Jean Valjean and other French classics

Mia and I watched Les Miserables on Sunday. This is the reason this blog is a bit late. Sorry, but we have no regrets and it was WORTH IT! What an amazing film. I don't usually go in for gushing but it was. The theatre was so quiet, Mia felt embarrassed eating her popcorn. There was actual applause at the end of the film. That never happens!

with hair...*sobs*

This week we wanted to make Bakewell Tart, and then (inspired by Michel Roux on Food & Drink) a more challenging Creme Patissiere tart; so safely ticking sweet pastry off our list. But! Life got in the way, which I guess I knew it would occasionally. A trip to London and a mountain of housework meant baking time on Sunday was really limited. Mia also had a friend round, so this week's bake was a group effort. And you know what they say about too many chefs...



This will be Sunnyside one day



So we opted for something a bit quicker and with fewer ingredients. The macaron. A French classic. Not the coconutty macaroons you see in your mum's local bakery, but the light-as-a-feather crunch, and then melt into swoonsome creaminess ones. Pretty pastel colours delicately displayed on tissue paper. Throat-catchingly expensive to boot.

What a thing to get right.
I want to offer them as part of Sunnyside's wedding collection one day - but it's safe to say I think a little practice may be needed first.



leaving them out to dry for 15 minutes before baking - already look dodgy



I'm not sure if it was the recipe or the method, but it was a disaster! The first effort was too dry so we added another egg white (we used Claire Ptak's recipe which is in her book on Whoopie Pies). The 2nd recipe (using Nigella) was so runny I had to completely abandon ship.

Claire said cook on Gas Mark 6 gradually reducing to 1. Nigella said cook on Gas Mark 4 throughout. Aargh!

The 5 that made it through

We managed to pipe the rounds and make 5 little ones. They had the texture of cake and were not crispy or chewy in the slightest. They were yummy, but not sure they'd pass any trade description test.

Not to be beaten, I will find a foolproof recipe and we will crack it - the satisfaction of getting it right will be super sweet.

And the moral of the story is - don't be afraid of your failures as they are what make you a success... or something. I tried to write a link back to Les Mis, but it was actually a bright sunny day and pretty fun to do, so nothing like the French Revolutionary angst we loved watching so much.



Mia and Evie with the creations. Didn't last long