Lyla Lindsey
Macarons are delicate French meringue-based cookies made from whipped egg whites, sugar, and almond flour. They are often filled with buttercream, jam, or chocolate and come in a variety of colours and flavours. Making macarons can be intimidating and finicky, but with careful measurement and preparation, anyone can make these delicious treats at home. This introduction will guide you through the process of making macarons, including tips and tricks for achieving the perfect batch.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Delicate, light, crisp and airy on the outside, chewy on the inside |
| Base | Whipped egg whites, folded with a mixture of powdered sugar and almond flour |
| Ingredients | Icing sugar, almond flour, egg whites, granulated sugar, vanilla, gel food colouring, salt, cream of tartar, etc. |
| Preparation | Weigh and measure ingredients carefully, use a kitchen scale, age egg whites, sieve ingredients, use a food processor, whisk by hand, etc. |
| Filling | Any filling can be used, such as buttercream, whipped ganache, ice cream, jam, etc. |
| Baking | Bake at 170°C for about 20 minutes, let stand for 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack |
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What You'll Learn
Weighing and mixing ingredients
Weighing and mixing the ingredients correctly is crucial to achieving the perfect macaron consistency. First, measure out all your ingredients using a kitchen scale to prevent messing up any measurements once you start mixing. Make sure to weigh out the egg whites by weight and ensure that absolutely no egg yolks make their way into the separated whites. Some people swear by "aged egg whites", which you can create by separating the eggs, placing the whites in a clean glass, covering them with plastic wrap with a few holes poked in, and letting them sit in the fridge for a few days. This step is not mandatory but can make a difference in the final product.
Next, you'll need to sift, sift, sift! Sift your almond flour, then whiz it in a food processor, and repeat this process two more times. This step is important to achieve a smooth top on your macarons. Superfine almond flour is best for macarons, but even if the package says "super-fine", you will likely still need to process it to be even finer. If you're using almond meal instead of almond flour, be aware that it is usually less fine and contains almond skin, so you'll definitely need to sift and process it.
Now, you can start mixing your dry ingredients. Sieve the icing sugar and ground almonds together in a large bowl and whisk together. Then, whiz the dry ingredients in the food processor and then sift again. Repeat this process two more times. You can also pulse your powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor, but as long as you sift it very well, you don't need to break out another appliance.
Finally, it's time to whip the egg whites. Add cream of tartar to stabilize the egg whites, especially if it's a humid day. Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar, and then add a pinch of salt. Gradually add the sugar and mix until the meringue reaches the soft peak stage. Add vanilla and any gel food colouring at this point. If you're making a Swiss meringue, you'll cook the egg whites a little before using them in your macaron batter, creating a more stable base. Continue whipping the meringue until it reaches stiff peaks. You may need to finish the whisking by hand to get it to the right consistency.
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Baking
Macarons are notoriously finicky to make, but the process can be made easier by using a Swiss meringue (warmed egg whites) instead of a French meringue (uncooked egg whites). This results in a more stable base.
To make the meringue, whip the egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, and granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Add food colouring and vanilla at this point, if desired. Then, continue to whip the meringue to stiff peaks. It is best to finish this process by hand.
To make the macaron batter, fold the meringue into a mixture of powdered sugar and almond flour. It is important to be gentle and smooth during this process, and to stop once the batter reaches the desired stage—it should be shiny and slowly fall off the spatula in a ribbon.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Pipe the batter onto the trays in 4cm rounds, leaving 2cm of space between each macaron. Tap the trays on the benchtop to help the macarons spread slightly. Let the macarons stand for 15 minutes, then bake for 20 minutes. Allow the macarons to stand on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Filling
The filling is where you can get creative and add lots of character and variety to the macaron. You can use different piping tips to make fun designs with the filling. The shell recipe stays the same, and you can vary the colour and flavour of the filling.
You can make a basic macaron filling with just three ingredients: egg whites, unsalted butter, and granulated sugar. Whip the egg whites and sugar until the mixture is warm, the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is stiff and shiny. Then add the butter, one piece at a time, mixing after each addition.
You can also make a creamy, custardy French buttercream using leftover egg yolks. Other options include American buttercream, Italian meringue buttercream, whipped ganache, or a disc of ice cream.
