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Today’s post is brought to you by the number 2 and the color green. And by this month’s Mac Attack, which challenged us to take a favorite tune and bake it into a mac. Now for some reason I drew a blank and could not think of a favorite song that inspired a mac flavor/color. The only color song that kept popping into my head was “It’s not Easy Being Green.”
It’s not that easy making green
Baking macs the color of the leaves
When I think it could be easier making white, or brown or tan
Or something much less colorful like that
It’s not easy making green
It seems you blend in coloring with all the other things
And you don’t add more color ’cause you’re
Not wanting to overbeat your egg whites
Or mess up your macs
But green’s the color of apples
And green can be light and happy-like
And green can be sweet like a grape,
or sour like a candy, or chewy like a mac
When green is what you want to bake
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder, my macs are green and they’ll do fine, they’re delicious
And I’m glad it’s what I tried to bake.
Of course, the first picture isn’t of my sour apple caramel macs. This is my sour apple caramel mac failures.
My husband had the idea (of course I’m blaming him) to powder up sour apple Jolly Ranchers candies and substitute it for some of the powdered sugar. Maybe half powdered candies and half powdered sugar wasn’t the best idea ever, but if you love sour apple Jolly Ranchers, you would have loved these mac failures. I know we all did.
But the best thing about baking these mac failures was that I had a guest in my kitchen (the number 2) who baked macs with me. Kitty from Fahrenheit 350º came over to my house and baked with me. It was my first time meeting her and she is so nice. We had so much in common and it was so fun baking with her. We’ll definitely have to do it again.
Hers are the perfect little pink bubble gum flavored ones. That she filled with Nutella.
I couldn’t stand having two failed batches two months in a row, so I decided to stop being so daring and the next day made regular (green) almond macarons with the adapted Ottolenghi recipe. (Note to self: don’t put sprinkles on the bottom shells.)
Look at those beautiful little feet. I filled them with Nutella and am taking them to a Blogher meet and greet today, along with some chocolate macarons filled with caramel that I still need to make. Wish me luck!
Update: Here’s a picture of the final macs for the meet and greet. Probably my best macs ever.
shaz
Woo Hoo! Great work on both the perfect macarons Barbara. And the sour apple ones sounded tasty even if they didn't look as pretty as the other two.
Shea M. @ Blissfully Unrefined
These are gorgeous! This isn't the first time I've visited your site, but this is my first comment. I see macs across the blogs I read, and read about the difficulties and the failures (most of which still look lovely). I've read about the perfect macs, and now I've finally seen them! I'll be bookmarking this post for when I finally get the chance to try them for myself!
Fahrenheit 350°
Yes! I can attest the failed macs were delicious!! I'm so impressed with your second and third batches! Those feet look perfect! I owe you a big thank you, and you are getting a huge shout out on my blog (when I get on top of things enough to write a post)! I only have you to thank for teaching me how to make macarons – I'm so thankful in fact I just might share my super secret caramel recipe with you! Thank you for everything again, I just loved spending the afternoon with you and I adore you! Well done, of course!
Frieda
Barbara, it was so great to see you tonight! Thanks for introducing me to the world of Macs….yours was the very first one I have ever eaten. Crispy, chewy, caramelly, and oh so good!
Kim
They are such a beautiful green and turned out so well! I bet they were a hit at the meet and greet:)
Marie {Make and Takes}
Okay, these were absolutely fabulous! Thanks for bringing them. And it was great to meet you too!
Joyce
Kermit and green apple mac's is one good combo. Love the Nutella:-)
Kai
All I can say is that I must – I really, really MUST – hold you at least partially to blame for my ever-expanding 'bottomous'! Oh, how I DO love ravioli, and yours is now on my next Wednesday's menu. And the maccaroons? YUM! One of only 4 sweet things I love, the other 3 being bread pudding MINUS raisins, flan, and molasses cookies. You torture me, Barbara! (Thank you! DO please, continue! LOL!)
Cool Lassi(e)
I am totally stumped looking at the last shot..They are so eye-catching with the color contrast of green shells and nutella fillings. Umm Umm good.
Memória
¡¡Estos macs tienen un aspecto maravilloso!! You are getting better and better at making these!
Bonnie
Barbara, These are beautiful. I love the idea of crushing the Jolly Racnchers. Could you just sprinkle them on the top instead of the decorating sugar? I bet the flavor was wonderful. These might be your prettiest yet.
Grumpy and HoneyB
What a beautiful job and what a cute post! I know…it ain't easy bein' green myself! 🙂
Magic of Spice
These look wonderful:)
Barbara @ VinoLuciStyle
It's not easy being green…or making macs so I love the stories; the failures (though thinking anything with caramel could never be called a failure) and the successes and your final ones are such a success; beautiful.
I love hearing the pitter patter of little feet!
Jamie
Oh boy, Barbara, when your macs turn out they are perfect! PERFECT!!! And I love the green because I have loved this song since I first heard it in high school! Clever you! Fab! Fab!
elra
Such a beautiful and colorful macarons Barbara. They are perfect 🙂
Amanda
Wow Barbara these are so impressive! Fabulous job!
Ken
I think we all had our share of failed macs, I just didn't have the courage to post them. I think the Green Apple Jolly Rancher idea is worth a revisit. Nice.
Jessica @ How Sweet
THose are absolutely gorgeous! I haven't tried making macs yet but I want to. Just need to find the patience.
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite
Barbara they are absolutely gorgeous. I feel ashamed that my ridiculous ones will be presented in the roundup alongside such elegant puffs of perfection as yours! Well done! And yes, any time I have tried to play with the shell flavour, mine always mess up. And sometimes when I don't 😉