Back to Italian Method, but Better than Ever. No hollows, full, and not too sweet!

Hellooo and happy new year! If you guys knew me back in 2016, you'd know that I said that I was a convert of the French method. But as a baker, you always want to improve. However, I've tried a version of the Italian method that I have grown to love and my customers do love it as well. I would love to share with you my updated Italian method recipe, as well as the French which is used in my recently published book (in the next post).

For starters, I will just use the Vanilla Bean Macarons recipe. I have adapted it from Bouchon Bakery's cookbook. If you've ever tried Bouchon Bakery, their macarons are not too sweet, slightly chewy but melts in your mouth. Paired with my delicious, fluffy, and not too sweet new buttercream recipe, it becomes a crowd favorite.

What I do like about this recipe is that it isn't too sweet (personally) and that the shells come out smooth and with smaller feet. They also tend to dry a little faster than the French method. I also have some new tips to add to help speed up your macaron making process, which I will include in another post later. I did not include a recipe for only 1 dozen, because the macarons seems to not turn out as well when I split it up in small batches. The original recipe makes 4 dozen macarons, but I'm sure most don't want to make that many. So I included this recipe for 2 dozen.

So let's get to it!

Want to make different flavors in one batch?

Hi guys, many of you know that my recipes that I give out are usually too big for anyone to eat by themselves for just one flavor. Of course I usually never make my recipes that big unless someone wants to order 24 of them. I split them up either into 1/2's, 1/3's, or 1/4's of a recipe. That way I can make a full batch but have up to 4 flavors. The way you do this is very simple, some of you may have figured it out already.

For two flavors, you would do my usual recipe, but you split it in half. If you're making mango for example, you split my mango recipe in half. So the recipe would look like this:

75g almond flour

68g powdered sugar

7g freeze dried mangoes

25g egg whites

pinch of salt

And you put this in one bowl.

For another flavor, for example red velvet, you would split my red velvet recipe in half as well. So the recipe would look like this:

75g almond flour

73g powdered sugar

4g cocoa powder

25g egg whites

pinch of salt

And you put this in another bowl.

For the meringue, you would make it as normal, but instead of putting the whole meringue in one bowl, you divide the meringue into two portions: 80g and 80g. The total weight of the meringue is 160g or so, so just weigh your bowls, tare it, and then put in 80g of meringue. Then bake as normal!:)

For three flavors in one batch, you would do my usual recipe, but split it in thirds. So if you're making three flavors: mint chip, red velvet, and mango, the recipe would look like this split in three bowls:

50g almond flour

50g powdered sugar

17g egg whites

small amount of mint extract

pinch of salt

50g almond flour

47g powdered sugar

5g freeze dried mangoes

17g egg whites

pinch of salt

50g almond flour

48g powdered sugar

2g cocoa powder

17g egg whites

pinch of salt

Make the meringue as usual, and weigh out 55g meringue for each one.

Simple, right? And for four flavors, just split the half recipe in half. :) So you would be making about 38g almond flour, 38g powdered sugar, and about 12-13g egg whites. And for meringue, it would be 40g.


Hope you find this useful!:D

Cracked Macaron Shells?

Many people have been asking me why they have cracked macaron shells. 99.9% of the time it is because you did not dry the macarons out long enough. The 0.01% is that you overmixed or undermixed the batter.

Now, there are four factors to consider in why your macaron shells are not drying...

• Overmixed the batter
• Humid weather conditions
• Did not use a fan
• Too impatient and put them in the oven while not completely dry (me sometimes)

Now here is a correct consistency of the batter piped into circles. See how they are not too thin yet not too thick? They have a small shadow around the curve of the circle (this is how I check to see if it is overmixed or not).

If they are not getting dull and dry like this, PLEASE DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE OVEN. They will crack and look ugly and won't be macarons anymore. If you touch it and it wiggles around a bit, leave it to dry longer.

I have two tips that will surely help dry out your macarons (provided you didn't overmix):

1. Use a FAN to dry out your macarons. It will speed up the drying process! I would say by the time you're done doing the dishes, and preheating your oven, the macarons will be dry.

