My Macaron Making Story

About a year ago I saw a picture of a french macaron, and thought that it looked incredibly appetizing! I really really wanted to try one, but being in the middle of rural Illinois I knew that I wasn't going to be able to find them, so I decided to make them myself!
I didn't know what I was getting into. These are VERY hard to make right, but once I started, I couldn't go back.
A year later, and I can proudly say that I have the basics down. Here is a timeline with some pictures of my little macarons from the past.

I began by looking up a recipe online, and following it exactly. For my first macarons I wanted bright colors! so I made them blue and pink. I don't remember what flavor they were, but I do remember that there was a lot of condensed milk in the filling, making them SUPER sweet. Besides the sweetness, there was a TERRIBLE problem with these. You can't see it in the picture, but all the macarons have paper stuck between the filling and the cookie part. We accidentally bought wax paper instead of parchment paper, and well, they got stuck. Before I started making these I didn't even know what parchment paper was. I can now say that it is my favorite kind of paper in the whole world! (although I am also kind of fond of toilet paper)

For being the first one ever I don't think they were too bad. They weren't very good (see the emptiness inside), but at least they grew feet! (the little wrinkly part at the bottom of the cookies)

However, after the wax paper incident, we decided to get real parchment paper and try again.

These had a lemon filling, and weren't too terrible. However, just like with the previous batch, they were very hollow inside. I was getting very frustrated with the recipes and advice that I found online. Many websites said opposite things, I didn't know who to listen to.

These little raspberry ones actually turned out better. we made them using a different recipe, and although they were a bit deformed, the inside wasn't as hollow as with the previous ones. However, they were a bit dry, and extremely sweet. These taught me that jam isn't a good macaron filling.

Then! I moved to New Mexico, and it all changed. I believe that the lack in humidity in this state has helped a lot. But also, for my birthday last year, Lilo bought me a Mad about Macarons! which let me finally be able to make the macarons without having to do a couple of hours of research in advance!

They finally started turning out great!

I still have much to work on. They are very often hollow, and all the research I do about this problem brings out contradicting advice! So I'm still making them periodically to try to figure out what the problem is. The great thing is that everyone who tries them loves them! so even if I never get them perfectly, they will please my friends.