All is Well

In the Baking Experience

Written by MaryEvelyn

While baking this week I was thinking about how everything in my individual world is set up to be for my own good and I find that realizing this, I feel less pressure and more acceptance of what I have unconsciously created. 

I love the relaxation that baking gives me and how it puts me in the mood to consciously create.

Realizing that I am the creator of everything in my life makes me more aware of my thoughts.  With this awareness, I start to lean in on my good thoughts more and distance myself from the negative thoughts.  At least for me, I believe this is the purpose of the awareness. 

When my mind is full of chaotic thoughts my world becomes a bit chaotic.  I have learned to pay attention to my thoughts but also and more importantly, I’ve learned that I can turn off my thoughts as quickly as I can change my thoughts.  I no longer let a thought that is uncomfortable play out in my head. Stopping that negative thought or a reoccurring  uncomfortable conversation in my head with someone and replacing it with a preferred thought or conversation that I can embrace has made a world of difference in my life.

I feel that holding good thoughts only bring about a good outcome for me because the spirit within me connects with the positive. If I have turmoil, it’s because negativity does not connect with who I am.  The spirit within me and everyone is love!  By consciously replacing a negative thought with a good thought brings about an, “All Is Well,” feeling for me.  My hope rises, my faith rises and my anxiety diminishes.  And it all happens within a moment of time.  I love what I have experienced these many years and what I have learned from my experiences.   

I find that in baking and everything else my concept of me today as compared to yesterday leads me to, “just do it”.  I remember several years ago I tried baking an apple pie with the taste of my mother’s wonderful apple pie on my mind. I enjoyed making the pie but, alas, I came to realize that I was not a baker.  Today, I don’t see myself as not being anything that I want to be. 

Happily I came across a macaron recipe a few days ago while searching for something different to bake this week. We love the store bought ones so I was more than a little excited to see how mine would turn out. I must say, this was quite a baking experience. As with most things, it was easier after I got started and I so much enjoyed doing them. Upon taking them out of the oven, I not only proclaimed perfection I also did a little dance.

Recipe: Macarons

egg whites (3 large eggs) room temperature

1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter softened

5 egg yolks

1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons water

1 pinch salt

Instructions for Macarons:

Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into a bowl

Add the room temperature egg whites into a very clean bowl

Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites. Once they begin to foam add the cream of tartat and then slowly add the granulated sugar.

Add the food coloring (if desired) and vanilla then mix in. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Begin folding in 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Be careful to add the remaining dry ingredients and fold gently.

The final mixture should look like lava, and be able to fall into a figure eight without breaking. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium round piping tip and you’re ready to start piping.

Pipe one inch dollops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this should be glued down with dabs of batter). Tap on counter several times to release air bubbles. Allow to sit for about 40 minutes before placing in oven.

Bake at 300 F for 12-15 minutes, rotate tray after 7 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from baking sheet.

Buttercream filling:

Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Put egg yolks in mixer bowl and beat until thick and foamy.

Cook the sugar and water until it reaches 240 degrees F. Immediately remove from heat. With mixer running slowly drizzle hot sugar water (syrup) into bowl with yolks.

Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.

Add in butter one cube at a time allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla and salt. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy. (About 5-6 minutes) Add food coloring if desired.

For Assembly:

Pipe your filling onto the back of one of the half shells. Form a sandwich and repeat.

Macarons should be aged in the fridge for 1-3 days for best results. This allows the filling to soften the shells inside.

Notes:

The Meringue has to be stiff. It should be the consistency of thick marshmallowy, and it does take a bit of extra whisking.

Remember to sift the almond flour and do not try to press the larger pieces through the sifter.

Pipe the macarons perpendicular to the surface so as not to make your macarons oblong or malformed.

Add your coloring to the meringue after it reaches the soft peak stage.

When you are finishing the piping motion stop squeezing the bag and pull up with a circular motion.

The macarons will be best after 2-3 days in the fridge.

If you over bake the shells and they are too crisp, brush the bottom with some milk before assembly to soften them up.

These Macarons were so good. I put a tad more icing than what was needed but I actually liked the taste and texture of the icing so much that I couldn’t resist. They are better after a couple of days in the fridge and well worth the wait but they are so yummy that you may be tempted to eat them all after just a few hours in the fridge.

Enjoy all of your experiences and even if you can’t at the time they are happening just know that they are opening you up for something better.