2. Add 2tsp corn starch or potato starch to the batter if it is humid in your area. This will add some extra tackiness to your batter and should dry out your macarons if you use it additionally to the fan.

Now if you undermixed your batter and they cracked, it will look like this...

See how it is lumpy and bumpy? You didn't release most of the air in the batter, making large air pockets.

Now if you overmixed your batter and they cracked, it will look like this...

These are more flat and look like chocolate crinkle cookies. You released too much air in the batter, causing the shell to collapse onto itself and crack.

I hope this helped, and now you should be able to tell the difference :)

What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks

Hi guys! I know after making macarons, there are oh so many egg yolks leftover...sigh*. So I've come up with several different ways to use up egg yolks. Hope you find this post useful ^_^

1. ICE CREAM!!!!!

I made this fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream recently, and man is it good. I purchased an ice cream maker not too long ago, because I was tired of eating egg yolks in scrambled eggs. The taste gets repetitive, you know :(. It was only around $35, and it is worth my money. I loooooove ice cream, so this gives me a good excuse to make ice cream. Here's the recipe. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Isaac-Mizrahis-Mint-Chocolate-Chip-Ice-Cream-240235 I used 2% milk because that's what I had in the fridge, but it still tastes good, just a bit of ice crystals. That means there's less fat hehe. 

2. Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Over Rice)

This is a really tasty dish, a Japanese style egg and chicken omelette over rice. It uses dashi, sake, soy sauce, and mirin for flavor. That way you don't have tasteless eggs. It's a simple, easy dish that always usually uses up my egg yolks. I've included the recipe for your convenience.

Oyakodon (adapted from Cookingwithdog's youtube)

Ingredients (Makes enough for a couple days)

-However many egg yolks are leftover from macarons

-1 packet of granulated dashi mixed with 1/4 cup water

-1-2 Chicken breasts or thighs

-Cooked Rice

-1 onion, finely chopped

-1 tbsp soy sauce

-1/2 tbsp sake

-1/2 tbsp mirin

-Mitsuba parsley or green onions for garnish

1. Cut up chicken and onions into small pieces.

2. Put dashi stock, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and onions in a large pan and cook until onions are translucent.

3. Add the chicken and thoroughly cook.

4. Beat the egg yolks until one solid consistency, and then drizzle over the chicken and onion so that it connects them.

5. Cook until solid, and serve over hot steamed rice.

3. Steamed Eggs (Chinese Style)

I sometimes am really lazy and want a tasty savory egg custard to go with my meals. This is a good answer to that, and uses up my egg yolks. I do add one or two extra whole eggs so that it becomes more fluffy, but it isn't necessary. The egg yolks make this custard very firm and solid, not runny or watery at all. Still just as tasty :)

Steamed Eggs (adapted from my mother's cooking)

Ingredients:

-However many egg yolks you have leftover from macarons

-1-2 whole eggs

-1 tbsp vegetable oil

-1 cup water

-A steamer (or a deep pan like a wok filled with a bit of water)

-Oyster sauce to garnish and add flavor

-Green onions for garnish, chopped

1. Beat egg yolks and eggs until foamy in a large heatproof bowl.

2. Add the water and vegetable oil and whisk with a fork until bubbles form.

3. Put the bowl in the steamer and cover on medium-high heat for 25 minutes or until firm.

4. Garnish with oyster sauce and green onions if you like.

4. Egg Drop Soup

I'm pretty lazy when it comes to using up egg yolks, so sometimes I just use them to make egg drop soup or something similar. I am not too fond of the texture of egg yolks, so sometimes I add a whole egg to balance it out. But this is a quick and easy way to get rid of them, and they're not too rich while in soup. If you want you can add meat like shrimp or chicken.

Egg Drop Soup (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

-4 cups chicken broth, divided

-A pinch of ground ginger

-Chopped green onions for garnish

-A pinch of salt

-1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

-However many egg yolks you have leftover

-1 whole egg

1. Pour 2 cups of the chicken broth in a saucepan, and heat on medium-high heat.

2. Add the ginger, salt and green onions and bring to a rolling boil.

3. In another bowl, mix the 2 cups of chicken broth with the cornstarch for thickener.

4. Beat the egg yolks and egg in another bowl with a fork and slowly drizzle in the mixture into the soup in a circular motion so that they cook evenly.

