Cute-as-can-be, buttery macarons capture the whimsy and elegance of Paris, where they're traditionally served with teaor wrapped up in ribbon to give as a gift. But the secrets of making perfect macarons have long eluded home bakersuntil now! In I Love Macarons, renowned Japanese pastry-maker Hisako Ogita brings her extensive experience to the art of baking macarons with fully illustrated foolproof step-by-step instructions. This charmingly designed guide is sure to have pastry lovers everywhere whipping up these colorful confections at home, using ordinary baking equipment and simple ingredients to create myriad flavors of perfection.
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About the Author
Hisako Ogita is a Japanese pastry chef and author of 3 cookbooks on French pastry.
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272 of 285 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Overall, I really like the look of this book and purchased six of them, one for myself and five others for friends. But, for a book that is dedicated solely to the creation of the macaron, the French Meringue recipe will not yield successful macarons. After many many batches attempting to recreate the results shown in the book, I finally went in search of help on the internet and discovered this site: [...].
Helen Dujardin is 100% french, and in my opinion the US-based macaron guru. With her assistance, I have been able to correct the French Meringue recipe in I Love Macarons. There is a great deal of essential information missing from the book. For example, the amount of egg white needed is 90 gr, definitely DO NOT use three large eggs as even medium eggs will yield more white than needed. And, the eggs must first be aged. To age them, they need to be out of their shells, separated from the yolks and left to stand uncovered for a couple of days at room temperature in the coolest part of your kitchen. (To understand this process better and learn a work around, read Helen DuJardin's article Demystifying Macarons found on the internet.) Using non-aged eggs will cause the pied or foot of your macarons to spread. The pied should not extend beyond the shell.
Secondly, the information in the book on confectioner's sugar is confusing. For instance, the book says not to use confectioner's sugar containing cornstarch (cornstarch-free sugar is not available in the US as far as I can tell). However, the product sample pictured in the book, by Woodstock Farms, actually does contain cornstarch. I tried making my own cornstarch-free confectioner's sugar by whirling it around in my food processor until it was a fine dust, but this yielded very unsatisfactory results in the form of dull, cracked macarons with no pied. What I learned from Helen DuJardin, is that it is okay to use confectioner's sugar with cornstarch, but stay away from the discount brands as they may contain more cornstarch than sugar. The recipe in the book calls for 1 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar and that should be increased to approximately 1 3/4 cup or 200 gr.
The amount of granulated sugar called for in the book is 5 tablespoons, however, I followed Helen DuJardin's recipe and used 2 tablespoons, and this is where the superfine sugar I made in my food processor came in handy and I used this rather than granulated sugar in my meringue.
The recipe in the book calls for 2/3 cup ground almond flour, way less than what is actually required. Use a full, firmly-packed cup or 110 gr. I purchased a five-pound bag on the internet from Honeyville but after reading Helen DuJardin's article, I will use fresh blanched almonds in the future as the pre-ground almond flour tends to be dry and will not yield optimal results. Blanched (without the dark skin) almonds will give you a macaron without the little specks, but either with or without skin will work.
From the standpoint of technique, and in addition to an accurate receipe, making macarons is all about the technique. Unfortunatley, I also found some problems with the techniques as described in the book. For example, the meringue should be whipped (on medium-high speed) just to the point where it will not slide out of the mixer bowl, reaching a medium stiff texture, or it will be too dry. The book says to beat on high until the meringue is stiff, firm and glossy, which may take it too far.
The macaronage technique (blending the meringue with the almonds and sugar) in the book is guaranteed to overwork your batter. What I found most helpful is Helen DuJardin's instruction that the whole process should take no more than 50 strokes. Too many strokes equals overworked batter and will give you thin batter that will not hold up once piped onto the cookie sheet. And, as an amateur patissier, it is important to note that while you do not want to overwork your batter, you do not have to worry about deflating the meringue as with other recipes.
