How to cook like a pro
From shucking oysters and de-pipping pomegranates to sharpening a knife faster than
Gordon Ramsay can say the F-word, the Taste team will show you how to master the
finer tricks of the chef's trade. Want to know how to do something?
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Coffee with a conscience
The next time you're ordering your favourite morning cappuccino, spare a thought for the planet. Here's why.
Make the perfect macaron
If there's one dish TASTE readers long to master above all, it's the fickle and fiddly macaron. Here Food Editor Abigail Donnelly shows us how to make them perfectly every time.
Method. Be very thorough when sifting the ground almonds – the 200 g starting amount should only yield about half that after sifting.
For a fine almond meal, sift the ground almonds three or four times, then add the icing sugar and sift once more.
Consistency. Your batter should be thick enough to make a peak when piping, but still runny enough to spread slightly – it’s the runniness of the mixture that gives it its characteristic ruffled “foot”.
Equipment. Secure the silpad to the baking tray with a tiny dab of the batter mixture on all four corners – it’s essential that the silpad stays flat and level and does not curl.
WATCH THE HOW TO SLIDE SHOW FOR MASTERING MACARONS
Technique. Pipe directly over the baking tray – not at an angle – to ensure the macarons have a smooth, level cap.
Size. Pipe the macarons into fairly small rounds (between 3 and 5 cm) – the smaller the rounds, the better they keep their shape.
Experiment. All ovens vary slightly so trial and error is required here – adjusting the temperature by only 10°C can make the world of difference to the end result.
Colour. The lighter your mixture is in colour, the greater the chance of it browning slightly. To prevent this, bake for longer at a lower temperature.
Serving and storing. Fill cooled macarons on the day you bake them to ensure they have a slight chew but still crack when bitten into. Store in the fridge if not eating immediately.
You will find our basic macaron recipe here, and can add it to your online recipe book plus shopping list.
Also read Abigail's take on macarons, and how she goes about making them rise round and shiny every time, as well as some delicious ideas for fillings.