French Macaron: A FREE Virtual Cooking Class from Feed Your Soul
Recipes from French Macaron: A FREE Virtual Cooking Class from Feed Your Soul on 1/19/22
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How to Make Macarons
Making macarons requires only three ingredients – almond meal or flour, confectioner’s sugar and egg whites. Other items such as cocoa powder, dried raspberries, nut powders and teas can be added to change the color and flavor of these delicate cookies. It’s important to carefully choose ingredients and follow the preparation and baking instructions in this packet to help ensure success.
Ingredients
Blanched or Natural Almond Flour
Store products in the freezer since nut flours can spoil quickly. Before use, dry in a 200 oven. Be sure to purchase a quality product that is has a fine and even grind.
Confectioner’s Sugar vs Powder Sugar
Confectioner’s sugar is very low in cornstarch, only 3%. If using store bought powder sugar, read the ingredients label carefully for cornstarch quantities. Be sure to purchase a quality product that contains low cornstarch which can cause macaron batter to crack. Less expensive brands tend to have a greater amount of cornstarch.
Egg Whites
For best results, allow egg whites to reach room temperature and age before whipping. Make sure that the whites contain no bits of yolk which will prevent the whites from foaming properly. A mild acid such as cream of tartar also helps egg whites foam. When measuring, keep in mind that the white from a large egg weighs approximately 1 ounce. Do not use carton egg whites.
Flavorings and Colors
Mix dry flavorings such as dried fruit powders, teas, dry colorings, nut powders and cocoa with the almond meal. Mix wet ingredients such as gel colorings with the egg whites once they’re beaten. Color will fade when baking so use a generous amount.
Important Macaron Terminology
Macaronnage - The technique of mixing flour and meringue to make macarons.
Macaronner - The technique of mixing the batter until it is firm and drips slowly when scooped.
Pied - The “foot” or small frills that form along the bottom edge of a macaron that makes the cookie distinctive and authentic. Forming the pied depends on several factors including proper macaronnage, oven temperature and rapping the baking sheet on the counter before placing it in the oven.
Macaron Tips
To ensure consistent results, weigh all ingredients with a digital scale.
Make sure to sift your ingredients multiple times if necessary. Dry ingredients should have a powdery texture with no lumps. The almond and powdered sugar mixture may be pulsed in a food processor to make the texture finer.
Fold dry ingredients in at least 3 additions to avoid making the batter runny.
The final macaron batter should be firm and drip slowly when scooped with a spatula.
To keep macarons consistent in size and shape, make a circle template by drawing 1-1/3-inch circles spaced at least ½-inch apart on the reverse side of a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit your baking sheet (see templates following the recipes).
When piping the macaron batter, keep the tip of the pastry bag about ½ inch above and in the middle of the circle guide since the batter will spread.
After piping, rap the baking sheet firmly on the counter to release any trapped air and to help form the pied.
Dry the piped macarons for at least 15 minutes before baking. The drying process is complete when the macarons no longer stick to your finger when touched.
Have an uncertain oven? To prevent macarons from burning, use a double layered baking sheet by stacking two baking sheets on top of each other.
Rotate the baking sheet in the oven to promote even baking.
If macarons stick to the parchment paper after baking, pour a small amount of water underneath the parchment and allow the steam to loosen the macarons.
Macarons can be kept sealed in an airtight container up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Basic Macarons – French Method
Yield: 35 sandwich cookies
7 ounces powder sugar
4 ounces almond flour
4 ounces aged egg whites, room temperature
3/4 to 1 teaspoon extract, desired flavor
3-1/2 ounces granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
Food gel (optional)
2 cups desired filling
Preheat oven to 325˚F. Place macaron templates under parchment paper or silicone mats on a rimmed baking sheet. Pulse the powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor to form a fine powder. In a large mixing bowl, sift mixture through a sieve or tami. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire-whip attachment, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar. Once all sugar is incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl, add food coloring and increase speed to high, whisking until stiff, firm, glossy peaks form.
To complete the macaronnage step, fold egg whites into almond-flour mixture 1/3 at a time, using a large silicone bowl scraper until mixture is smooth and shiny. Add the extract. Once all the mixture is incorporated, check to see that the batter is nicely firm and drips slowly from the bowl scraper. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain, round tip (#804 or #805) and pipe 1-1/3-inch rounds on parchment or silicone lined baking sheets. Rap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Macarons are ready to bake when they no longer stick to a finger when lightly touched. Remove templates.
Stack the baking sheet with the macarons on top of an empty baking sheet (the baking sheet will be double layered), if needed. Bake one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 to 15 minutes. If the macarons are still soft inside, lower oven to 300-degrees F, cover with aluminum foil and bake for a few more minutes.
Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Couple similar shaped macarons to form a top and a bottom cookie. Fill with desired filling.
Vanilla Buttercream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 pound powdered or confectioner's sugar
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the butter and salt for about a minute using the paddle attachment. Sift in the confectioner’s sugar in several batches beating on low after each addition. Scrape the bowl down and repeat the process. Add two tablespoon of cream and the vanilla, mixing on low. Beat the mixture until consistency is even and fluffy. Add additional cream, if desired, for a softer/very spreadable buttercream.
Chef Tips: Continuously scrape the bowl down to ensure even consistency. Go crazy with flavors! You can use almost anything to flavor this buttercream. Change the extracts or use fruit juice, coffee, orange blossom or rose water, and more. This buttercream can be stored at room temperature for a day, in the fridge for a week, or freezer for 3 months. Just bring back to room temperature and re-whip to restore its consistency.
Shopping List
7 ounces powder sugar
4 ounces almond flour
4 ounces aged egg whites, room temperature
3/4 to 1 teaspoon extract, desired flavor
3-1/2 ounces granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
Food gel (optional)
2 cups desired filling
Do Before Class
Preheat oven to 325˚F
Weigh and measure all recipe ingredients
Have tools and equipment within reach
Review recipes and information, have questions ready!
Equipment
assorted mixing bowls
assorted spoons
oven
oven thermometer, optional
stand mixer with whisk attachment or large glass or metal bowl and hand mixer
baking sheet x 2
parchment paper or silicone mat
sifter/strainer/tami
food processor, optional
silicone or plastic bowl scraper
pastry bag
1/2-inch plain, round pastry tip
macaron templates (PRINT HERE)
wire cooling rack
