Bake test: Zumbo's Salted Caramel Macaroons

Australia was wowed by Adriano Zumbo's macaroon tower on Masterchef and since then the French biscuit has become the treat of choice when impressing guests.

So of course it featured in my 101 in 1001. Number 67 - learn to make macaroons.

Cooking something that requires attention, finesse and delicacy is impossible with a four month old who keeps you guessing - is this an hour nap or 15-minute cat nap? All I can manage is a 'throw it all in and hope for the best' slow cook meal or a 'throw food around and hope for the best' Jamie Oliver 15-min meal (my godsend).

During a sleep deprived stagger through Woolworths I thought I saw a mirage. Could it be true? Zumbo has created an equivalent to the pancake shake and bake for his famous French treat? And it's on sale? Sold!

Zumbo has a small range of add two ingredient packets and, hey presto Masterchef, you have an instant dessert. 

 

I was excited to try Zumbo's Salted Caramel Macaroons but after years of gladiator battles my egg beater lost the fight to a cream cheese icing for my little cousin's birthday cupcakes. So it sat in my cupboard mocking me for weeks, until I had enough.

All you have to provide is water (easy), baking paper, two trays and 30g of butter. The instructions on the back are super easy to follow, and well the packaging just looks pretty too. If you're one of those of people, there are instruction videos you can watch too on the Zumbo website. I am not one of those people, but I should've been.

I started off strong tracing the circles onto my baking paper. Step one, nailed it.

Then I should've consulted the videos. As I was mixing my meringue mix I kept mixing and hoping for the 'stiffness' the instructions foretold. I mixed beyond the allocated time and still no stiffness. Thinking this was as hard as it got, I sifted in the almond meal and continued.

I have since watched the videos and realised the mixture wasn't stiff enough. Perhaps that is why some of what I think the upcoming errors came from.

Wonky sloppy circles

As I piped the mixture I couldn't quiet get the little drop at the centre and the mixture ran a little bit. This is the point at the Masterchef kitchen that Gary would walk up to my bench and ask how I'm travelling as a frantically stop my apron from catching on fire.

But like a good contestant I marched on.

After waiting ten minutes for a skin to form, in the oven they went. I almost wept with joy and did a happy feet dance when the biscuits started to get 'feet' (look at me being all Masterchef). Out came tray one, in went tray two and I started mixing the caramel filling.

No rocket science here, mix with butter until you're happy. Of the whole thing, this I was happy with.

Happy feet

Thanks again Zumbo for providing the piping bags, the mixture was piped and the biscuits sandwiched together. It looked like the real deal, except when I bit into one.

My biscuit shells were more air than anything and feel apart in a crumbly mess. Only the filling kept them whole thing from turning into dust in my hands. I'm pretty sure that is how Matt Preston would describe it if he had one.

Looks better than they are. 8/10 for presentation?

They do taste sensational, but I think it's the filling. I could make that and spread it on my toast in the morning to the same effect. But every visitor has 'ohhh' and 'ahhhed' over them and given them a crumbly thumbs up.

Overall it was really easy, about an hour from start to finish, with minimal mess, fuss and ingredients on my part. I don't think the crumbly biscuits were anyone else's fault, but my own. I should've watched the movie and stiffened the biscuit (I feel naughty ever single time I wrote that word).

Have I learnt to make macaroons? No. Is this is a nice  step into learning them? Yes. Would I make them again? The jury is still deliberating.