Rose Macarons with Chocolate Ganache for Valentine's Day....

Rose macarons with chocolate ganache  <3

I didn't have the urge to really do much in terms of baking.. it's actually my favorite holiday to bake for just because everything is so cutesy and chocolate-y.... but then I was like what the heck. I have nothing else to do. I basically have a span of 24 hours off starting at 1pm today. It was nice. Immediately after clinic, I went to my kitchen and searched for my favorite recipes on my blog.. I didn't want to do anything new decided on flour less chocolate cake, french macarons.... and well.. planned are some almond + pistachio rose truffles.. but that hasn't happened yet...

Clinic today was interesting. I had this theory that no parent would want to bring in their kids for dental work on Valentine's day... and well I was right. I had not one but TWO no shows today... my back up patient even failed! Oh well. So yea.. baking. I started with my favorite flour less chocolate cake... and while whipping up the egg whites.. I noticed how much volume they were getting.. which made me itch to make macarons. I didn't want to make macarons initially because of all my recent macaronage failures. I just threw everything together and crossed my fingers that this would be a successful batch... and.. it was! .. It wasn't so smooth.. I could have whizzed it a few more times int he food processor.. sifted it... and maybe not be so heavy with the almond flour... but yea, a good batch with NICE feet... just a grainy and irregular outer shell... on some of them... a lot of the nipples that I hate (even after tapping the baking sheet many times... and pushing down the nips with a wet finger... :( )... but  whatever... still edible. I'm just glad it didn't all go into the trashcan like the last batch. I would say this was a successful batch. My friends approved! :)

I was lucky enough to try macarons straight from France. My sis and bro in law brought them back from their honeymoon. I sampled some from Laduree and Pierre Herme. INCREDIBLE... their macarons don't taste like ones over here.... arg. I would pay for those.... anyway, yea, the only thing different was that their flavor combos were so amazing. I had a rose flavored one and I was hooked. On my trip to Seattle I also bought some rose extract at Market Spice. Just a tiny amount makes everything smell and taste lovely. So yea.. that was my inspiration. I filled it with semi sweet chocolate ganache... just a little bit. I didn't want the rose flavor to be over powered. I think the macaron craze has died a bit. I still love eating them but will rarely buy it. I'm really picky. So many macarons just fail to inspire. I've had ones that tasted like brownies... and a few that were under baked... yikes... I'm just a really picky macaron taster! It needs to have that egg shell layer with a chewy sugary layer inside... and everything is supposed to just crumble and melt with one bite....

Note the lil points on the macaron shells :( oh well check out their feet!

Anyway. Happy Valentine's Day everyone :) I'm going to head out with my girlfriends tonight.... and hopefully wake up early enough to get to do some dental screening for the homeless. I've been feeling really guilty for not volunteering more.... it seems like the older I get the less I do for the community... this NEEDS to change! I want to feel useful again :(

Recipe : Tutorial

I doubled the recipe ( 2 egg whites) and added 1/8 tsp rose extract as well as a toothpick's worth of magenta gel coloring.
Chocolate ganache- melted semi sweet chocolate mixed with some heavy cream.