Treating the Piles with Macaron Stacks
What happened to this week? I’ll spare you with the details: I mean, who wants to hear about the dishwasher going sick, my sycophantic calls to the Mairie (long story, don’t ask), or that I forgot to defrost my prized Scottish Haggis for Burns Night; or that my patient web designer is underwhelmed with the lack of organisation behind the website? Admittedly, I also spotted a post I completely forgot to publish in October about Captain Haddock’s nose, Fishcakes and Tartar Sauce like Corsica. But who wants to read it? Fishcakes on a macaron website? Madness. It’s high time I filed better online plus treat these piles of manuscripts, papers, notes, and find a home for that Thai blue elephant.
Could I just dump everything and go on strike? No. I can’t do that. I’ll just blame it all on Rod Stewart’s Paris concert on Monday night. There’s nothing like starting the week off on a high note.
Don’t you think I’m sexy?
The last few days have been sailing at a hydrofoil speed of knots, while singing “Don’t you think I’m sexy?” as my eye sockets have been flashing their extra baggage allowance alert. How does Rod do it? He still rocks. As my creativity levels were gradually sinking, a magnesium boost was recommended for my boat to rock: so treatment sounded appropriate with a healthy dose of dark chocolate-hazelnut macarons (the recipe is in the book). Gluten free, as always. Much better.
With not enough egg whites for 150g, I used the reference chart at the back of the book for a smaller quantity of macaron shells. But I used the full recipe for the filling on page 59. You know what that means, don’t you? EXTRA, left-over dark chocolate ganache! So for the kids’ goûter after school I made some grissini éclairs (follow recipe for choux buns and pipe them out in thin sticks) that they could dip into the chocolate ganache. Great idea from Eclairs! by Christophe Adam.
Don’t you think my eclair grissinis are sexy? (sing along with Rod Stewart)
For a reheating left-over ganache tip: When ready to use, if you reheat the ganache too abruptly in the microwave, the ganache’s butter risks splitting and it really doesn’t look that sexy. I would recommend heating the ganache gently in a saucepan, whisking to ensure that the sauce is even.
2222 likes on facebook
Speaking of even, it was exciting to see we hit 2222 likes on Facebook. How else but express it with macaron couples? Then it was 2234 likes and the piles started.
Then it was 2234…
Could I keep on stacking macarons like this?
It’s high time to stop playing with macarons and just get organised.
Best go and make a Scottish dinner with that defrosted Haggis and pretend it’s Burn’s Night this weekend. Then again, I could also finally resurrect these smoked fishcakes…
Enjoy the rest of your week, too!
This week will be better. And I always blame Rod for everything. Also feel free to blame my demon spawn puppy. I always feel better when I do. xx
You’re right, Kim. It’s better!
Congrats on the 2222 likes :)! Your macaroons are always making me drool…so hard to find a good one where I live short of me making them which I have yet to try ;)! Hope you are having a great weekend Jill :)!
Amy, with all these yummy treats you bake and martinis… you just have to get making macarons! What are you waiting for?
Jill,
I’m all for dancing in the kitchen with Rod Stewart and munching on all of those delightful macrons:) Sounds like a fun, relaxing weekend:) Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging, and we don’t know if we are coming or going.
Congrats on 2222 on FB!
Cheers to macaron dances, Becky.
Mmmmmmmm….loving the piles of macs over the piles of papers in my kitchen. Glad I’m not alone. And I’m looking at the uninspired posts for next week…thinking I’m in a winter slump myself!!! Have a fabulous weekend, Jill! xo
What you? Liz in a winter slump? Get out of it, girl! We need you!
please print/file/post EVERYTHING!
It’s ALL interesting!!
except for the Haggis but that’s just moi 🙂
OK, your order is my command. Don’t blame me when I post it tomorrow! Thanks, Carol.
Yes, I like your eclairs. Yes, I love uses for leftovers. Yes, yes, yes! And I’d love to see you singing in the kitchen with Rod Stewart!
