Comments on: Masterchef Australia's macarons: bad crunch

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:09:31 +0000

Hi Twinpalates. Just click on the image of the macaron at the top of the window and you'll see links to a pile of stuff I've written about macaron technique.

By: Twinpalates

Twinpalates — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:17:36 +0000

Fantastic post Duncan! I didn't get to watch too much masterchef, but thanks for the link and the information. I'm currently on a quest to get my macarons to look like yours – starting with some feet! Advice?

By: Trissa

Trissa — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:56:11 +0000

I usually rest my macarons only until a skin forms – which I find to be around 30 minutes in cool weather…

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:19:45 +0000

Hi Duncan,

Well I'm RELIEVED that I came across your blog! Firstly, after seeing Masterchef, I've been beating myself up that my macarons weren't even remotely crunchy, so I've been baking the crap out of my macarons to achieve this 'crunchiness'

Whew!

Secondly, I bought that issue of Gourmet Traveller because it featured them, and followed those instructions…

Thanks for clearing this nightmare up =D

I'm going to try again soon and hopefully they'll try out great. Fingers crossed

By: Ahmad

Ahmad — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:50:12 +0000

LOL thanks for some closure i will sleep well tonight, the haunting crunching noises have finally gone away haha

I came across this looking for your sucre cuit recipe again (works well!) and saw this. Masterchef! gah! Baker rage time!!

Apply for season two so we can show them how its done hahaha.

By: Emmelyn

Emmelyn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:21:26 +0000

Hi Duncan!!!
i followed ur macaron recipe!!!! and come see it in my blog!!! thank you sooooo much, it turned out great, but i still need a lot of practice. However i think they're still a bit flat, so for the last batch I made I added more almond meal about so 70g of almond meal and 67g icing sugar. They're more bumpy (they're the yellow ones in my blog) however takes a about two minutes more to bake. Do you think I did too much macaronning?i hope u can helllpp…n again thanksssssssssss!!!!

By: Cakelaw

Cakelaw — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:56:35 +0000

Hi Duncan, I did leave them stand for the 4 hours – perhaps the fact that I live in a relatively humid place meant that they didn't dry out too much??

By: Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:03:20 +0000

@Cakelaw: well i guess it pays to be openminded sometimes! Thanks for telling us, and I'm glad they worked. Can I ask if you left them to stand for 4-5 hours?

By: Cakelaw

Cakelaw — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:31:39 +0000

I made the GT version of macarons before reading this, and it turned out fine. I have never made macarons before, and did not see Masterchef, but the shells on mine did not crunch – they were crisp but yielded easily – one of my friends was surprised that the shells looked so sturdy but were so delicate.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:48:33 +0000

Hey D and Ed,
I think Zumbo is onto you guys. I just noticed that one of his macaroons was named "Ed knocked me up". As for De Chirico Macs, they were pretty flat last time I had them. I think they are better at dunking and stuffing, e.g. their bomboloni. I think I saw cacao macaroons at teaspoon. They looked nice, but they could have been hollow.
J.