Macarons: The agony and the ecstasy

So in my quest for the right macaroon recipe and tips, I came across this blog which I LOVED! There are so many inspiring ideas and creative things that she does, so I thought I would share the link. I think my sister, Kathryn, will particularly like this. :)  Here it is: giverslog.com. And also, here are the results of my second macaroon trial. Still not perfect, but that's why we practice. I discovered that I need to reduce my oven temperature a bit (it gets too hot and hates me) and move the rack down one to avoid the slight browning which is great in meringues, but not in macarons. They definitely have a smoother top and formed the right 'skin', but because I didn't have a plain round nozzle, they did crack and aren't pastry shop smooth. But there is promise for them to be with the right nozzle!! (which I shall get this weekend) The flavor is still great and I messed around with the filling and frankly came up with something decadently fabulous!! (I won't tell you how much butter and cream I whipped, but it was WORTH it.) I have also discovered how much I love almond flavor and I messed around with color combos and I think I'll go with this. Next week: Batch three in ocean green and blue! :)

See the one at the far bottom right? Almost perfect. :)