i’d been waffling among several potential bakes for february, and considering we were nearly halfway through the month and about to be out of town for a week, time was not on my side. after much consideration and then an unexpected, brave flash of inspiration, it was decided: february would be for macarons.

finnicky, temperamental, unpredictable macarons. yes! why not? i’ve had enough great, reliable bakes and never again bakes that i was not afraid to test my skills with this unmistakable treat.

i wouldn’t say i’m a macaron expert but have had my share over the years. and after reading plenty of tips and tricks, the baking began. i ended up going with this recipe from sally mckenney, which included plenty of step-by-step photos, videos, tips, and treats. kudos to sally for putting in all the legwork! 😉

it was fun whipping up the egg whites and watching them form those stiff peaks (what a satisfying description!); it was a little tense ensuring i mixed the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients just enough but not too much; and it was stressful piping my shells and letting them cure, fearing i had overmixed the batter because they spread kind of thin on the sheet. sometimes, though, you have to just have a little faith and trust your instincts.

while the shells rested, i washed up dishes and cleaned up my mess, and 50 minutes later, they were no longer tacky to the touch. ’twas a baking miracle! into the 325 degree oven they went, and my heart did a little flutter. will they rise? will they be hollow? will their feet form? the anticipation was nearly more than i could bear, but after the 13 suggested minutes of baking passed, i nearly shrieked in satisfaction. the notable macaron feet were there! the shells were not cracked! and what i’ll go ahead and tell you is that they were divine. filled with sally’s vanilla buttercream, the characteristic almond flavor was perfectly noticeable, and it took so much self control to not scarf up the whole tray in one sitting. i know not every bake can turn out this great (especially on the first try), but imma take this one to the bank. i just made macarons!