Huffington Post sums up the process precisely by saying, "This tiny French delicacy is a confection requiring patience, care and concentration to create. It is a delicate balancing act in which so many conditions play a heavy role: perfect measurements, oven precision, the quality of the ingredients, outside temperature and humidity, the change in any one of which can wreak havoc on the results, leaving the anxious baker in front of disastrous results: flat, cracked or gluey blobs instead of the much desired perfectly formed, light-as-air shells" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-schler/macaron-madness_b_667187.html) This couldn't be more true in Houston, where roaring temperatures in humidity and temperatures for at least 4 months out of the year makes macarons even more finicky even for the most seasoned Pastry Chef.