by sweetmacshop 11 Comments
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Welcome to the wonderful addiction of French Macarons! I am sure you are reading this, a little scared to try the world’s most complex cookie and I am here to tell you YOU CAN DO IT! I have all the tips and tricks to help you through your first batch! Once you make your first batch you’ll be HOOKED, just like me. Let me give you my secret: the best French Macarons recipe!
French Macarons for Beginners
You might be thinking, “Barb, I’ve tried making French macarons before and they never turn out!” Well, you’ve never tried MY recipe! I have tried allllll the recipes on the internet and let me tell you: this is the best French macarons recipe that you’ll ever try.
If you’re a seasoned macaron maker, you too might learn a little something new.
How to Make French Macarons at Home
Here are a few photos of the process to help you be successful.
First: I always add the granulated sugar in within the first minute of beating the egg whites. See the recipe for the speed to use.
Second: I ALWAYS measure everything down to the gram. Yep, gram! I always measure everything before I begin, call it a habit.
Third: Add your coloring in the last minute of mixing. Sometimes, If I am adding more than 30 drops, I’ll start adding the color in the last 30 seconds before I switch my mixer to Speed 8. This just makes sure everything is well incorporated before I add in the dry ingredients.
Fourth: I add the dry ingredients to the KitchenAid bowl, not the other way around.
Fifth: When macronaging you want the batter to flow off your spatula in a V-shape. It doesn’t have to flow fast, just continuous.
I pipe from the top to the bottom, but somedays I pipe like a hungry mom in a grocery store, all over the place.
Macaron Filling Recipe
If you need ideas to fill you’re beautiful little shells, I have a ton of macaron filling recipes on my blog. Here are a few of my favorites!
American Buttercream
Churro Crumble
Cream Pie
I want you to be succesful! See my Instagram Highlights for more videos and tips. See my Amazon storefront for all of my favorite baking materials to get you started!
SweetMacShop Macaron Shells
Here is our famous recipe for macaron shells. Please read through carefully before beginning. Cook time: 20 minutes.
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Equipment
baker's half sheet pans: high quality baking sheets with rimmed edges
KitchenAid stand mixer
parchment paper or silpat baking mats (with macaron template)
oven thermometer
piping bag
Wilton Tip #12
food scale that will measure in grams or ounces
scribe (a sharp, pointed tool), or a toothpick
digital minute timer
Ingredients
- 160 grams egg whites room temperature
- 88 grams granulated sugar
- 256 grams powdered sugar
- 200 grams almond flour
- 1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 285 for steel pans, or 300 for aluminum pans. Preheat for at least 10 minutes.
Measure out your granulated sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
Measure powdered sugar, almond flour together, then use a sifter to combine. This will make them smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
Place your bowl on the surface of your food scale. Hit the "tare" button to zero out the weight of the bowl. Now measure the room temperature egg whites into the bowl of your KitchenAid stand mixer.
Add the clear vanilla extract.
Place bowl on mixer stand (this recipe is for the KitchenAid mixer), and attach the wire whisk beater. Set timer for one minute. Turn mixer to Speed 4, and slowly add sugar to egg whites, shaking it in a little at a time during that first minute.
When timer goes off, set mixer to Speed 6, and set timer for 2 minutes.
When timer goes off, set mixer to Speed 8, and set timer for 1 and 1/2 minutes (90 seconds). Coloring may be added just before this last mixing. Egg whites should look silky, yet stiff enough to hold the peak.
Now we'll make the macronage: blend in dry ingredients, by moving a flexible spatula around the bowl, then cutting down through the middle, making sure to scrape the bottom for the flour and incorporate it into the meringue. You know you are done when the batter rolls off the spatula in a continuous ribbon. Batter will be thick…but can flow like a ribbon.
BAKER'S NOTE: I have several videos of making macronage in my Instagram Highlights.
Insert Wilton #12 tip into the small opening of your piping bag. Scoop the macronage into the bag, filling only half-way full, leaving room to twist the top closed in order to keep the batter from spilling out the top. Pipe the macrons by applying pressure until the batter flows out and just reaches the inner rim of the marked circle on your mat. Immediately release pressure and swirl tip to incorporate point back into the center of the cookie. See my tips on Instagram Highlights.
NOTE: if you will be using parchment paper — search for online — then download a template of circles and place underneath your parchment paper. You'll remove this before baking.
Once the full pan is piped, gently (or aggressively–no judgement here) bang the pan down onto the counter to release air bubbles. I usually place a towel on the counter before banging the pan. Use your scribe or toothpick to pop any large bubbles, in order to create smooth shells.
PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD ONE: Place your parchment paper or silpat mat on the bottom of an upside-down baker's half sheet. Pipe your circles. Let rest about 5 minutes, bang (see above) then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
PREP FOR BAKING, METHOD TWO: Place your parchment paper or silpat mat on theinside of a baker's half sheet (like normal). Pipe your circles. Let rest until your finger can glide across the top of the mac without stickiness, often up to 30 minutes. Bang (see above), then place them to bake in a pre-heated oven.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Once out of the oven, DO NOT — I repeat — do not remove from pan until they are completely cooled.
This recipe yields 36-42 completed cookies (about 72-84 shells).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
