Chicago bakeries crank out French macarons

July 28, 2010 (WLS) — Look out cupcakes, there’s a new sweet treat in town. It’s called a macaron, and our Hungry Hound says, not only are they showing up as party favors, they’re also inspiring entrepreneurs.

For the past year or so, French macarons have been hitting the party circuit, showing up in gift bags at weddings. But they’ve also been inspiring pastry chefs, who’ve made the pilgrimage to Paris, and now want to recreate the delicate combination of flavors and textures back home. In Chicago, there are now two companies spending most of their day just making macaron.

The Logan Square Kitchen is an incubator of sorts, a place where small food artisans can create, without the hassle of overhead. Beth Jacob uses the space for her company, which focuses on just one thing.

“The name of my business is Macaron Chicago. I make macaron which are French — traditional French cookies made with meringue-based shells and fillings of caramel, butter cream, jam or ganache,” said Jacob.

Jacob makes everything herself, from the delicate merengue shells, to the sweet fillings. She then sells them at farmer’s markets and through wholesale accounts.

Same principle in West Town, at Kitchen Chicago, a similar concept where you rent space. For friends Katherine and Lauren, the Panna Dolce brand was born here. Their specialty? French macarons, of course.

They begin by sifting almond flour; then, in a stand mixer, they combine egg whites and sugar, whipping it fiercely, until it begins to get frothy. Food coloring is added to create a unique color palette. That sifted almond flour is added, which will give the macaron shell some lift. At this point, ratios are crucial.

“It’s definitely about the right ratio for the meringue and how much sugar you use, the temperature you cook at, the time that you bake at, the weather outside; really there is more chemistry to it than making just your regular batch of cookies,” said Panna Dolce co-owner Lauren Robin.

Fillings also have to be calibrated, depending on which type of shell you’re using. The partners say as much as macarons are loved on the East and West coasts, they’re not quite sure if Chicago has fully embraced this latest dessert craze.

“I don’t think that they are there yet in Chicago, definitely on the coast, but I think they’re going to be the new cupcake,” said Robin.

Notice we didn’t say “macaroon.” Those would be the golf ball-sized, toasted coconut and sugar balls — a far cry from a French macaron.

www.macaronchicago.com

www.pannadolce.com

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Source: Chicago bakeries crank out French macarons

To our Chicago natives: check out ABC 7 Chicago for Steve’s segment on macarons featuring yours truly. Tune in at 11:20 AM for all the macaron goodness!

Look out cupcakes, macarons aren’t too far behind

Did you hear the news? Beverly Hills’ favorite cupcake spot – Sprinkles – just opened up in the Gold Coast. It’s so big, Bill and Giuliana Rancic were at the opening! (OMG) Honestly, after Sugar Bliss, More, The Cupcake Counter, Molly’s and Swirlz (and the constantly mobile Flirty Cupcake van), even I’m getting a little cupcake weary. All of the cupcake chatter is like frosting from a Jewel birthday cake – it makes my mouth pucker with too much sugar. I would suggest you opt instead for the next wave of sweet supremacy in Chicago: the humble macaron. Now notice I didn’t say “macaroon.” That, my friend, would be the sickly-sweet golfball-sized mound of toasted coconut and sugar they make us eat at Passover. A macaron, on the other hand, is something more delicate, more refined. It requires a ridiculously precise recipe that must constantly change, depending on the ambient temperature. It requires delicate egg whites, beaten to a pulp (or rather, soft peaks). It requires some food coloring, but most important, it requires a command of the not-too-sweet gooey fillings that must echo the shell’s crisp exterior, providing a burst of flavor in each of the limited bites.

You can find mind-blowing macarons in London and Paris, at the world-famous Ladurée stores; Pierre Hermé is another solid pastry shop in Paris with some of the best macarons I’ve ever had. But in America, its taken awhile to get here. While macarons have been the defacto wedding favor on the East and West Coasts for some time now, they are finally making inroads here. There are macarons aplenty these days, especially if you happen to shop at Bittersweet, Pierrot Gourmet or Vanille Patisserie. There are even two local businesses that focus primarily on these little treats: Panna Dolce and Macaron Chicago.

Panna Dolce’s macarons are available at the Goddess and Grocer, and through their website; Macaron Chicago has a stand at the Logan Square Farmer’s Market every other Sunday; you can also just contact them on their website. Some of the flavors have moved well past the traditional rose petal or chocolate. There was a fantastic salted caramel I picked up this past Sunday from the Macaron Chicago booth in Logan Square. Wish I could have savored it a tad longer.

Source: Steve Dolinsky – Adventures in Urban Eating