Claudia, I’d love to sing in the kitchen with Rod Stewart, too!
Wow! You have a lot on your plate! I wish I had seen this before I had emailed you…
I wish I had your macarons to make me feel better when my crazy life is pulling me down. They look so delicious! and congrats on 2222! That’s awesome 🙂 and macaron stacking should be sport! It looks so fun 🙂 You and your book are awesome!
Marsha, here’s a virtual hug with a pile of macarons! You’re such a sport.
Oh my gosh, that’s a lot of macarons–and work! They look delish!
Work? That’s the part that’s not work: it’s therapy!
Yes to these macarons, no to haggis thankyouverymuch 😛
What’s so wrong with haggis, folks? Have you ever tasted the best ones?
I’m not sure what to think about frozen haggis! Hope your week turned out okay in the end.
Beth, I have to freeze the best stuff here from my trips to Scotland (Macsweens) since any other is just not the same. You’d change your mind when it’s all piping hot and piped in with the bagpipes, I’m sure!
I recently posted my first Macarons and totally forgot to mention your wonderful book which was so helpful. I have since mentioned the scaled down versions that your cookbook offers and plan to try one of your recipes this weekend.
Great idea for the leftover fillings.
how do you always manage to be upbeat? and posting macarons? and Rod Stewart and his footballs??
These look sooooooooo good! I’ve yet to attempt the mighty macaron but I may very start with these ones! They look delicious! 🙂
Yes Rod is still the man, amazing! I made my haggis dish on Wednesday and glad to see my kids lap it up, check out my post about it :)I thought about haggis macarons but I have a hard enough time with the basics right now lol
Take care…
Ha!! I get it!!! I totally understand the busy lack of organization! My husband is always on me as I’m not quite a neat as he is. We’ll just leave it at that.
Love the magnesium tip… I could use a dose myself and didn’t know ganache would do that for me. I think I’m happy!
Here’s to a bit of rest over the weekend! Liv is off to Disneyland today with some friends and I didn’t have to go (here’s me secretly jumping up and down that Celeste’s dad took the kids!!), and with a day off of school I really don’t have any plans.
Happy Weekend!!
A weekend with no plans? Sounds like the best organisation ever, Kim. Enjoy it to the full.
Extra ganache should never go to waste 🙂
I hope your week improves!
It has already. Just needed the chocolate, eh?
Haha, what a post! I think I’ll take about 10 piles off your hands right now 😉
Jill, I think if you sent Rod some of these macarons, I’m sure he’d make sure you had the best seats in the house (to rest between dances). He’s amazing isn’t he! Congrats on passing the 2222. Any plans for haggis macarons. If anyone could make that work, you could!
Hehee. He is incredible, Hester. He threw about 20 signed footballs into the audience but no luck. Haggis macarons? I have wanted to make them – just don’t know the reactions. Most times I mention haggis I get these horrid looks – but that’s just from the French… personally I think it would go down well with carmelised onions….
You make me laugh every time I visit. Those grissini éclairs are very swish. Bet the kids loved them. I’d love a few right now. 🙂
Glad to hear that, Maureen. These grissini éclairs are so quick to make and the choux pastry can keep for a couple of days, so handy to have in advance.
Ah a fellow macaron stacker! I am ALWAYS trying to stack my macarons for photos and it never works. Sorry you’ve had a frustrating week Jill 🙁
I can’t wait to see you again in Paris this summer 🙂
No worries – week ending great. Just needed that pick-up. Look forward to seeing you whenever you’re in town, Mardi.
I definitely understand why this had so many likes-yum! Also, do not go on strike just sit back, take a breather and enjoy some quite time munching on a few of these-that should help. Thanks for the reheat tip on the ganache as well as the link to the recipe for these gems.
Enjoy the weekend Jill.
Thanks, Tina. Cheers to some breathers, sitting back and munching macarons or your yummy creations.