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French Macaron Recipe

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4 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Molly
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Approximately 30 macarons (15 sandwich cookies)
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This classic French Macaron recipe guides you through creating delicate, crisp-on-the-outside and chewy-on-the-inside almond meringue cookies, perfect for sandwiching with a luscious vanilla buttercream or your favorite filling. Learn expert techniques for mixing, piping, and baking these elegant treats that delight with their beautiful shells and feet.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 150 grams sifted super-fine almond flour (measure after sifting)
  • 180 grams powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 120 grams large egg whites (at room temperature, about 4 large eggs)
  • 60 grams granulated sugar
  • 4 drops liquid-gel food coloring (or more for a stronger color)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Filling

  • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or your choice of filling

Instructions

  1. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to create the base for your macarons.
  2. Prepare Piping Bag: Cut the tip off a large piping bag and fit it with a large plain tip. Twist the bag just above the tip to prevent batter leakage and place it in a tall glass, folding the top edges over the glass sides to hold it open.
  3. Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift almond flour into a medium bowl and measure 150 grams sifted, discard any large pieces. Sift powdered sugar into the bowl and gently mix to combine. Set aside.
  4. Make Meringue: Wipe a glass or metal bowl with vinegar or lemon juice to remove grease. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and 120 grams egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until bubbles form (30 seconds to 1 minute). Gradually add granulated sugar in small increments while beating, continuing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  5. Add Flavor and Color: Fold in 4 drops of food coloring and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste into the meringue, mixing gently to combine.
  6. Fold Dry Mixture: Gently fold the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue in 3 additions, mixing carefully to avoid deflating the batter.
  7. Macaronage Step: Fold the batter with a spatula by running it along the bowl sides and down the center to reach a thick lava-like consistency that ribbons off the spatula. The batter should flow slowly, allowing you to draw a figure 8 that disappears after about 20 seconds. Avoid overmixing.
  8. Fill Piping Bag: Pour the batter into the prepared piping bag carefully to preserve airiness, twist the top to prevent spills, and gently pull on the tip to open it.
  9. Pipe Macarons: Pipe shells perpendicular to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Pipe slightly smaller than desired final size since they spread slightly.
  10. Remove Air Bubbles: Firmly but carefully bang each baking sheet on the counter 5-10 times to even the tops and pop bubbles. Use a skewer to pop any remaining stubborn bubbles on surfaces.
  11. Dry Macarons: Let macarons rest for 30 to 60 minutes until a skin forms and the surface is no longer sticky when touched, adjusting time for humidity.
  12. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 315°F (157°C) while the macarons dry.
  13. Bake: Bake one tray at a time in the oven’s center for 12 to 15 minutes. They are done when shells have feet, do not jiggle when pressed, and bottoms are set.
  14. Cool: Let shells cool completely on baking sheets, then carefully peel them off the parchment paper.
  15. Assemble: Match shells by size and pipe your chosen filling (vanilla buttercream recommended) on one shell and sandwich with the other. Use a full or half batch of filling depending on desired richness.

Notes

  • Sift almond flour and powdered sugar thoroughly to avoid lumpy batter and achieve smooth shells.
  • Use room-temperature egg whites for optimal meringue volume and stability.
  • Be cautious when folding batter during macaronage; undermix rather than overmix to preserve texture.
  • Humidity affects drying time; allow macarons to form a proper skin before baking to prevent cracking.
  • Brighten colors by adding extra food coloring if desired, but avoid liquid coloring to keep batter consistency.
  • Use vinegar or lemon-juice wiped bowls to remove grease which can hinder meringue formation.
  • Banging the trays removes surface bubbles to create smooth macaron tops.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://recipeglimpse.com/french-macaron-recipe/