Description
This French Macaron recipe guides you through the delicate process of creating perfectly crisp yet chewy almond meringue shells filled with luscious vanilla buttercream. Using finely sifted almond flour and whipped egg whites, these colorful confections are piped, rested to form a dry skin, and baked to achieve the iconic feet and texture that define classic macarons, making them an elegant treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 150 grams sifted super-fine almond flour
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 grams large egg whites (at room temperature, about 4 large eggs)
- 60 grams granulated sugar
- 4 drops liquid-gel food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or your choice of filling
Instructions
- Prepare Piping Bag: Fit a piping bag with a large plain tip suitable for shaping the macaron shells evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together into a bowl, then gently mix to combine them thoroughly and evenly.
- Whip Egg Whites: Wipe a glass or metal bowl with vinegar or lemon juice to remove any grease which can prevent proper whipping. Add salt and the room temperature egg whites, then whip until the mixture becomes frothy.
- Make Meringue: Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites while whisking continuously until stiff peaks form, creating a glossy and stable meringue base.
- Add Color and Flavor: Gently fold in the liquid-gel food coloring drops and vanilla extract into the meringue until fully incorporated without deflating the mixture.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: In three separate additions, carefully fold the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue to maintain airiness and avoid overmixing.
- Adjust Batter Consistency: Deflate the batter gently with a spatula, mixing just enough so the batter flows smoothly off the spatula but is not runny—this achieves the correct piping consistency.
- Pipe Macaron Shells: Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag and pipe evenly sized rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove Air Bubbles and Rest: Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter to release trapped air bubbles. Let the shells sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until a dry skin forms on top and they are no longer sticky to the touch.
- Bake the Macarons: Preheat the oven to 315°F (157°C). Bake the macaron shells for 12 to 15 minutes until they develop their characteristic feet and set properly without browning.
- Cool and Assemble: Allow the baked shells to cool completely on the baking sheet. Match like-sized shells, pipe the vanilla buttercream or your choice of filling onto one shell, and sandwich with the other shell to complete your macarons.
Notes
- Ensure all equipment used to whip egg whites is completely grease-free for best meringue results.
- Resting the piped shells to form a dry skin is crucial for developing the macarons’ signature feet during baking.
- Use room temperature egg whites to achieve maximum volume in the meringue.
- Handle the batter gently when folding to retain air, but mix enough to achieve the proper consistency—too much mixing results in flat macarons.
- Adjust baking time slightly based on your oven’s performance and altitude if necessary.
- You can use any flavor of buttercream or filling to customize the macarons to your preference.
