Wow, Mrs Frat Can Bake Really Well! Macarons Mama!

I was pleasantly surprised when Fratmustard dropped by to collect his order of cakes today, and gave me THESE babies, made by his wife, who incidentally is a mother of twins. How a mother of twins can find time to bake time consuming things like macarons is really one of those mysteries, like how do Pygmy seahorses make babies.....




Texture is fabulous, almost if not on par with the french lady's, Natalie Arberfuille, who's class I attended.

Mrs Frat, can sub-contract mac orders to you ah? ;)

Thanks muchly...... my waist line thanks you too.

Macarons From The Young Patissier

A few months ago, Young Breadpitt (I just LOVE that nickname...) posted on his blog asking for slogans on WHY one should date a pastry chef. Well, to be honest, if I were a woman, I won't, coz I'd want to have an hourglass figure, and dating a pastry chef would be like an alcoholic dating Remy Martin or J.C. Jacobsen.

Breadpitt was offering some lovely handmade pralines as a prize for the slogans, and well, I've never had much luck in slogan writing.... If I were to write a slogan for Anchor Beer, for example, I'd say, "Is your life tossing in the sea of tribulation like a ship about to sink? You need an ANCHOR!". Alas, the person interviewing me for a copywriting job didn't even bother looking up and said, "NEXT".

So yeah, I was pretty surprised when Breadpitt announced that I was one of two winners and qualified to get them lovely handmade pralines. Alas, being the procrastinator that I am, the hours turned to days, the days to weeks, the weeks to months, and the young patissier became increasingly frustrated at my lack of commitment to make it to the appointed place. The one time I could make it, he couldn't!!! Sigh. Anyway, maybe time and tide waits for no man, and neither would handmade pralines, so I guess I could see my box sprout wings and fly away.

Then he asks, "do you like macarons?", shortly after my macaron class. Duhh. Of course I like macarons, if they're of the same quality as Natalie Arbifeuille's. We begin again the negotiation of dates for the long awaited rendezvous....and I suspect macarons have an even shorter shelf life than pralines, so finally, Breadpitt offered to deliver them to a nearby location. Aiyo, I feel so bad. I OWE YOU A DINNER, young man. Or a drink at the very least.

So, finally, I got my hands on these babies. Aren't they simply gorgeous?

Complete with gold leaf. I don't think I've eaten gold leaf before. One only hears and dreams about these things.

The texture is almost similar to Natalie's, and by extension, French. Surprisingly, VERY surprising, it wasn't too sweet either. Breadpitt told me later that he added lemon to the filling, hence neutralising the sweetness. Yeah, we've been taught and told you absolutely CANNOT reduce the sugar quantities in thes French desserts. I couldn't resist popping one into my mouth immediately, although the prescription was to let it chill in the fridge overnight.

And yup, today, it was even better!!!! It actually crisps up in the fridge. Ah, with a cup of coffee, absolute bliss.

Thanks heaps, Breadpitt. You have a new fan!!!!

Magical Macarons

My first shock, regarding these desserts, was the spelling. I always thought it had a double O, like carTOON, bufFOON, but I guess I was wrong. In fact, macaroons, according to Wikipedia, are different from Macarons, just like a CarTON is different from a CarTOON. However, I think by and large, no one really cares, and in fact, even the advertisement in the Cooking House said Macaroon. Heck, even Laduree, the Mecca of Macaroons, spells them with a double "O", in their website. (Incidentally, the Laduree ones look terribly oorgasmic)

I only ever recall eating the ones from Lemon Garden, Shangrila, and they were horrible. Enough to give you diabetes from one nibble, and completely unsubtle taste.

As I've always been very curious to know HOW these little biscuits are piped to such perfection and such circular shapes, I was thrilled to see the Cooking House feature this class, by a French lady no less. I apparently cajoled Ciki, into coming with me, as we both had RM100 vouchers from Cooking House to be utilised. And, the class was on a WEEKDAY!!! Yay. I love weekday classes. Just tell the office, I'm going for a course.

The instructress, Chef Nathalie Arberfeuille, has an aura of Chefdom about her. You straightaway feel you are in the correct hands. It's kinda like going for boxing lessons with Muhammad Ali, as opposed to going for singing lessons with Mawi. It helps, with that sexay French accent....it sends shiversss up my spine....

Everytime I go to the Cooking House, I feel very at home. To my surprise, the class was packed. (aiya, these people all no need to work one ah). Fortunately, I was not the only rose amongst the thorns, as there was another chappie there attending as well. (But he professional chef).

First, we were briefed about the sensitivities of the project. Apparently these are very sensitive, precise biscuits, with very low tolerance for mistakes, or inaccuracy, temperature, etc. When she says 118C, its 118C, not 121, or 115....make no mistake. 75gms of egg white is SEVENTY FIVE GRAMS, don't try to be a smart alec and allow 78gm. Phwah.....sounds like some people I know..



She looks a bit like Julie Andrews hor! I felt like I was in the Sound of Music. Minus the music. And annoying small children. And nuns.



Check out Ciki...she looks like she's racing with the other girl to see who can Mac-simize their Macs...pump it Ciki Pump It...yeah....actually, I meant Pipe it...

This fella here is the raison d'etre for Ciki's presence at the class. (by her own admission) Debonair and youthful chef Ryan Khang.



It really is a miracle of physics, I reckon, how the batter just spreads evenly to form perfect circles.





And look at those baked biscuits...amazing how there seem to be two distinct layers.


Dang, previously not a fan, just looking at these while I'm writing is making me hungry. Who'd have thought.



Hey, the ganache filling is valrhona chocolate okay. I reckon, it would taste good any which way!!!


Part of the process was to find each biscuit a matching mate. It was almost like a mass Korean cult wedding. Pairs of macs waiting to be tied together in holy matrimony.




I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.





I am now a macaronian. A convert, to the macaron religion. The ethereal light melt in the mouth biscuit, albeit a bit sweet, is complemented by the dark valrhona ganache. Divine.

However, not all macs are created equal. One of my classmates told me that this was not the first macaroon class she was attending coz she wasn't satisfied with the previous ones. Wow, talk about commitment. Even she was impressed with Nathalie's product.



We also had coconut and pistachio macaroons, but we missed the assembly line, coz Ciki, Ryan and I snuck out for lunch...which is another story altogether.

These babies taste better after a few days in an airtight container in the fridge. That's what the Chef told us, and the Chef was correct.

Now, to find a recipe that needs lots of yolks, so I can use the whites for my first attempt!!!!