French Macaroons

I have been working towards turning a new leaf in my life these past few weeks. I will be starting a new job this coming Monday and have been experiencing many different emotions surrounding this move. I am excited about my new job and looking forward to the challenge of learning and getting to know new people. But, I will also greatly miss the people I have worked with for the past 2 1/2 years.

To show my appreciation, I decided I was going to make my work friends something special. I came up with this romantic idea to make French Macaroons. I have always admired how beautiful and delicate they look in pictures and have seen them featured many times as a confectionery delicacy. Since I had a pretty good understanding of just how finicky macaroons can be, I decided that I needed to dig up as much helpful information as I could before I actually set to work. I watched a few "how to" videos and read through the instructions from start to finish. I was ready...well at least I thought I was! There is one thing you need to know about pastry chefs... they have amazing arm strength! I on the other hand do not have good arm strength. It doesn't sound that hard to make 60 cookies. But what I overlooked was the fact that 60 cookies is actually 120 cookies sandwiched together with butter cream pipped in between. So really I needed the arm strength to pipe 120 cookies and then pipe butter cream onto 60 of those cookies. This my friends is not an easy task.

One more thing I overlooked was just how long this task would take! I am not kidding when I say I spent a minimum of 4 hours making these cookies. So much for a relaxing Sunday! Anyways, I don't believe I will be making these again. But I am quite proud of my endeavors, and like the fact that I can now say that not only have a made French Macaroons but I can do so again if I so please!