So, I decided to start doing the Daring Bakers challenges, and spent all last month ANXIOUSLY awaiting my first challenge (released at the beginning of this month). Lo and behold, my first challenge was the infamous french macaron. You know, the cookie consisting mostly of meringue? I know! Just my luck, for my very first challenge! This almost seemed like maybe I was just getting in a little over my head, but then I buckled down, reminded myself that it is a challenge, and got to work. I had 3 failures before this mildly successful result (successful in that it didn't result in a big goopy mess all over my baking pans). I tried using this recipe for vegan meringue twice, in slightly different ways, and both resulted in a sugary mass spread to all corners of the pan. Ugh! For the third time, I tried just using the egg replacer mix, for one egg, and the result was slightly better looking, but still not a cookie of any sorts. For my final try, I wish I could give you an exact recipe, but I was desperate at this point and just started mixing things in. I started with one flax seed egg, and mixed in some xanthan gum, baking powder, soy protein isolate, along with the sugars and almond meal. I could immediately tell the difference in the batter, and to my great relief, they held their shape after baking and I could actually get them off the pan in one piece and fill with some chocolate ganache. Hoorah! And they actually taste good! Now, I have never had a macaron in my life, so I don't really have a basis for comparison, but they were yummy!
The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.
