Macarons.info

Basic Almond Macaron Batter Recipe
- French Meringue Macaron Recipe

*Please feel free to add your own recipe variations in this section, as well as document your own trials, observations and results.

Macaron Ingredients:

110 grams Almond Flour
80 grams Aged or Fresh Egg Whites at Room Temperature
200 grams Icing Sugar or Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
50 grams Caster Sugar or Superfine Bakers Sugar or Granulated Sugar
Pinch of Salt (optional)
Pinch of Cream of Tartar (optional)

Macaron Preparations:

1. If the almond flour is not dry, spread on a baking sheet, and heat in oven at the lowest setting until completely dry. Push the almond flour through a fine sieve with a wooden spoon. (This helps to remove the larger bits of the almonds and results in macarons with a smoother shell.)
2. Add the icing sugar into the almond flour and pulse in a food processor until you have a fine powder and the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Break up any bits that clump around the bottom of the processor bowl. If adding powdered coloring or flavor powders, add them into the dry mixture now. Sift the finely ground sugar and almonds into a bowl once or twice more to ensure that you have a fine powder. Set aside.

Macaron Instructions:

1. Whisk egg whites and salt in a clean, dry electric mixer bowl at medium speed (6) until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to high (8-10.) Gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tbsp. at a time, until dissolved. Add in any liquid flavorings or colorings if using, and continue to whip until medium peaks begin to form—the whites should be firm and glossy. Do not over beat at this stage.
2. With a flexible spatula, evenly and gently combine one-third of the almond mixture into the egg mixture. Using a figure-of-eight motion, gently but quickly fold in the rest of the egg mixture as well as any additional colorings or flavors, if desired. The macaron mixture will gradually soften until it forms a smooth and glossy ribbon on the surface, and the small peaks slowly dissolve into a flat surface (about 30 seconds.) This texture is very important as it will result in flat, misshapen macarons if it is too runny; or meringue if it is too firm. (A good test is to spoon a bit of batter onto a plate. As you spoon the batter, it should form a peak that gently absorbs back into a smooth surface.)
3. Spoon the macaron mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch (1 cm) round tip. The piping bag can be fitted in a tall glass with the open end folded over the top of the glass. After you fill the bag with the macaron mix, you can turn up the sides and twist to seal the mixture inside. This will help to remove air from inside the bag so that a solid flow of batter is dispensed. Air bubbles in the batter will ruin the formation of the macaron shell when it bakes.
4. Hold the piping bag in front of you with one hand and the nozzle in the other. Tilt the bag slightly and, with the nozzle just above the surface of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, pipe the macaron batter into 1 1/2 inch circles spaced about 2 inches apart until your baking sheets are full.
5. Tap the underside of the baking sheets to remove any air bubbles, and dip your finger into a bowl of water to gently smooth out any peaks if they remain.
6. If you are adding any toppings to the macaron shells, add them immediately after piping the batter so that they may form into the shell. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, set the uncovered macaron cookie mixture aside for 20 minutes up to 2 hours to allow the surface to dry, and skins to form. This will minimize cracking and help to create a ‘foot’ as the developed skin rises.
7. Preheat oven to 155°C / 315°F while the cookies are developing their skins.
8. Place 1 baking sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, and bake the macarons for 12-15 minutes (8-10 minutes in a convection oven,) or until firm to the touch. The cookies should start to rise and start to form the prerequisite foot after about 5 to 6 minutes.
9. Remove macarons from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. When cool, carefully slide a knife underneath each macaron cookie to release it from the parchment paper. You may store the macarons in an airtight container until you are ready to fill them.
10. Pair macaron cookie halves by similar size, and then generously pipe or spoon a Macaron Filling onto half the cookies. Sandwich the filling with the remaining cookie halve.
11. You may refrigerate macarons for a day or two before serving. This allows flavors to develop and blend together. Bring the cookies back to room temperature before serving.

Yield: About 35 sandwiched macarons.

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• Celsius to Fahrenheit Calculator to aid in oven temperature conversions for Macaron Recipes.
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