Almost Foolproof Macarons
I’ve been toying with macaron recipes for some time now. In my recipes, there always seems like there is something that can go wrong. It could be the folding, it could be the unscientific drying time, or maybe it’s just my messed up oven, but something always goes wrong. Rarely do I get a sheet pan of perfectly formed macarons…until now.
This recipe just plain works. This recipe uses Italian meringue, don’t let it scare you. This one not so hard part is the reason why they work so well. You don’t have to mess around trying to get macaronage since the meringue is very stable. One of the nicest parts of this recipe is that you can double it, split it into two parts, color/flavor each separately, and get two flavors for the work of one recipe.
Here’s the recipe with details and photos:
For the Macarons:
120g egg whites, divided
35g sugar
150g finely ground almonds
150g powdered sugar
For the sugar syrup:
150g sugar and 50g water
Process the ground almonds and powdered sugar in the work bowl of a food processor. Most recipes call for sifting, but I think this works better and gets everything combined.
In a stand mixer, whip 60g egg whites to soft peaks, add 35g sugar.
In the meantime, in a saucepan on high heat bring the water and sugar for the syrup to 230 F. on a candy thermometer.
Slowly add the boiling syrup to the egg whites and continue to whip on medium – high speed until they are completely cooled and you have a shiny meringue (10-15 minutes).
Mix the remaining 60g of egg whites and the sifted almond/sugar and carefully fold into the meringue.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the mixture and pipe macarons about 3 inches in diameter on silpat lined baking sheet.
Bake at 320 for 15-25 minutes.
Check to see if macarons are done by grabbing the top of one macaron and trying to shake it. They are done when the top barely slides against the skirt. If they are not done, extend baking time by two minutes intervals, checking after each extension.
That’s about all that is to it. I think I’m finally done with macarons for a while. I’m sure the next time I try to make them I will encounter problems again, but until then…
Pls HELP!!!! I followed every step exactly as u said but after my macarons were baked they were not shiny and smooth, the shape was perfect but the surface was a bit dull n rough… Help!! Please tell me what iv done wrong?
I want to make Chocolate Macarons! How to make it???
Just made my first batch of these and they came out pretty good! Nice ‘foot’, light and crispy, came off tray easily, tasted good. I whacked the trays on the counter-top and also left them to stand for 30 mins before cooking, which I learnt from ‘Great British Bake Off’ on BBC and I think these steps helped. I am disastrous at piping though, will have to practice that
I also cooked them for not enough time, I thought they were done after 8-10 mins when actually I think they did need 15 mins at least, should have followed your recipe properly! Yummy though, can’t wait to experiment with flavours and colours. Thank you very much!
THANKS for the foolproof recipe, I have tried 7 other recipes, including Martha Stewart’s French and Parisian. Mine came out with ABSOLUTE perfection. I was dancing around the kitchen today with delight. I am so excited to make more…
Amazing recipe!!! Thankyou so much for publishing in the net!!!
Finally my macaron hell is over
im going to try this once ive found a kitchen thermometer
will update soon!!
plus, my oven is not fan forced. the heat is from the top and bottom. so should i lower the temperature? what should i do? please advice thanks!
Hi, I haven’t tried the recipe yet but from the reviews I’m absolutely beside myself with excitement to give it a go. Unfortunately I only have a convection microwave. Can I bake my macaroons using it? so many sites have said they won’t turn out. Hope you can help, thank you in advance.
Hi, i tried this recipe yesterday and for the first time they came out perfect!!!! Soooo pleased with the outcome, thank you for this recipe – I have tried so many times with other recipes and every time something went wrong.
hi, just wondering if this recipe requires a resting time for macarons after piping but before putting them in the oven?
Great tips that led to my first successful batch of macaron shells. Thanks for sharing!
OMG!!! I’ve died and gone to mac heaven!! I put macs in the oven 10 min ago and I see little feet!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I did when I found out I was prego with my first child!! Thank you Jesus! I’ve tried every recipe including the ones in my pastry class and all Fat Failures. Who knew I had to take a detour to Italy before going to Paris!!!!!!! The Italian meringue is genius. Thank you thank you! I have to work on my piping but they are cute as a button and close to pics ive seen. This a keeper.
Thanks for this great recipe. I was successful making it! I wrote a blog post about it and provided a link back this page.
http://yummyworkshop.com/2012/03/03/matcha-green-tea-macarons/
Please help. I just put in my first tray of macarons to bake. To my horror, it has rough skin and not shinny and no legs. Just don’ t know where or which step did I missed out. Please advise. Thank you.
Catherine- perhaps you didnt blend in a food processor enough to get rid of almond chunks. sifting is key, too. calibrate your oven temp…may be too low. overmixing may be another cause for no feet.
@Catherine – it could be that the mixture is too liquidy and not properly sifted.
hi, does it need to let it sit for 1 hour prior to baking just like the french version? Please advise asap, thanks!
Nope. No need to wait but if you want to, it won’t hurt. I always double-pan this recipe so the tops dry out before the bottoms and the feet form nicely.
Hello
How many cookies do you get with this recipe? (approximately…)
Thanks !
MissTat: It really depends on how big you want to pipe them. I generally get about 1/4 of a sheet pan on filled cookies. I’d guess 30-40 total but I don’t usually count them.
Hi Geek – Your recipe has saved me from insanity! Having had countless failures I was ready to throw in the towel but at last I have had success. Thank you so much. I would know like to play around with some flavours – can I just add dry ingredients to the basic recipe (like cocoa powder, instant expresso, Earl Grey Tea, freeze dried raspberries) or would I need to reduce the amount of almonds and/or sugar? Thanks
Hi at the step “Mix the remaining 60g of egg whites and the sifted almond/sugar and carefully fold into the meringue” can you please break this down? are the egg whites beaten prior to mixing with the almond/sugar mix? I just made some without beating the second measure of egg whites and it was a gluggy mixture, and then I just incorporated the meringue…??? Then I thought everything was going to fail so I used the beater to mix them together as I thought I’d end up with gluggy chunks in the mix. The result, they mostly looked like macarons but flat with no feet and quite chewy in the middle. Please help
Geek, thank you for elevating my macarons! i’ve been struggling with the french recipes that don’t use the sugar syrup because it sounded more complicated. and the outcomes were always uncertain and fraught with macaron issues–cracked tops, no shine, no feet, too airy, etc.
but the syrup was easy breezy and two batches have both turned out equally perfect with your recipe: perfect feet on each one, lightly shiny smooth tops, and AMAZING texture that is moist yet stable and uniform.
THANK YOU for simplifying the process!
How do you make chocolate macaron.? And should it be a thermofan oven or not?
Once I have piped mine I leave them to rest. When they are not sticky to touch I put them in the oven. Great recipe used here in Australia!
I would love an AMERICAN measurement version of this recipe!
THANK YOU!
Hello mates, how is all, and what you would like to say about this post, in my view its truly
awesome in favor of me.
Highly energetic article, I loved that bit. Maybe there is a part Two?