Description
This classic French Macaron recipe guides you through making delicate, airy almond meringue cookies with smooth, crisp shells and a soft, chewy interior. Flavored with vanilla and customizable with food coloring, these macarons are filled with a luscious vanilla buttercream or your favorite filling, perfect for elegant desserts or special treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 150 grams sifted super-fine almond flour
- 180 grams powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Meringue Ingredients
- 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 to shape the macaron shells accurately.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl, then gently mix to combine evenly, ensuring a smooth batter without lumps.
- Whip Egg Whites: Wipe a glass or metal bowl with vinegar or lemon juice to remove grease, add the salt and room-temperature egg whites, then whip until the mixture becomes frothy, preparing it for meringue formation.
- Make Meringue: Gradually add granulated sugar to the egg whites while continuing to whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, creating a stable meringue base essential for the macarons’ structure.
- Add Color and Flavor: Gently fold in the liquid-gel food coloring and vanilla extract into the meringue until fully incorporated, giving your macarons vibrant color and delicious aroma.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Carefully fold the almond flour mixture into the meringue in three additions, preserving the airiness to maintain a light texture.
- Adjust Batter Consistency: Using a spatula, gently deflate the batter just enough so it flows smoothly but is not runny, ensuring it is perfect for piping.
- 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 mat for uniform shells.
- Remove Air Bubbles and Rest: Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles, then let the shells rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes until a dry skin forms on top.
- Bake Macaron Shells: Bake in a preheated oven at 315°F (157°C) for 12 to 15 minutes until the shells develop their characteristic ‘feet’ and are set properly.
- Cool and Assemble: Allow shells to cool completely on the baking sheet, then pair like-sized shells. Pipe your vanilla buttercream or chosen filling onto one shell and sandwich with the other to complete the macarons.
Notes
- Ensure your mixing bowl is grease-free; even a small amount of grease can prevent egg whites from whipping properly.
- Resting the piped shells to form a dry skin is crucial for developing macarons’ signature feet during baking.
- Use a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Room temperature egg whites whip better and help create a stable meringue.
- Folding technique is key; overmixing or undermixing can affect texture and rise.
- Customize colors and fillings to suit your preferences and occasions.
