Macaron masterclass in Dubai: chef David Croiser shares tips for perfecting French treats

The French patissier shares his dos and don'ts ahead of the session

The session will teach attendees how to whip up meringue, select flavours and prepare fillings

Home bakers can add another trick up their sieve. Following the success of his first batch, French patissier David Croiser will host a macaron-making masterclass on Tuesday at Mondoux restaurant in Dubai Creek Harbour. The session includes a demonstration on how to whip up the perfect meringue, flavour selection and filling preparation.

Making macarons is a five-step process, according to Croiser.

“First you prepare the dough with almond powder, icing sugar and egg whites. Then you whip up the meringue with sugar and egg whites. Step three is combining the ingredients from the first two steps, followed by creating the shape you desire and baking, and finally adding the filling of your choice.”

While this sounds nice and easy, there are a few tips and tricks involved, which the chef shares with The National.

Pro tip: “Don’t overmix the meringue. It’s the most common mistake that people tend to make.”

Biggest no-no: “Some people don’t measure out the ingredients and go by gut feel. That’s a total misconception. If you want perfect results every time, you need to follow the instructions step by step.”

Flavours and fads: “I’ve experimented with almost 100 different flavours and in the end – at least in my experience – customers always tend to go back to tried-and-tested traditional flavours. However, like in every industry, we tend to follow trends. At the moment, Speculoos, Oreo and salted caramel are quite popular.

“It’s also important to know which flavour combinations work and which don’t. You always have to use one strong flavour with one neutral flavour. For example, raspberry goes well with vanilla but not with orange.”

Personal favourite: “I’m a big fan of lychee-flavoured macarons with a lime filling. I bake them myself and like them because they are unique and I haven’t seen them anywhere. When you bite into them, the flavour kicks in, with the zest of lime waking you up.

“Other than macarons, my favourite dessert is the tarte tropezienne, made with brioche dough and light vanilla cream. I prepare it with many other flavours, including strawberry nougatine, raspberry and pink praline.”

The future of baking: “Bite-sized sweets aside, for me, the future of desserts should actually see bakers going back to the old days, to our grandmother’s baking. This means using wholesome natural ingredients, zero chemicals and colourants, minimal sugar and, in most cases, having no need to refrigerate the final product.”

David Croiser’s three-hour, six-person macaroon masterclass is at 4pm on Tuesday at Mondoux Dubai, Dubai Creek Harbour. The class costs Dh450, inclusive of all baking materials and a pre-set two-course dinner at the restaurant. Bookings can be made by calling 052 4166828