If you want to add some crunch, beat butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Then add confectioner's sugar and Oreo cookies, mixing until combined. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt, and mix until fully combined. Set the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
For a tangy flavour, make a citrus curd by bringing lemon peel, lemon juice, and granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt to make a smooth and fully blended ganache.
Once you've made your filling, let the macarons cool completely before filling and sandwiching them. Pipe the filling onto the flat sides of half of the cookies. Place another cookie on top of one with filling to create a sandwich. Macarons with buttercream fillings should be refrigerated for one to two days before serving, while macarons with liquid fillings like jam will be ready overnight.
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Flavour and colour variations
Macarons can be made with a variety of different flavours or fillings. A popular choice is to fill the macarons with chocolate ganache, which can be made extra rich by using white chocolate or extra indulgent with the addition of mocha and hazelnut. For a fruity option, fresh strawberries can be used as a filling, and a little food colouring can give the macarons a cute pink hue.
Citrus-flavoured macarons are another option, with lime, lemon or orange helping to offset the richness of the cookie. For a more complex flavour, you could try a combination of salted caramel and banana, or orange white chocolate ganache, which has been described as tasting like orange push-pops.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could experiment with different teas, flowers, herbs, or even carrots! Some popular combinations include earl grey with lavender buttercream, pandan shells with coconut buttercream, and sweet carrot with cream cheese frosting and walnuts.
When it comes to colouring macarons, you can use gel paste colour or food colouring. It's important to note that colours like black and dark red can be difficult to achieve and usually end up paler than desired. To get dark, vibrant colours, add a heaped tablespoon of gel paste colour to the sugar syrup before cooking. You can also try cooking at a lower temperature for longer and adding more colouring as needed.
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Troubleshooting
Macarons are notoriously difficult to get right, and even the smallest mistake can cause them to turn out wrong. Here are some common issues and how to fix them:
Hollow Macarons
There are a few reasons why your macarons may be coming out hollow. Firstly, the meringue may be over or under-whipped. To prevent this, make sure you get the meringue to the perfect consistency before starting the macaronage process. Adding an acid, such as cream of tartar, can help stabilise the meringue. Secondly, the batter may be over or under-macaronaged. This refers to working the batter to the correct consistency.
Flat Macarons
Flat macarons can be caused by an oven that is too hot or too cold. If your oven is too cold, the macarons won't rise properly and will be flatter than usual. If your oven is too hot, the macarons will bake too quickly on the outside, leaving a moist interior that also doesn't rise. Flat macarons can also be caused by under-whipping the meringue. The meringue needs to be whipped to stiff peaks so that it is strong enough to rise in the oven. Under-beating the egg whites can also cause flat macarons.
Lopsided Macarons
Lopsided macarons are usually caused by hot spots in your oven. Try using an oven thermometer to test the temperature in different places in your oven. If you have a fan-forced oven, switch it off or use a setting that doesn't use the fan.
Cracked Macarons
Cracked macarons are caused by under-whipping the meringue. The meringue needs to be strong enough to support the structure of the macaron. Cracked macarons can also be caused by not resting the shells for long enough. The shells need to dry out before baking, otherwise, the moisture will cause them to crack.
Brown Macarons
If your macarons are browning too much, it is usually because your oven temperature is too high. Try reducing the temperature by 5 or 10 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to accurately measure the temperature. Covering the shells with foil after 7 minutes of baking can also help prevent browning.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need icing sugar, almond flour, egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and food colouring.
It is important to weigh and measure your ingredients carefully. Age your egg whites by separating them, placing them in a clean glass, covering them with plastic wrap with a few holes, and leaving them in the fridge for a few days. Sift and process the almond flour to make it finer, then sift it again with the icing sugar.
Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, and gradually add the granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and food colouring. Then, gently fold in the almond flour and icing sugar mixture until the batter is shiny and falls off the spatula in a ribbon.
Preheat your oven to 150-170°C. Line a baking tray with paper and pipe the batter into rounds, leaving space between them. Tap the tray on the bench to help the macarons spread. Bake for 20 minutes, then let them stand on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
You can fill macarons with buttercream, ganache, or any filling of your choice. Sandwich the macarons together and dust with icing sugar. Macarons can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
