Car park rage...and more macarons!

Why is it that there are some people who seem to think that 'parent and child' or 'disabled' parking spaces are for people who fit neither category.  It makes me really cross.  I almost said something to some woman today who pulled up next to me - no car seat, no child, no nothing and plenty of other spots to park in but no...she had to park in the parent and child parking spot.  Frankly, I know they are in useful places in terms of proximity to the entry to the shop/park etc, but if you don't have kids you do risk damage to your car as the parents try to manhandle the children, car seats, shopping etc into the door!  Another bunch of people who have annoyed me this week (should I up my happy pill dose?) are people who drop litter - it's everywhere and I saw someone doing the other day from their car....oh, it makes me livid.

When the coalition were asking everyone to come up with money saving ideas to kick start the economy, Peter and I had many a conversation (normally over a glass of wine or three).  Amongst the ideas which I could never of course put forward seriously as it's slightly right wing (@), was the idea of some form of satellite thing which zaps people from space and they turn to dust!  So, it could zap litter droppers and they would simply blow away - their litter wouldn't need to be collected by the council and that would save us money!

Anyway, onto more serious issues.  I have, as I mentioned previously, been baking.  Today I have prepared the ingredients for 2 christmas puddings (based on Delia's recipe) and also been making macarons (again!).  All to overcome my rage at those car park space people!  I was given a mass of apples so I thought I would make some sort of apple based macaron.  I added cinnamon to the macaron shell and then made a filling with 3 apples, some lemon and orange zest (about zest of half of each), melted butter (3 tblspoons) and 4 tablespoons brown sugar.  Simmzer for about 30 minutes.  If the apples aren't soft and basically merged with the rest, bash with a masher!

Am quite pleased with the result.  Used that natural food colouring again - it really doesn't like to be cooked.  These ones were meant to be green......

Bring out the figgy pudding

Apple macarons....not quite green

Macaron anyone? Or maybe macaroon?

Now, I've been looking at the difference - and it seems that the difference is that macaroon relates to the coconut one which is dipped in chocolate whereas macaron is the colourful one made from egg whites and almonds and sandwiched together (see below)!

Now, those artistic beauties above were made by me! I can't believe it.  I don't know what came over me but I'm incredibly happy.....and likely to get incredibly fat if I eat them all!  I forgot to take my happy pill this morning - I've just remembered this and won't bother today now (not sure what happens if you forget...I've forgotten before) but I'm wondering if making and eating macarons is the new way to overcome PND!

I've been thinking of making them since watching the Great British Bakeoff when they all said 'oh those tricky little wotsits, reduce you to tears etc etc'.  I thought I would give it a go - but oh my, which method to choose?  There seem to be two - one uses what I would call a normal meringue approach (i.e whisking the egg whites with sugar in a bowl) and the other is apparently an 'italian meringue' which creates a hot syrup liquid to pour into the almonds...or something.  The advice re. colour is also mixed - some say to use a gel based colour and others a liquid one.  Mmh.

So, as we had plasterers in today and Arty was tired, I stayed in to rest.....and make macarons using the normal meringue recipe.  I used a combination of the recipe on the Pink Whisk (runner up in GBBO last year) and also one from the BBC food magazine.  Made half the amount the recipe called for as wasn't sure how they would turn out.  I also used liquid egg whites for the first time which was exciting and, as many others have said, has meant I don't need to find a use for all those egg yolks.  I used these ones - Two Chicks

Here is my approach to macarons (makes 9 largish ones, so maybe 12 - 15 smaller ones):

(a) line two baking trays with greaseproof paper and draw little circles on them (my circles were maybe a bit big - I used an almost empty sellotape roll to go round)

(b) mix 87.5g icing sugar and 62.5 g ground almonds in the food processor and keep mixing while you make the meringues (this was me following the Pink Whisk)

(c) whisk 55g egg whites (probably about 1.5 eggs) until they reach soft peak (I did this by hand so I could see how the egg whites were doing) and then gradually add 37.5 g caster sugar (I added in 3 lots) until it is smooth and glossy.  My mum taught me to rub my fingers together with a little of the mix to see if it was still grainy.  If no longer grainy, it's done

(d) add your food colouring.  Now I used Natural Food Colourings which I found in the shop and tried to make them pink (as you can see, they are not - either because I didn't use enough or because they are sensitive to heat and so changed....next time I'll use plenty of E numbers!).  Whisk a bit more.

(e) Fold in half of the almond/icing sugar mix, seiving it in first.  Always fold with a metal spoon (or spatula...just not a wooden one).  Then add the other half.

(f) I then folded for a couple of minutes but followed the tip I found on the BBC website that it should form a thick ribbon coming off the spatula when it's done and then 'melt' back into the mix within 30 seconds

(g) Pipe (or use a teaspoon as I did as I couldn't muster the energy to make a piping bag) your mix onto the trays, bang the trays a few times to sort out the air bubbles and leave to form a skin for about 30 - 40 mins.

(h) Bake for 13 minutes in 160 degrees.  Remove from oven and leave to cool

Here are mine resting:

(i) Fill with whatever filling you fancy.  I made a chocolate one - with 55g of dark chocolate chopped finely (I had to use a mix with some orange lindt chocolate) and add to that some warm double cream (60g).  Leave for a few mins then mix together.  Then add 12.5 g of soft unsalted butter and mix.  Leave to cool/set a bit and then fill your macarons.

Oh my.  I have eaten one.  I have never had a macaron before.  I shall be making them every day (well, ok, maybe not everyday....).  Lovely. lovely.  Am already contemplating various flavours.

Here are is another pic to bore you with.