As far as using two baking sheets is concerned, I found that when using a good quality baking sheet, lined with a Silpat or parchment paper,(a good recipe and proper technique), it is not necessary to use double baking pans and this actually kept my macarons from completely cooking on the bottoms, making them sticky and difficult to remove. As for cooking time, I think you will need to work with that a bit on your individual ovens. 280 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 - 18 minutes is what Helen Dujardin recommends.
I also had a problem with the butter cream making technique. When making the sugar syrup component, four minutes in the microwave is far too much time and cooking times can vary from one microwave to another. This is something better accomplished with a thermometer and getting the sugar to a temperature of approximately 235 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
In defense of Hisako Ogita, the author of I Love Macarons, I suspect that someone somewhere in the book publishing process tampered with her recipes, or perhaps they were corrupted in translation. She looks as if she genuinely does love macarons and is obviously getting successful results. In all my research, I did discover that professional patissiers prefer the Italian Meringue recipe over the French for consistent results (perhaps that is what Hisako used). I haven't gotten that far in I Love Macarons as of yet. The Italian recipe does require a little more technique expertise, but I think mastering the French one will prepare me for that eventuality.
Good Luck!
Helen Dujardin is 100% french, and in my opinion the US-based macaron guru. With her assistance, I have been able to correct the French Meringue recipe in I Love Macarons. There is a great deal of essential information missing from the book. For example, the amount of egg white needed is 90 gr, definitely DO NOT use three large eggs as even medium eggs will yield more white than needed. And, the eggs must first be aged. To age them, they need to be out of their shells, separated from the yolks and left to stand uncovered for a couple of days at room temperature in the coolest part of your kitchen. (To understand this process better and learn a work around, read Helen DuJardin's article Demystifying Macarons found on the internet.) Using non-aged eggs will cause the pied or foot of your macarons to spread. The pied should not extend beyond the shell.
Secondly, the information in the book on confectioner's sugar is confusing. For instance, the book says not to use confectioner's sugar containing cornstarch (cornstarch-free sugar is not available in the US as far as I can tell). However, the product sample pictured in the book, by Woodstock Farms, actually does contain cornstarch. I tried making my own cornstarch-free confectioner's sugar by whirling it around in my food processor until it was a fine dust, but this yielded very unsatisfactory results in the form of dull, cracked macarons with no pied. What I learned from Helen DuJardin, is that it is okay to use confectioner's sugar with cornstarch, but stay away from the discount brands as they may contain more cornstarch than sugar. The recipe in the book calls for 1 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar and that should be increased to approximately 1 3/4 cup or 200 gr.
The amount of granulated sugar called for in the book is 5 tablespoons, however, I followed Helen DuJardin's recipe and used 2 tablespoons, and this is where the superfine sugar I made in my food processor came in handy and I used this rather than granulated sugar in my meringue.
The recipe in the book calls for 2/3 cup ground almond flour, way less than what is actually required. Use a full, firmly-packed cup or 110 gr. I purchased a five-pound bag on the internet from Honeyville but after reading Helen DuJardin's article, I will use fresh blanched almonds in the future as the pre-ground almond flour tends to be dry and will not yield optimal results. Blanched (without the dark skin) almonds will give you a macaron without the little specks, but either with or without skin will work.
From the standpoint of technique, and in addition to an accurate receipe, making macarons is all about the technique. Unfortunatley, I also found some problems with the techniques as described in the book. For example, the meringue should be whipped (on medium-high speed) just to the point where it will not slide out of the mixer bowl, reaching a medium stiff texture, or it will be too dry. The book says to beat on high until the meringue is stiff, firm and glossy, which may take it too far.
The macaronage technique (blending the meringue with the almonds and sugar) in the book is guaranteed to overwork your batter. What I found most helpful is Helen DuJardin's instruction that the whole process should take no more than 50 strokes. Too many strokes equals overworked batter and will give you thin batter that will not hold up once piped onto the cookie sheet. And, as an amateur patissier, it is important to note that while you do not want to overwork your batter, you do not have to worry about deflating the meringue as with other recipes.
