"Macaroni" - this is not what people call macaroni in Russia. French pastry "Macaroni" is a popular dessert not only in France, but also in Canada, the US and Japan. The name of the dessert "Macaroni" comes from the word ammaccare (maccarone / maccherone ital.) Which literally means "smash, crush". Strictly speaking, the name indicates the method of making the main ingredient - almond powder.
Pastry "Macaroni"
French "Macaroni" is a confectionery product, reminiscent of meringue. Prepare "Macaroni" from egg whites, ground almonds, granulated sugar, sugar powder and food colorings. Usually this dessert has three layers - between the two cookies is a layer of cream or jam. Recipes of "Macaroni" in different cities of France are definitely different. In Amiens, for example, use not only almonds, but also fruits and honey.
The recipe for pastry "Macaroni"
Ingredients:
- 200 g of sugar (crystals should be small), and better - powdered sugar;
- 100-130 g of almond flour (almond kernels, ground very finely);
- 50 ml of boiled water;
- 100 g (3-4 pcs) of egg white;
- 3 g of dry protein;
- some vanilla and cinnamon;
- some food coloring (optional).
Preparation:
How to cook "Macaroni" cake? We make almond flour: the almond kernels are pulverized, sieved and dried for about a week. 150 g of sugar filled with water in a saucepan and put on fire. While the syrup is brewed, we can whisk the egg whites (better cooled) with the addition of dry protein at low speed, gradually pouring the remaining sugar. Continue to beat until the syrup reaches a strong boil. Now a little catch and carefully, with continuous vigorous stirring, pour the syrup into the squirrels (not vice versa!). We mix it to obtain a mass with a smooth texture. Mix the almond flour into the dough in a few tricks. At the same stage of cooking, add cinnamon, vanilla and dye. Better, of course, natural, for example, raspberry or cherry syrup.
We bake "Macaroni"
We lay the baking tray with a double layer of foil (or parchment paper). Fill the confectionery bag with a dough and squeeze the dough onto a baking tray with circles of about 2 cm in diameter. Shake the pan slightly and leave the minutes for 30-50. If there are bubbles on the surface of the dough, you can carefully puncture each of them with a toothpick. We place a baking sheet with future cookies in the oven, heated to about 140-160ºС. We bake cookies for 12-15 minutes. A crust, when touched, should not stick to your fingers. Ready cookies should cool down, then grease one cookie with any cream or jam (thick confiture) to your liking and cover with other cookies. It should be noted that the French usually use the ganache (cream-chocolate cream) or Kurd (thick fruit cream) to "Macaroni" interlayer.
Traditional creams for "Macaroni"
Ganash is prepared as follows: heat 50 ml thick fat cream, melt in them 80 grams of bitter chocolate or 100 grams of white chocolate, mix until homogeneous and cool.
Lemon cream. Zest of two lemons we mix with 200 g of sugar-sand. Then pour lemon juice (4 lemons) into the sugar and mix thoroughly. Separately, we shall fiddle with a fork or a halo of four eggs (there should be no foam). We pour into sugar and leave for half an hour. Strain into a small saucepan and add about 40-50 grams of natural butter. We will cook on medium-low heat, stirring, until confident thickening. Of course, before the interlayer, the cream should be cooled.
Ready "Macaroni" is good to serve with tea, coffee, rooibos or other similar drinks. You can serve and a glass of liqueur, for example, chocolate, almond, or fruit.