.
Steam release
- 325 F for 2 min
Result:
UNDERCOOKED. Awkward swap took too long, stole too much heat. Major issues - feet of the full tray that started on top expanded to the sides, they were undercooked, and their exteriors were browned!!! No sticky bottoms at least.

Second bake will be 1 full tray, 330 without bottom protection as requested last time.
- 330/320 for 8 minutes (changed partway through)
- 315 for 2 minutes * back Macarons are browning
- 310 for 2 minutes
Result:
fuck this oven :<
ok actually the tops are a bit browned but the bottoms are good! they're cooked and not sticky!

[droqen]

Next time try 325 with no bottom protection (i.e. 1 tray on top rack) for 8 minutes followed by ~315 for 2 minutes and then ~310 for 2 minutes

[droqen]

Worked well. But the macarons were very hollow.

+ 1 tray on top rack (no bottom protection)
+ 325 for 8 mins
+ release steam
+ 315 for 2 mins
+ release steam
+ 310 for 2 mins

CONCERN: 2nd and 3rd batches are left out too long and develop too much of a skin

[droqen]

This might work better? Turned out not hollow!

+ 1 tray on top rack (no bottom protection)
+ 320 for 12 mins

That's it! Try it again like that.

[droqen]

Ganache

The ganache always turns out too liquid.
'Macaron Ingredient Math' changelog:

• Added 10% to 'white couverture' amount

changelog changelog:

• Increased 5 to 10

[droqen]

Replaced 25% of sugar in dry mix w rice flour - worked fine
* Should try introducing sugar syrup more slowly for stiffer merengue
Pistachio flavour shells - try using pistachio flour instead of almond

Temperature: doing two racks at once is fine. Top rack needs to be left a couple minutes longer (2?) after the bottom has been taken out, also stagger their positioning for our oven specifically.

Preheat oven to 345 F

Put in two trays of macarons at once, staggered positioning - top rack to right, bottom rack to left

Set oven down to 320 F once macarons are in.

At 12 min, remove bottom tray only.
2 min later (at 14 min), remove top tray.

[droqen]

Change! 12-14 becomes 13-17 min.

Preheat oven to 345 F

Put in two trays of macarons at once, staggered positioning - top rack to right, bottom rack to left

Set oven down to 320 F once macarons are in.

At 13 min, remove bottom tray only.
4 min later (at 17 min), remove top tray.

[droqen]

Probably only bake for 12 min / 16 min if it's a dry day

[droqen]

Is this the correct way?

Preheat 345 F
Put in one tray of macarons, top rack centered or slightly to right (SEE BELOW NOTES)
Set oven down to 320 F once macarons are in
At 13 min, remove tray

(Repeat for multiple trays, preheating back to 345 F) (Maybe?)

[droqen]

For mixing:
- Start: Mixer bowl full of merengue
- Push aside the merengue, expose bottom of mixer bowl
- Pour non-merengue ingredients into bottom of mixer bowl - not on top of merengue
- Mix by hand ~5 times, enough that it's badly incorporated
- Stand mix on 2 for 30 seconds
- Scrape the walls, clean the whisk
- Stand mix on 2 for 10 seconds
- Scrape the walls, clean the whisk
- Stand mix on 2 for 10 seconds
- Fold in from the walls, go by feel, hopefully macronage is complete at this point!

[droqen]

DO NOT EXCEED 25% RICE FLOUR.

[droqen]

To try next time, Shelley noticed the hot air swirling around, so we're moving from the top rack to the middle.

First, ensure a rack is placed in the middle.

Preheat 345F
Put in one tray at a time @ middle rack
Set oven 320F once macarons are in
At 13 min, remove macarons