As far as using two baking sheets is concerned, I found that when using a good quality baking sheet, lined with a Silpat or parchment paper,(a good recipe and proper technique), it is not necessary to use double baking pans and this actually kept my macarons from completely cooking on the bottoms, making them sticky and difficult to remove. As for cooking time, I think you will need to work with that a bit on your individual ovens. 280 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 - 18 minutes is what Helen Dujardin recommends.
I also had a problem with the butter cream making technique. When making the sugar syrup component, four minutes in the microwave is far too much time and cooking times can vary from one microwave to another. This is something better accomplished with a thermometer and getting the sugar to a temperature of approximately 235 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
In defense of Hisako Ogita, the author of I Love Macarons, I suspect that someone somewhere in the book publishing process tampered with her recipes, or perhaps they were corrupted in translation. She looks as if she genuinely does love macarons and is obviously getting successful results. In all my research, I did discover that professional patissiers prefer the Italian Meringue recipe over the French for consistent results (perhaps that is what Hisako used). I haven't gotten that far in I Love Macarons as of yet. The Italian recipe does require a little more technique expertise, but I think mastering the French one will prepare me for that eventuality.
Good Luck!
69 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The first time I had a macaron in Paris, I knew I was addicted... This book is an excellant weapon to have in your macaron arsenal.
Hisako does a great job walking you through the method of preparation with these challenging but full of flavor cookies. All kitchen tools you will need are explained. Troubleshooting techniques as well. She explains the two different types of batter for preparing the shell, which is impossible to find on the internet. The methods are easily written for the baking beginner to follow and understand. Detailed info on the flavoring agents, ingredients (props for using organic powdered sugar (many do not realize the importance of this).
Once you have mastered the macaron shell and all the flavor options, you will move on to the cream filling. There are many types of creams, curds, custards, and ganche recipes. Detailed enough so they are easy to follow without overkill. The pictures are prefect.
The book will wrap up (pun intended) with gift wrapping ideas for the macarons. If you have been to Paris then you know what I mean. Parisans take their macarons very serious.
Last, (I will have to say is genious also because you never see this in a cookbook), she gives you recipes to make addional items with the leftover egg yolks. (Remember macarons are powdered sugar, ground almond, egg whites.) From creams, puddings, brulee, to ice cream. I thought that was a nice touch to have in a book.
The content is detailed, not overwhelming, straight forard for the new baker and in depth enough for the macaron connoisseur.
I highly recommend this book you are have the desire to bake these at home and learn about macarons. Great value for the price!
**I would like to add on after baking a few macarons, pay close attention to the fact that you are using a 375 oven with DOUBLE baking sheets, that is not traditional but yeilds great results and gives you some "room for error" or adj if needed towards the end of baking. GLTA!
Hisako does a great job walking you through the method of preparation with these challenging but full of flavor cookies. All kitchen tools you will need are explained. Troubleshooting techniques as well. She explains the two different types of batter for preparing the shell, which is impossible to find on the internet. The methods are easily written for the baking beginner to follow and understand. Detailed info on the flavoring agents, ingredients (props for using organic powdered sugar (many do not realize the importance of this).
Once you have mastered the macaron shell and all the flavor options, you will move on to the cream filling. There are many types of creams, curds, custards, and ganche recipes. Detailed enough so they are easy to follow without overkill. The pictures are prefect.
The book will wrap up (pun intended) with gift wrapping ideas for the macarons. If you have been to Paris then you know what I mean. Parisans take their macarons very serious.
Last, (I will have to say is genious also because you never see this in a cookbook), she gives you recipes to make addional items with the leftover egg yolks. (Remember macarons are powdered sugar, ground almond, egg whites.) From creams, puddings, brulee, to ice cream. I thought that was a nice touch to have in a book.
The content is detailed, not overwhelming, straight forard for the new baker and in depth enough for the macaron connoisseur.
I highly recommend this book you are have the desire to bake these at home and learn about macarons. Great value for the price!
**I would like to add on after baking a few macarons, pay close attention to the fact that you are using a 375 oven with DOUBLE baking sheets, that is not traditional but yeilds great results and gives you some "room for error" or adj if needed towards the end of baking. GLTA!
