French Macarons
Delicate, crisp, and chewy—these classic French macarons are a fun (and delicious) baking project.
Ingredients
- 105 grams finely sifted or super-fine almond flour
- 105 grams confectioners' sugar
- 100 grams egg whites, from approximately 3 large eggs
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (available in the baking aisle of most supermarkets)
- 1 to 2 drops gel paste food color
- Filling of choice such as Swiss meringue buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or chocolate ganache
Special Equipment
- Heavy-duty stand mixer
- Digital scale
- Pastry bag with a ¼ or ½-in (6 or 13-mm) tip
- Parchment paper or Silpat baking mat/template
Instructions
- Fill a small saucepan with about 1 in (2.5 cm) of water. Bring to a simmer on the stove over medium-low heat. Line two 13 x 18-in (33 x 46-cm) baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats. Place a pastry bag fitted with a ¼ or ½-in (6 or 13-mm) tip in a wide glass with the tip at the bottom of the glass but facing up (this prevents the batter from spilling out when you fill the bag). Fold the bag over the rim of the glass to form a cuff.
- In a large bowl, sift the almond flour and confectioners' sugar together through a fine sieve. Alternatively, if your almond flour is too coarse to go through the sieve, whisk the confectioners sugar and almond flour in a bowl, rubbing out any stubborn lumps with your fingers.
- Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer; whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the egg whites are very warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. (To see if it's ready, rub the mixture between your fingers; you shouldn't be able to feel any sugar granules.)
- Remove the bowl from the heat and attach to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed (speed 8) until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks. For me, this takes 6 to 8 minutes, but the time will vary depending on the wattage and size of your mixer. You'll know it's ready when you lift the whisk out of the bowl and the peaks stand straight up.
- Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar mixture into the bowl with the meringue. Add the vanilla bean paste and food color. Using a rubber spatula, fold until evenly incorporated. At this point, the batter will be very thick. To achieve the right consistency, continue folding, occasionally smearing the batter against the bottom and sides of the bowl, until it is glossy with a lava-like consistency. This process is called "macronage." The time it takes to reach the proper consistency varies, but it usually takes me 5 to 8 minutes (it's an arm workout!). You'll know it's ready when you can lift up the spatula and slowly form several figure 8s with the batter without the ribbon breaking. Additionally, the batter from your figure 8s should dissolve into the batter that’s already in the bowl, just leaving a faint outline, in 10 to 15 seconds. Be careful not to overmix or you'll end up with macaron puddles; it's always best to undermix and test several times until the proper consistency has been achieved.
- Transfer the batter to the pastry bag. Hold the bag straight up and down, perpendicular to the pan, about ½-in (13-mm) above it, and pipe out 1¼-in (3-cm) diameter mounds onto the parchment paper. (To avoid leaving a point on the mounds, finish piping by releasing pressure and pulling up as you quickly twist with a flick of your wrist.) Tap each tray several times on the countertop to pop any air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles on the surface of the shells. Allow the trays to rest for about 20 minutes, or until the shells have dried out slightly.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Bake one pan at a time, for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops are shiny and crisp. Set the pans on wire racks and let cool completely.
- Fill the macarons: Prepare your filling of choice. Remove the macarons from the parchment paper, and turn half of them over. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of one upside-down macaron. Top with a second macaron and press gently to spread the filling to the edges. Repeat with the remaining macarons. Store the macarons in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: You can make the shells up to a day ahead of making the final macarons; store in a covered container in the refrigerator. (It's fine to stack the shells; just be gentle with them.) You can also freeze the shells in a tightly sealed container for up to two weeks. Make sure to thaw them in the refrigerator for a few hours before assembling.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (20 servings)Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSodium: 9mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.