5. Add in the cornstarch and mix well.

5. Chicken Noodle Soup with Eggs

Sometimes when I'm feeling under the weather, I make this soup to boost my immune system. It's super easy and it can use up your egg yolks for sure :) I don't really measure out my ingredients for this because I just make it up as I go. It's a little bland, but I just add some pepper and salt.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Eggs

Ingredients:

-However many egg yolks are left over from macarons

-A good amount of chicken broth mixed with water

-Pasta noodles

-Water

-Salt

-Pepper

-Celery or spinach

-1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

-Pre-cooked chicken pieces (frozen or fresh)

-1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Pour chicken broth and water into a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Add in the carrots and celery/spinach.

3. You don't have to cook the pasta in a separate pot, so for convenience I just boil the pasta noodles in the same saucepan as the soup. So add in the pasta and cook for about 7-10 minutes.

4. Add in your chicken and cook until soft. Add in your garlic and cook until translucent.

5. Beat the egg yolks, and drizzle in the egg yolks until it cooks, like the egg drop soup.

6. Add in the salt and pepper to taste, and you're done.

6. Creme Brulee

This isn't really a dish that I eat on the daily, like the ones above. So you can make it for a special occasion, because it makes quite a lot and it's rich and creamy. Recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/vanilla-bean-creme-brulee-recipe/index.html.

7. Lemon Curd

You can use this to make a flavor of macarons if you wish, but I never really use this recipe...just something to keep in mind.http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lemon-curd-recipe/index.html

8. Chocolate Pudding

Haven't tried this recipe yet, but it uses 2 egg yolks. Try it out if you want :) http://www.cooksunited.co.uk/recipes/584111205244570/Homemade-Chocolate-Pudding.html

9. Earl Grey Pot de Creme

Haven't tried this either, but give it a shot :)http://www.canadianliving.com/food/earl_grey_pot_de_creme.php

I got some of these from this website, so check it out. :) I hate wasting egg yolks, so try to make something delicious out of it! Have fun!

http://www.fortysomething.ca/2010/04/recipes_to_use_up_extra_egg_yo.php

(P.S.: Most recipes that call for eggs you can substitute egg yolks :))

Macaron Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

While making macarons, many people ask me lots of questions since they know I can make them. Well when I was making them, I figured it out mostly for myself until I took the macaron class. Let's begin, shall we?:)

Q: Is it pronounced macar-oon or macar-ohn? 
A: In French, it is pronounced macar-ohn but with a slight silent N. You can look it up if you want, the French do not pronounce it like "Macaroon". God that word annoys me. LOL. Macaroons are the coconut meringue cookies, not the pretty colorful almond meringue cookies.

Q: Do you use Italian or French Meringue method?
A: I use the Italian method, it produces much better results and is more reliable. However, if French suits you, do what you like.

Q: Do you have to age your egg whites?
A: No, I do not at all. I notice no difference at all if I age them or not. They don't turn out more fluffy, they don't fail if I use new egg whites. I don't need to microwave them to age them. The purpose of "aging" is to make the egg whites more liquidy, easier to beat. But that doesn't mean you have to age them for them to be beaten. If that was true, bakeries would have ridiculous amounts of egg whites laying around the kitchens.

Q: Can I use wax paper?
A: NO, do NOT use wax paper. This is not the same thing as parchment paper. Wax is lined with wax, which is for making things such as chocolate covered strawberries or things that don't stick easily. Macarons are very sticky when baked, so they will definitely stick to the paper. I learned the hard way. Parchment on the other hand is lined with Teflon, the stuff that coats your frying pans.

Q: How do I store macarons?
A: When you first make them, put them in the fridge in an airtight container so that way the shells can absorb the filling and become softer for at least 24 hours. They will stay good for about 3-4 days at most. After that they begin to get crumbly.

Q: Can I freeze macarons?
A: Yes you can, they withstand freezing very well! They taste just as fresh as when you first made them. Just let them defrost for about 20 minutes or so. They will also last about 3 months in the freezer (but I'm sure people will eat them before that).

Q: What are some good fillings for macarons?
A: I love swiss meringue buttercream!! It's the best. Fluffy, light, not too sweet. Ganaches are good too, but I have problems with making them not too sweet. You can also try French Buttercream, which is egg yolks beaten until pale, and a sugar syrup is drizzled into them to be cooked and butter is added (a great way to get rid of yolks).

Q:  Can I use less sugar to make macarons?
A: No, you can't because sugar is the basis and structure for the macaron shells. So unfortunately not...I am planning to do a test batch of powdered sugar substitute made of stevia.


Q: Do you have to rest the macaron shells?
A: YES, you must. At least let them rest enough so that it gets dry and dull, since this creates the "foot" and prevents cracking. Use a fan to speed up the drying process.

Q: Why did my macarons crack?
A: If your macarons cracked from the top, then it is because you didn't rest them long enough. The foot is actually a crack on the bottom of the macaron. So the foot formed on top instead of on the bottom.

Q: Why did my macarons turn hollow?
A: You did not beat enough air out of the macarons, you did not fold correctly, you overmixed the batter, you overbeat the egg whites, the almond meal was too grainy and tore through the meringue, or you underbeat the egg whites.

Q: Can I add flavorings to the shells?
A: Yes you can, as long as it is powder, an extract, or freeze dried fruit that is finely ground in a food processor.

Q: When do you add food coloring?
A: You should add food coloring to the mass as soon as possible so that way you don't accidentally overmix the batter.

Q: Why did the macaron feet start detaching from the shell?
A: I have no idea. I'm still trying to figure that out. Only happens sometimes though.

Q: Parchment or Silpat?
A: SILPAT! Good for the environment because you don't have to throw it away. Also I like how the feet come out on Silpat.

Q: Why did my macarons brown?
A: Your oven temperature was too hot, turn it down a little. Ovens are all different, so 300 degrees F for me might be different for you.

Q: How long do you beat the Italian Meringue before you can use it?
A: Until it becomes shiny, thick, and doesn't droop too much when you pull up the whisk. Don't let it get lumpy like this:

Q: Why did my macarons come out with no feet and porous?
A: You did not rest them long enough because the French Meringue method takes FOREVER to dry. Don't do the French method.

Q: How long does it take to make a batch of macarons?
A: Well at first, it took me 5 hours. LOL But now I have more experience and it only takes me about an hour and a half to make the shells and filling.

Q: What brand of almond flour do you use?
A: I don't. I grind my own almonds, it's cheaper. Buy them from trader joes!

Q: I don't have a scale, can you convert the measurements?
A: I really recommend that you get a scale, it's more accurate than cups measurements. Most of the world uses scales anyway. Lol if not, go look up the conversions. GOOGLE, guys.

Q: How do you get your macarons to look so perfect?!
A: Practice makes perfect. Even mine aren't perfect still. :P

Q: How can you get the macarons to be all the same size?
A: Unfortunately, I can't even get all of them to be the same size. It's just human error. However to minimize the risk of different shaped macarons, I suggest you draw circles on a piece of parchment and use that as a guide under your Silpat/parchment.

Q:  Why are my macarons lopsided?
A: You either rested the macarons too long (this would be like 2 hours) or your macarons are hollow and the insides are spewing out of the shell.

Q: Why are the macarons feet ugly and spreading and frilly?
A: You overmixed the batter :(

Q: Can I bake two trays at a time?
A: If your oven is a commercial oven that has even heat, go ahead. If not, I recommend you don't. Macarons need even heat or else they will not turn out right.

Q: Can I have the recipe?!
A: Yes, go look on my blog. I don't mind as long as you remember to credit me :)

Well that's all I have for now, just let me know if you have any more questions that can be added to this list. :)

French Meringue Method vs. Italian Meringue Method

Hi everyone, as you all know (or may not know) there are two main methods of making macarons: The French Meringue Method and the Italian Meringue Method. The two methods are quite similar, but are also quite different.

French Meringue Method: consists of sugar, almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg whites. The egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks using the sugar and the dry ingredients are folded into the meringue. This method takes a bit more skill, but since it doesn't deal with thermometers or grams(majority of recipes online), most people in America try this method first (including me). It is easier to overmix the macaronage with this method, but some people claim that the French Meringue Method produces a more airy texture. The shell is also a bit more crisp than the Italian Method macarons. Here are some examples of French Meringue Method macarons.

(courtesy of madbaker.net and notsohumblepie.blogspot.com)

Italian Meringue Method: consists of sugar, almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg whites as well. However, the almond flour and powdered sugar are glued together by an addition of egg whites. This makes it easier to fold the meringue with the tant pour tant (mass) and you are less likely to overmix. Usually, this method does not fail to produce feet. Also, instead of making a regular meringue, sugar and water are boiled together until it reaches 240 Fahrenheit and poured into soft peak-stage egg whites. This produces a very stable meringue that doesn't deflate. You can put it in a container and save it for later, and the quality won't be sacrificed. This method produces a fuller macaron, with a soft shell and insides. Here are some pictures of Italian Method macarons. (the ones I post on this site are all Italian method)

(courtesy of notsohumblepie.blogspot.com)

So which method do I like??

......

ITALIAN!

WHY??

Because most of the time (when I do everything right lol) they do not turn out as horrible as these cookie-fails:

1)

2)

(sorry guys...but an example must be shown XD)

(courtesy of ceeinthekitchen and tast-e)

I used to use the French meringue method in the beginning because I thought "Ohh, I don't want to have to buy a candy thermometer and weigh out stuff with a scale". So I used yumsugar.com's recipe...but at times I would get things like these! And I was like "MAN, WHAT A ***** temperamental cookie! How can bakeries do this every day??" By the way, the reason why those two macarons failed up there is because 1) batter was overmixed, and not rested, and 2) Were not fully rested either. Those darn macarons would take hours to dry! And I was thinking "wow, how do people have time for this??" Also, I guess I didn't know how to deflate the batter correctly in the beginning, so they would be hollow and have tall feet. To me, tall feet are not ideal in a macaron. I like smaller feet on macarons, because I know the insides won't be hollow. Tall feet=hollow shells (most of the time). 

These ones were around the beginning of my baking macarons. These were French meringue method, and I didn't really care about the interiors. I just wanted feet. lol so I am pretty sure that these were quite hollow, since the feet are so tall and the shell is sort of a squareish shape. Since I was so focused on making sure my macarons had feet, I completely forgot about the interiors. 

Now since I use the Italian meringue method, it basically guarantees feet as long as you follow the instructions correctly. (my recipe) I have more time to focus on the interiors of the cookies, and they have become a lot better than when I first started. The batter also takes less time to dry, especially if you use a fan. Usually when I'm done with all the dishes from baking (groan) they're done and dry (15-20 min).

If you compare those to my most recent batch, you can see that the feet are quite smaller and the shells are a more rounded shape. They have full interiors and are very moist. The French ones I used to make were a bit crispy. 

So if you're a beginner and want to try making macarons, I HIGHLY suggest that you start with the Italian Meringue method. It prevents those disasters from happening, and you won't have to worry about not having feet (lol sounds funny). 

I know some people swear by their French Meringue method, but a lot of commercial bakeries use the Italian method because it's just more reliable. It doesn't really depend on humidity or silly factors like that. No nonsense. No BS. No babying the batter. It's straightforward. Sorry if I'm offending any of you French meringue bakers, but this is my opinion. :)

Grinding your own almonds vs. pre-ground almond meal?

Hi guys! This week consisted of spring break...but for me it was like spring BAKE. hahaha get it?..No?...okay.

I had to make 5 dozen macarons, 5 dozen cake pops, and 3 dozen cupcakes for an easter party tomorrow. It's an order, so I get paid at least. hehe :)

Anyways, I started baking on Sunday because my friend wanted to buy a batch of cookies n' creme and Thai tea macarons. I bought this new Honeyville Almond Flour on amazon for $35 for 5 pounds. I thought that was a pretty good deal...until I used it. They turned out all funky and weird. The batter stayed hard and not flowing like lava like it should. It wouldn't flow like good batter does, so I added more meringue, and it turned out weird, cracked, puffy, and terrible tasting. Who could have ever thought that changing your almonds would affect the macaron?? This means that the only thing different was the almonds, and by the feel of them, they were very dry, no oil at all. So when mixing the macaronage, the oils from the almonds did not release into the batter, making the batter too thick and hard to work with. No matter how much I punched and folded that batter, it didn't thin out. Had to toss those out. :(

So then I went to my local market and bought some Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour, which I have used in the past. It did make the oils come out of the almonds, but for some reason, some macarons came out hollow!!! WTH. I thought I was past this. I beat myself up over this. Some were not hollow, and some were. So sad...I also bought a big bag of blanched slivered almonds from the market. I have always been grinding my own almonds, but I decided I should take the easy way out earlier. That wasn't so promising for me...

