Description
Classic French macarons are delicate, crisp on the outside, and chewy on the inside almond meringue cookies. This recipe guides you through the process of creating the perfect macaron shells, including steps for beating egg whites, folding the batter with almond flour and confectioners’ sugar, piping, resting, and baking to achieve the signature feet and texture. Customize your macarons with various fillings for a sophisticated, elegant treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 100g egg whites (approximately 3–4 large egg whites)
- 1/4 teaspoon (1g) cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, almond, coconut, optional)
- 80g superfine sugar (caster sugar)
- 1–2 drops gel food coloring (optional)
- 125g almond flour
- 125g confectioners’ sugar
Filling
- Desired macaron filling (buttercream, ganache, jam, lemon curd, or other fillings)
Instructions
- Prepare Egg Whites: Wipe a large glass or metal mixing bowl with lemon juice or vinegar. Add egg whites, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line three large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
- Beat Egg Whites: Add cream of tartar and extract (if using) to egg whites. Using a hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar in three increments while continuing to beat, finishing on medium-high speed to achieve stiff, glossy peaks that hold shape firmly.
- Add Food Coloring: Gently fold 1-2 drops of gel food coloring into the egg whites with a rubber spatula if desired.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift almond flour and confectioners’ sugar together into a large bowl, breaking up any clumps with a spoon to retain as much flour as possible.
- Combine Batter: Fold the beaten egg whites into the almond flour mixture in three additions. Carefully fold to achieve a batter consistency like honey using the ‘figure 8’ test—batter should flow slowly and sink back within 10 seconds without being too runny or too stiff.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe 1.5–2 inch rounds spaced 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Tap pans on the counter to release air bubbles, then pop remaining bubbles with a toothpick.
- Rest Macarons: Allow piped shells to sit at room temperature 30-60 minutes until a dry, non-tacky skin forms to help develop the characteristic feet during baking. Avoid resting too long to prevent deflation.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Bake Macarons: Bake for 13 minutes. Check doneness by gently touching a shell; if wobbly, bake 1-2 minutes longer. Macarons are done when tops are set and shells don’t move when touched.
- Cool Shells: Let macarons cool on baking sheets for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents sticking and breaking.
- Fill and Assemble: Once cooled, pair shells of similar size and fill with your choice of filling using a knife or piping bag. Sandwich the shells together gently.
- Mature (Optional): For best flavor and texture, refrigerate assembled macarons covered for 12-24 hours before serving. Bring to room temperature before eating.
- Storage: Store leftover macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Use precise gram measurements for best results; a kitchen scale is recommended.
- Superfine (caster) sugar dissolves more easily for a smooth meringue; you may pulse regular granulated sugar in a food processor if needed.
- Resting baked macarons in the fridge allows the flavors to mature and the texture to improve, but you can enjoy them right away.
- Try various fillings such as chocolate ganache, raspberry jam, lemon curd, or buttercream to customize your macarons.
- Be careful not to overmix or undermix the batter; the figure 8 test is key to achieving the right consistency.
- Ensure the mixing bowl is spotless and free of grease to achieve proper meringue peaks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich macaron (approx. 15g)
- Calories: 75
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