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I noticed that a lot of the reviews come from people who haven't tried using the recipe yet, and I just made my first batch using the French meringue technique and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents:
As written, it didn't work in my kitchen. Good-tasting, but it cracked and no pied. I had initially thought that the technique described or baking temperatures suggested were off. If you look on pg 28, she slides the baking pan in a Japanese-style oven that looks like a giant toaster oven. Surely a larger American-style oven would require different directions?
However, I noticed that David Lebovitz's recipe is nearly identical in procedure, down to the 375 degree oven, but is different in ingredient proportions. (It's posted here: [...]) Is it possible the ingredients that one could obtain in Japan are of slightly different proportion and composition? Maybe they have smaller eggs in Japan? It's hard to say.
The frequent typos, as other reviewers have mentioned, were annoying and unprofessional.
Is this book completely worthless, then? Not at all. It's beautifully designed and whimsically photographed. It depicts macaron-making as fun and completely do-able in your kitchen. One could very easily go down the path of scientific analysis when it comes to making these pastries, which is useful for troubleshooting, but does little to inspire someone to try it at all.
As written, it didn't work in my kitchen. Good-tasting, but it cracked and no pied. I had initially thought that the technique described or baking temperatures suggested were off. If you look on pg 28, she slides the baking pan in a Japanese-style oven that looks like a giant toaster oven. Surely a larger American-style oven would require different directions?
However, I noticed that David Lebovitz's recipe is nearly identical in procedure, down to the 375 degree oven, but is different in ingredient proportions. (It's posted here: [...]) Is it possible the ingredients that one could obtain in Japan are of slightly different proportion and composition? Maybe they have smaller eggs in Japan? It's hard to say.
The frequent typos, as other reviewers have mentioned, were annoying and unprofessional.
Is this book completely worthless, then? Not at all. It's beautifully designed and whimsically photographed. It depicts macaron-making as fun and completely do-able in your kitchen. One could very easily go down the path of scientific analysis when it comes to making these pastries, which is useful for troubleshooting, but does little to inspire someone to try it at all.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautiful Design, Recipe is....
When I received the book as a gift (my friends know I am an avid baker and that I recently became obsessed with macarons)I was ecstatic. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Brittany Kramer
Big price for little book
Well I have to be honest I saw what seemed to be glowing reviews. When I get the book I was shocked by the tiny size. Yes it did say it was 80 pages. Yes that is small. Read more
Published 6 months ago by L. Eikeland
Best book on macarons!
My rating solely is for this book published in other languages, as I do not have the English version. I own this book published in Japanese! Read more
Published 6 months ago by Venus Miao Wei
OK but there are better books/websites
The book is beautiful to look at and it can inspire a macaron lover...but only after they learn how to make macarons with a different recipe. Read more
Published 7 months ago by New York EMR
Get It! Don't even think about, just Get It!
Recipe is really great - FAIL SAFE. Step by step pictures. Comes also with great recipes for the left over egg yolks (take note of one particular custard pudding recipe - amazing). Read more
Published 9 months ago by mel
Buy it for the pictures
This book is very, very Japanese, which means that it's colorful and friendly and full of lovely photographs. That being said, don't get it for the recipes. Read more
Published 10 months ago by cstraughn
Use for ideas but bad instructions
I fell in love with macaroons with TK's bakery in Yountville like many other people. It was this heavenly thing of moist and chewy vessel of subtle flavors of the ingredients they... Read more
Published 11 months ago by JLiu
Lost in Translation
I agree with the other reviewer who said that the ingredient quantities and technique offered in this book will not yield successful macarons. Read more
Published 13 months ago by SF09
More Macarons!!!
I Love Macarons and I Love This Book. Colors to make you smile and the recipes turn out picture perfect. Love, Love, Love, this book.
Published 13 months ago by Millie
Inspiring but Frustrating...
As an avid lover of les macarons I was thrilled to purchase this book. I love to cook and try new recipes and typically have success however something is off with many of the... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Parisienne Farmgirl
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