White Swan Macarons
Based on the Baroque Bistro macaron recipe by Jean-Michel Raynaud
Ingredients
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600g sieved Tant Pour Tant (300g Almond meal with 300g icing sugar)
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120g egg whites (first lot)
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300g Caster sugar
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75g water
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120g egg whites (second lot, use the oldest egg whites you can find and separate them a day or two beforehand, store in fridge and allow to come to room temperature)
For simple buttercream
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125g butter, softened
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4 cups icing or superfine sugar
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1-2 tablespoons milk
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For swan necks
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a small amount of white fondant
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black and orange food colouring gel
Step 1 - Mix the Tant pour tant with the first lot of egg whites, mixing vigorously until you have a smooth paste. Cover with cling film if is a humid day).
Step 2 - Mix the caster sugar, water and commence cooking.
3. Place the old egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment.
Step 4 - Once the sugar has reached 115°C commence whipping your egg whites until they reach soft peak consistency. When the sugar reaches 118°C remove from the stove and pour slowly on the still mixing egg whites. Turn the speed to maximum for around 1 min and return to medium for another 2 minutes and then let the meringue cool to around 50°C whilst mixing slowly.
Step 5 - Using a spatula commence incorporating the meringue into the TPT and egg white batter. Work the mix gently from the sides to the middle until you reach a homogeneous, shiny texture. Now deflate the batter by picking it up with a spatula and hitting it against the side of the bowl. Take a little batter and see if the trail remains, if it does, then keep deflating it. I know, this is totally against instincts!
6. Using a plastic piping bag with no. 11 tip, pipe the shells onto a baking sheet-do a round and then stop squeezing on the bag and then flick it up at the end. it does take practice. Also remember, unlike me, that there should be a mirror reverse image of the swan body to have both sides. Tap the tray gently on the side of the bench.
Step 7 - Leave the macarons outside at room temperature for 15 minutes-2 hours or until they have formed a skin and are dry to touch and they don't leave anything sticky on your fingers if you gently touch it.
Step 8 - Preheat the oven to 150C/300F for non fan forced or 130C/266F fan forced. Bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool before removing.
Step 9 - Make buttercream by placing the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a beater attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add icing or superfine sugar 1 cup at a time making sure to beat it on low speed so that the icing sugar doesn't go everywhere. Add milk if it is getting a bit too stiff. Finally, add the vanilla extract and beat until you get a smooth texture. Match the swan halves and with a paintbrush, paint some feathers on each half. Fill one half with the buttercream filling and gently press against the other. Allow to rest for 24-48 hours (so that the shell softens and absorbs the flavours of the buttercream).
Step 10 - Allowing the macarons to rest also gives your swan necks time to set. Roll small sausages of white fondant and then shape into an S shape. Pinch a small beak into the end of one. Allow to harden overnight or for a few hours. Then paint with black and orange food colouring gel as shown above. Gently push the necks into the buttercream and then sit the swans upright.