French Macaroons
A historical recipe from The Bread and Biscuit Baker's and Sugar-Boiler's Assistant Including a Large Variety of Modern Recipes, by Robert Wells (1890).
A historical recipe
The Bread and Biscuit Baker's and Sugar-Boiler's Assistant Including a Large Variety of Modern Recipes, by Robert Wells (1890). Project Gutenberg eBook #53627.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards. Its words name: a substance or vessel no longer considered safe. Check current food-safety guidance before following this.
France
Known as a French recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
- Additives or old utensils. The text names something no longer considered safe in food or for cooking in, such as lead, alum, borax, bitter almonds or copper pans. Don't use it.
Ingredients 2 ingredients
- 1 lb. of Valentia almonds
- 1 lb. of sugar
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Method
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- 1 lb.
- of Valentia almonds, 1 lb.
- of sugar, 5 or 6 whites of eggs.
- Proceed as before, but instead of beating the almonds with whites of eggs use rose or orange-flower water, and when beaten very fine put in the whites of eggs and sugar, beating them well with the spatter.
- Lay out one oval on wafer-paper and bake it.
- If it runs into its shape the mixture is ready;
- if too stiff, add one more white of egg;
- lay out on wafer-paper, dust sugar on top, and bake them in a good oven.
- 8 ozs.
- of bitter almonds, 8 ozs.
- of sweet almonds, 2½ lbs.
- of sugar, and about eight whites of eggs.
- Blanch and beat the almonds with white of egg as fine as possible, and be careful when beating them you do not oil them.
- When beaten fine, mix in the sugar and beat both well together;
- then add more whites of eggs, work them well with the spatter, adding more whites of eggs as you proceed.
- Then lay one or two on dry paper half the size of a macaroon, and bake them in a slow oven.
- If they are of proper stiffness lay them out;
- if too stiff, add more whites of eggs to them.
- Should they be good they will come off the paper when cold;
- if not, the paper must be laid on a damp table, when they will come off easily.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan