There’s just something about rain that makes me want to lounge on the sofa, sip coffee and eat baked goods. And not just any baked good. I want a pastry that will transport me to a café in a far off land where the smell of coffee grounds hangs in the air and an array of eclairs, petit fours and Napoleon cakes dazzles my eyes. I want something truly sophisticated. I want something French!

Macarons à la rose by Foodbeam.com

Lucky for me, French Revolution, a food blog by Kerry–the child of a Parisian mother and New Yorker father–has just the recipe for a day like today. Kerry went to France to learn how to make macarons, those sublime cookies with crispy shells oozing ganache, pastry cream or jam. Here she shares the recipe she learned for turning out perfectly textured shells.

The fillings are endless–anything from lemon curd to sea salt caramel to rose cream–but if you need inspiration Serious Eats dug up a recipe for bittersweet chocolate ganache.