Macaroons

If it doesn't fit into any of the above categories, post it here!
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Macaroons

Post by IceMaiden »

I'm reading Mystery of the a Strange Bundle and Fatty & co have just ordered a plateful of macaroons that are 'all gooey and crunchy'. This is'nt the first book or reference to them and it's got me wondering. Just what cake exactly is Enid describing? Macaroons that I know of are either those tiny colourful french ones or a golden brown cake made with dessicated coconut on a piece of rice paper with either a jam centre or chocolate drizzled over it. I wouldn't describe either as gooey or crunchy in any way at all so I can't think that Enid's idea of a macaroon fits with what one actually is. The only cakes I can think of that fits a description of 'gooey and crunchy' are Japs and as the children eat four or five each I doubt it was one of those, so what is it? :?
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Macaroons

Post by Rob Houghton »

We had a discussion about macaroons before...in fact you took part in it! ;-)

I don't think we really came to any real conclusion about the type of macaroons...and don't recall mentioning them being 'crunchy', so I agree maybe Enid's were different - or maybe the home-made ones were more crunchy?

here's the thread -
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... ns#p263294
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Macaroons

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I imagine the Find-Outers would have eaten almond macaroons like the ones in the link below. We've often made them at home. They're slightly crisp on the outside and sometimes have a crunchy half almond on the top (though we've generally used a half glacé cherry instead), but they're melt-in-your-mouth in the middle:

https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.u ... roons.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Fiona1986
Posts: 10527
Joined: 01 Dec 2007, 15:35
Favourite book/series: Five Go to Smuggler's Top
Favourite character: Julian Kirrin
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Contact:

Re: Macaroons

Post by Fiona1986 »

Stef and I made macaroons sort of like in Anita's link but not as smooth-looking. They were slightly crunch on the outside (very crunchy if they were burnt at the edges) and gooey inside.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


World of Blyton Blog

Society Member
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Re: Macaroons

Post by IceMaiden »

Rob Houghton wrote:We had a discussion about macaroons before...in fact you took part in it! ;-)

I don't think we really came to any real conclusion about the type of macaroons...and don't recall mentioning them being 'crunchy', so I agree maybe Enid's were different - or maybe the home-made ones were more crunchy?

here's the thread -
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... ns#p263294
I genuinely don't remember either that thread nor posting in it :oops: .
Anita Bensoussane wrote:I imagine the Find-Outers would have eaten almond macaroons like the ones in the link below. We've often made them at home. They're slightly crisp on the outside and sometimes have a crunchy half almond on the top (though we've generally used a half glacé cherry instead), but they're melt-in-your-mouth in the middle:

https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.u ... roons.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They look nice and easy to do but can you make them without a food processor or blender Anita? As I don't have either. They do look quite small though so I can see how the children could eat several of them each.
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
KEVP
Posts: 550
Joined: 15 Oct 2015, 02:18

Re: Macaroons

Post by KEVP »

There is apparently a distinction between a "macaron" and a "macaroon". But I can never remember what the distinction is.
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Macaroons

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I think "macarons" are the French-style ones which tend to be coloured pink, green, blue, etc. and are lighter in texture (maybe they have more egg white in relation to ground almonds?)
IceMaiden wrote:
Anita Bensoussane wrote:I imagine the Find-Outers would have eaten almond macaroons like the ones in the link below. We've often made them at home. They're slightly crisp on the outside and sometimes have a crunchy half almond on the top (though we've generally used a half glacé cherry instead), but they're melt-in-your-mouth in the middle:

https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.u ... roons.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They look nice and easy to do but can you make them without a food processor or blender Anita? As I don't have either. They do look quite small though so I can see how the children could eat several of them each.
I've never actually used the recipe in the link but I don't have a food processor or blender either - I always use a mixing bowl and wooden spoon when baking.

This is the recipe (almost identical to the one in the link) we've used many times in my family for traditional almond macaroons. It's quick and easy and makes about 12 largish macaroons (or you could make more smaller ones):

2 egg whites
a few drops of almond essence
150 g/5 oz ground almonds
150 g/5 oz caster sugar
sheets of rice paper
glacé cherries (cut in half) to decorate - or you could use halved almonds

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4. Whisk the egg whites till frothy, add the almond essence, ground almonds and sugar, and mix. This should be enough for about 12 macaroons (or more if you're doing small ones). Put spoonfuls of the mixture on to rice paper on a baking tray, leaving a reasonable gap between the macaroons because they spread out while cooking. Decorate each one with half a glacé cherry or half an almond. Bake for about 20 mins. Allow to cool before cutting around the rice paper.

(My daughter was unable to get rice paper a couple of times, so she used ordinary greaseproof baking paper and found that the macaroons peeled off it okay.)
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Eddie Muir
Posts: 14566
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 22:28
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers and Dog
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Brighton

Re: Macaroons

Post by Eddie Muir »

Thanks for the recipe for macaroons, Anita. :D

The thought of them makes my mouth water and so I'll keep the information for future reference.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

Society Member
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: Macaroons

Post by Daisy »

If you Google Coconut macaroons there are a number of recipes there and the pictures look like the ones I remember from the 1950s.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
GloomyGraham
Posts: 324
Joined: 08 May 2017, 04:33

Re: Macaroons

Post by GloomyGraham »

A friend makes excellent Blyton-style macaroons though sometimes she 'glues' two together with a chocolate ganache making them more like the French/Belgian style ones.

Hers are melt-in-the-mouth crunchy on the first bite and gooey on the inside, as described above, and seem to get gooier IF you can hold off from eating them all in the first couple of days after baking ;)

I will have to post a photo of them here. :idea: That gives me a good excuse to drop hints to her. lol
User avatar
Darrell71
Posts: 3027
Joined: 19 Jun 2012, 15:35
Favourite book/series: Adventure series
Favourite character: Darrell Rivers, Bill Smugs, Kiki, Elizabeth Allen,
Location: USA

Re: Macaroons

Post by Darrell71 »

A really popular restaurant where I live has the BEST macaroons... And they're gooey and crunchy too. :)
Kinda like two crunchy discs, with some sort of paste or ganache in the middle. It's heaven and they have so many flavors. That's what I've seen all over the world under the name 'macaroon', didn't know there were so many types :lol:
You can call me Sunskriti!
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Macaroons

Post by Moonraker »

I look forward to eating some of Eddie's macaroons! :D
Society Member
User avatar
Eddie Muir
Posts: 14566
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 22:28
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers and Dog
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Brighton

Re: Macaroons

Post by Eddie Muir »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

Society Member
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Re: Macaroons

Post by IceMaiden »

Thank you for the recipe Anita :) . I will have a try at those, I did attempted the ones in the link but while they were chewy they most certainly weren't gooey! They also went really flat no matter how much I tried to pile up the mixture, I doubt the Find Outers would have been asking for seconds of these ones somehow :lol: .
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
User avatar
Stephen
Posts: 2105
Joined: 05 Feb 2006, 09:38
Location: Maidenhead
Contact:

Re: Macaroons

Post by Stephen »

A macaroon caused me to end up in A&E last year! I started to choke on one, and although it seemed to clear, it still felt even a few hours later that there was something stuck in my throat. So I called the NHS direct line, described my symptoms, and they recommended I visit Casualty. A tiny camera up my nose later (not a particularly nice experience), the nurse couldn't see anything lodged in my throat and told me I had probably just scratched it when choking which would continue the sensation.

She also sounded quite envious when I told her I had been eating macaroons in the first place. Mind you, I haven't had one since!
Post Reply