So, the other day Mr P and I were sitting in a bookstore. I was riffling through the cookbooks, as I always do, when I spotted Pierre Herme’s newly published “Macarons” en Anglais! How fabulous! I promptly sat down and flipped through the pages. I thought it was so beautiful, I swear, I choked up a bit (because I’m stupid like that). I have kind of given up on making macarons after so many disasters, so many wasted eggs and almonds, TWO expensive macaron making classes, special baking sheets, and approximately 20 attempts–and if you think I’m exaggerating, I promise you, I’m not. With every failure, I became more angry and frustrated with macarons. I stopped eating them for a while (just a little while though 
). Then one day, I decided to just let go of the whole thing. I decided that I don’t need this silly self inflicted grief when I have access to Pierre Herme’s and Laduree’s treats in London. I had to give up. My sanity was at stake. But I’ll tell you one thing, I consider not being able to make macarons my most grievous failure as a food blogger. It seems like everyone else is churning out these beauties but me. Now I can actually make something that “looks” like a beautiful macaron, but inside they are always horrible. I wouldn’t feed them to a dog (or even my sister-in-law!).
Pierre Herme’s Macaron book is really tempting me to try again though. It really is one of the most beautiful cook books I’ve come across in a long time. There are 200 pages of recipes with stunning photos of his glorious macarons. All his best macarons flavours which range from the sublime to the ridiculous (ketchup macaron anyone?) are in this book. But even better than the drool inducing photography and the incredible recipes, is the 32 step-by-step photo illustrated instructions where Herme shares his secrets for making the shells and their fillings. I am so tempted. I am just a click away from ordering one of those special cooking thermometers and attempting the unthinkable: macaron making. Dare I? Watch this space!
If you have any interest in macarons whatsoever, even if you just like to eat them, I highly recommend this very beautiful book. For me, this book explores macarons as an art form, rather than just an ephemeral little morsel of goodness. Check it out!
… and now, because I am still too timid to take out the piping bags just yet, I give you my own Pierre Herme inspired treat. It’s a bit of a “Pierre Herme for Dummies” recipe, if you will. May I present to you a Heavenly Housewife creation: Ipahan toaster pastries (aka Pop Tarts).
The basis of my super easy pop tarts revolve around Christine Ferber’s Ispahan Confiture, created especially for Pierre Hereme. This jam is available online and at Pierre Herme’s boutiques. Now, I do realize that a lot of you will not have access to this product. My suggestion is a mix of half rose petal jam (found in Middle Eastern and Indian shops) and half raspberry jam. Then all you need is a bit of short crust pastry –I’m going to be using the store bought stuff, but you can certainly knock yourself out and make your own. I’m not really into frosting, so I just dusted my toaster pastries with some powdered sugar.
…et voila… you’ve updated the Pop Tart from trailer park to Park Avenue! Not bad eh?
Heavenly’s Herme Inspired Ispahan Toaster Pastries for Dummmies (makes 6)
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets of ready rolled short crust pastry/ pie crust
- 120g Ispahan confiture
- 1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
- powdered sugar
Directions:
Roll out cold pastry dough and cut into rectangles. In the middle of every other rectangle, place approximately 20g of jam. Be careful not to let the jam reach the edges of the pastry. Around the edges of each pastry square, brush with whisked egg and water mixture, and cover with the other half. Dock the top of the pastry to let some of the steam out while baking.
Note: The dough should be constantly cold. If it gets to warm at any point, cool it down in the fridge or freezer.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown at 200C. Let it cool a bit, or you’ll be in for a nasty surprise (think McDonald’s hot apple pie)! Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Unbaked pastries can be stored in the freezer and baked without defrosting.
Who’s complaining about short cuts, I just posted one for tarte tatin. You will conquer the macaron one day, I am positive.
I’ve never made macarons before but I always love it when I see it at a store…. But I think I’d have many disasters making them….
I can totally relate to the macarons failures. I gave them up for good. With a couple of French bakeries in town, I can go learning other baking techniques.
Love your toaster pastries!
I also spend precious $$ on 2 macaron making classes, countless macaron books which yielded zero success. And then I found this awesome recipe online (courtesy of Honey and Soy) which I have since made 5 times with success – I kid you not!
Here is the address if you’d like to try – I promise you will not be disappointed!
http://www.honeyandsoy.com/green-tea-and-white-chocolate-ganache-macarons/
I rather like your pop tarts. I have bought the macaron book as well, simply because it is beautiful.
Well my dear you are way ahead of me for even making the attempts…I can’t even bake a cookie without destroying it! Your toaster pastries look wonderful and I would happily devour the substitutions
Macarons looks very delicious! I surely know that if this will see by my son and daughter, they will want me to do it for them. But how Can I prepare it if I didn’t know the recipe and how to do it? Can you help me? Thank you in advance for your response.
So – when are you making something from this book? Waiting….
XO
hey
It is really a great book. Check out my blog, I made the Ispahan macaron from this book, very nice, however I would say the vanilla strawberry is the best I’ve made from it so far!
http://sosweetpatissier.blogspot.com/
or search sosweetpatissier on google