So this time I ground up my own almonds each time, and none came out hollow! I also adjusted my recipe a bit. My oven doesn't really read 300 when I put 300, so I put 315 and it comes out to 300. The problem is it gets a bit browned, but it's not a big deal. That way they do NOT come out hollow for sure. They come out a bit crisp, but maturation does the trick. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Yum.

So personally, I grind my own almonds to get a good amount of oil out of the batter. You don't want oil-less macarons. Oil = good for macarons. If they are too dry, they won't be moist and chewy inside. :) I don't know if grinding your own almonds is best for you, but if you do pick an almond flour, choose wisely. Bob's Red Mill is kind of unpredictable, so be careful. The tried and true way of preventing hollows is using your own ground almonds. :)

How to Get Rid of Hollow Macarons...For GOOD!

Hi everyone, I know that hollow macarons are probably the most frustrating errors a baker can make while baking macarons. So this is why I have dedicated so much time and effort trying to rid my batches of the ugly, dreadful hollows. Now, I can even determine if a macaron is hollow just by looking at the outside of it.

The feet, or the spongy, airy ruffle at the bottom of the cookie, are what give it away. Here I can give you some examples of what gives away the hollow.

1. Flat, straight foot

(courtesy of thimbleanna.com & vivianmacaron.com)

This macaron above is hollow. As you can see, there are no air spaces that let the cookie rise up and become fluffy. All of the fluffiness has sank to the bottom while baking, and that is why the foot is straight with no holes. So when you bite into it, the insides are chewy since there is no fluffiness. 

2. Tall, lopsided feet

Tall feet means that most of the interior of the cookie has exploded out of the shell, causing the insides to be hollow. Also, there is no air space between the shell and the foot, so that means it will be hollow, Lopsided macarons are definitely a sign of hollowness.

3. Undermixed batter (nipples)

These cookies also have tall feet, and as you can see, there are little nipples sticking up at the top of the cookies. This means that the batter was pretty undermixed, and that plus the tall feet most definitely will make your cookie hollow.

So, what makes a good macaron then?

1. Short, ruffly feet

Short, ruffly feet indicate that you have made a fluffy macaron. The insides have not spewed outside the shell nor have sank to the bottom. 

2. Air space between foot and shell

Air space between the foot and the shell also indicate that you've made a good macaron. You can look inside this air space and see that the meringue has turned fluffy. 

I noticed that most macarons that are hollow are usually undercooked. This can easily be fixed by cooking it a bit more, and making sure you deflate the air in the batter correctly. Here is a video showing you how to do it.

This makes a big difference in whether your macarons turn out hollow or not. Air in the batter contributes to hollows. Make sure you get every single area of the batter while scratching the bottom.

To get rid of hollows aside from the batter making, you need to make sure your oven is the right temperature. Raising up the temperature a little higher than 300 (my recipe) if your oven thermometer says it is not actually 300 will help. I bake on the middle-high rack, since my heat is mostly from the top. I use a convection oven as well. You also need to bake them a little longer, like 13 minutes. This will prevent hollows and ensure a stable inside. However, the trade off is that you will have crispier macarons than normal. If you have a high-moisture filling, it will disappear with a day or two of maturation. If you have a low-moisture filling like buttercream, you can additionally brush the bottoms of the macarons with milk or whatever will go with your flavor, like jam or coffee. This will help maturation proceed faster, and your once-cripsy macarons will turn into fluffy, soft, chewy confections.

THIS IS FOOLPROOF. If you follow all these steps and analyze your macarons' feet, you will defeat the hollow problems!:)

Hope this helped.<3