I posted earlier seeking advice about my gel color but I can’t edit my post or comment any photos so I am reposting
The majority of the advice was about my technique
I appreciate the criticism but I’m not sure if I was clear in the question I posed
I was told the shells were too thin, the top was too thin, I overmixed
If it was a mixing/macaronage issue, wouldn’t I see uneven color inside the shell as well?
Adding a cross section photo here— does this look like the cookie itself is wrong?
by heydianahey
3 Comments
I still think you’re overmixing and I say this because I’ve been there. The inside looks great but the very outer shell is too thin/fragile/susceptible to cracks. That along with the uneven outer color usually means over mixing and/or weak meringue. When you pipe them do they spread out a lot? Do they settle out perfectly smooth quickly? I get not wanting nippled tops but I’d still try to err slightly on undermixed, slowly flowing batter in ribbons off of your spatula consistency. Try it once and see how they turn out. You probably won’t have shiny tops but the color will be even.
The top color looks uneven because the batter is over mixed, leading to a thin top. The top is picking up the oils from the inside of the cookie, leading it to look uneven, as you describe it. Again, this is 100% an over mixed batter.
For me this happened when I don’t cook it long enough. My first “successful” macs looked like this but I was in denial they were sticky inside. Which the wetness causes that spotting. If you cook for 5-6 minutes longer, they should cook all the way through and it won’t sink in those places like that.
When you are taking them out of the oven give them a wiggle. It shouldn’t be moving side to side, then you know it’s done. Further, if you use swiss meringue, you should be able to just funnel them into a container because they are stable and strong, not delicate like you have to hand pick each one from the mat and place it gently.