This week, the creator of The Mandalorian, the founding father of the MCU, the man/myth/legend himself, Jon Favreau joins us to discuss some recently-spotted blue macarons being snacked upon by The Child. What do they taste like? Are they an homage to blue milk? Can I get cast in the next Marvel movie, perhaps as a superhero with cooking powers? Only one way to find out.
Ingredients
French Macarons Ingredients:
140 g almond flour
130 g powdered sugar
100 g egg white
⅛ tsp cream of tarter
90 g granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp raspberry extract
Blue food coloring
French Buttercream Filling Method:
100 g granulated sugar
30 ml water
5 egg yolks
225 g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp raspberry extract
Blue food coloring
Wafer Sugar Cookie Ingredients:
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp raspberry extract
1 cup flour
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp baking powder
Method
French Macarons Method:
Sift together 140 grams of almond flour with 130 grams of powdered sugar into a bowl of a food processor. Whiz together and pulse occasionally for 30 seconds.
Pour into a separate bowl and sift back into the food processor. Whiz together and pulse occasionally for another 30 seconds. Repeat once more.
Measure out 100 grams of egg white. Reserve yolks for later.
Dump whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tarter. Whip for 1 minute until frothy.
Once frothy, very slowly sprinkle in 90 grams of granulated sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
For coloring and flavor, add ½ teaspoon each of vanilla and raspberry extract and a few drops of blue food coloring. Mix together until stiff peaks form.
Sift in ⅓ of the finely ground almond flour and powdered sugar mixture. Gently fold together using a rubber spatula.
Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated and smooth, sift in the rest of the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture. Continue folding until a smooth goopy mixture is formed.
Dump into a piping bag. Whip around a few times before piping round dollops onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Thoroughly whack the baking sheet on the table to help release any air bubbles and flatten out the tops.
Let sit uncovered for 45 minutes at room temperature.
Bake at 300°F for 12 minutes. Rotate once halfway through.
Let cool completely before serving.
French Buttercream Filling Method:
In a medium saucepan, add 100 grams of granulated sugar and 30 ml of water. Place over medium heat.
Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add in 5 egg yolks and beat on medium speed until doubled in volume.
Once the sugar mixture has reached 240°F, very slowly stream it into the mixer as it runs.
Once it cools down to room temperature (while still mixing), add in 225 grams (2 sticks) of unsalted room temperature butter. Add the butter in one piece at a time.
Once the butter is incorporated, add in ¼ teaspoon each of raspberry and vanilla extract. Mix to incorporate.
Add in the blue food coloring and beat until combined.
Place into a piping bag with a fluted tip and place a small circle onto the flat side of the cookie. Top with another cookie similar in size.
Wafer Method:
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer cream together ¼ cup (½ stick) of unsalted butter (softened) with ½ cup of granulated sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
Beat in 1 room temperature egg, ¼ teaspoon each of raspberry and vanilla extract, and a little blue food coloring. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with ½ teaspoon each of kosher salt and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
Add to the bowl with a blue mixture and mix until no dry streaks remain.
Using a melon baller, spoons, or a piping bag, place round dollops along a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 325°F for 15-20 minutes or until dry to the touch.