Yay .... Macaroons!!!! Le Cordon Bleu

Finally, one of the classes I've been really looking forward too "The Secret of Macaroons"/Les Secrets Du Macaron! I tried to get Monique into this class but it was full.  It would seem everyone wants to know how to make them.


Macaroons are a delicate biscuit of meringue with a filling in a range of blissful colours and flavours.  I haven't seen them at home, but I think they should be on the menu!! Of course, they could be available in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne etc ... actually, I have just confirmed that they are.  Poop, I was hoping they hadn't reached WA yet!!


Macaroons are not difficult to make as far as the ingredients are concerned, but they are their success depends on a few variants, such as the the amount of mixing time, humidity and your oven - which are not easy to control.

They are pretty expensive considering what they are made of: egg white, sugar, powdered sugar, flour, ground almonds and cream of tartar or lemon juice plus flavouring or colouring, however, they are so popular and look so good you cannot help but eat them.

For the first time, I actually went to the front of the class, which offers the best view, I needed to know how to make these little babies, I also realised I should have been at the front of every class.

Polly, Crystal, Chef Deguignet & Me

Our chef for the day Chef Jean-Francois Deguignet, who also taught the Winter Pastries class on 16 January.  He has the lovely sense of humour (dry) and recognised me from the other class, which is quite amazing.  Our translator was the lovely Polly and assistants Crystal and Jong Li (not 100% on the spelling), how have been in quite a few classes with me.  It is really nice going to classes and knowing people, feels a bit like home. 

And so, we watched Chef Deguignet make his mixture, pipe it on to the trays (so quickly that we thought we were all going to fail miserably, he was like a machine).  He loves Macaroons too!!  The flavour today was Chocolate with Sea Salt, the filling was a mixture between ganache and creme patisserie ... the sort of stuff you want to dive into. 

I have well and truly learned that what looks easy in the demonstration is far from it in the practical sense!  As all the chef's put it .... 30 years of experience makes a big difference ... bugger!

After Chef had finished, we got onto our own mixtures!  We had to whisk the egg whites by hand .... seriously tiring and big hurt factor on the old arms!!  Chef said he knows when they are done because his face is red!

We added our sugar and dry ingredients and then piped them onto trays, with lots of laughing and "oh no's!" thrown in.  It is very different from piping onto a cake .... getting them the same size is difficult. But it was fun, as always.  We then had to leave them to dry, before putting them in the oven.

Onto the ganache then, which is always a good thing.  We had to share ingredients for this one and I got the only guy in the class who didn't listen to the directions and of course, he spoke French and I didn't.  I did resist the urge to pour the pot of cream on his head, because I realise that we are all learning.  The ganache turned out fine in the end.

The Macaroons went into the oven and Chef had to keep opening and closing it to make sure the humidity wasn't too high.  It was funny to watch!  He kept us entertained while we were waiting by making a chocolate rose ... I'd seen it before, but always good to see it again.

So, truth time .... Macaroons came out of the oven and were cooled .... some looked okay, some had cracked or spread.

Due to some miracle, mine were okay.  I didn't know this until I pulled my tray out and everyone was commenting.  Even the chef said mine were good .... let's hope I can get it right when I get home.  Will be having many practice sessions that's for sure.


This is the fastest disappearing dessert I have brought home with me from Le Cordon Bleu so far ... they weren't too sweet, but they were a bit crunchy, which I liked, but they should be a bit softer ..... something to do with the mixing!!

I am hoping to go to two shops that are renowned for their Macaroons and have a really good look.  I did try some at the dinner party I went to, but they were sweeter, apparently there are some that look good, but taste pretty average, you have to get both right .... wish me luck.

There was a lovely Australian girl, now living in London, in this class, Emma.  Like me, cooking is her passion and she has a cat "Hobart", yes, she is from Tasmania.  Emma has made lots of macaroons and is still learning.  Now all I need to do is practice, practice, practice.

Crystal and I. Crystal has an internship at Pierre Herme, the King of Macaroons.


The assistants are great at Le Cordon Bleu, they are students who have completed their diplomas or are completing them and work with the classes for extra credit, they do not get paid.