I just read Jill’s blog about cupcakes and I agree, they are still hot! You can buy or make cupcakes for any occasion, including weddings. In fact, Kristen (our Assistant Food Editor) made cupcakes for her sister’s wedding and you can find the recipes for them in an upcoming (Aprill/May 2010) Betty Crocker supermarket magazine.
But did you know that cupcakes may be in jeopardy of being the most popular sweet treat? “Move Over, Cupcake: Make Way for the Macaron,” was the title of a recent NPR story (French macarons are spelled with only one "o"). These are not the American macaroons made with coconut but the French macarons made with finely-ground almonds.
These small sandwich cookies are are made with ground almonds, egg whites and sugar and then filled with buttercream, ganache or fruit purées. They come in every color of the rainbow.
I have been experimenting with making macarons and, let me tell you, it is not easy to make them. Many batches and recipes later, I’m finally getting the hang of it. I’ll tell you more about my trials (and tribulations) with making these sweet and delicious bites in a future post.
Since they are so difficult to make, I was thrilled to find a new pastry shop in St. Paul, called Sweets Bakeshop. I’m in love……with the shop and the only sweets they make: cupcakes and macarons.
My co-worker Ann and I tasted these mini cupcakes (from left to right): Smores—graham cracker cake filled with chocolate ganache topped with toasted meringue, So Currant—Chocolate cake topped with currant buttercream and candied almonds and the Berries & Champagne—berry cake topped with sparkling wine buttercream. Yum!!
These macarons were delicous! From left to right, Lavender—lavender infused chocolate ganache and caramel cream, Salted Caramel—caramel cream and fleur de sel, and Mint Basil—fresh mint and basil infused chocolate ganache. My favorite were the Salted Caramel ones.
Even the Wall Street Journal published an article on macarons, titled: Mon Dieu! Will Newfound Popularity spoil the Dainty Macaron?
In my favorite Paris Breakfasts blog, I read that Pierre Hermé in Paris is celebrating "Macaron Day" (Jour de Macaron) on March 20th. What I wouldn’t give to be in Paris on March 20th!