Macaron
Brightly colored, crisp outside, soft inside, with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
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Estimated Time
- Preparing 45 min
- Cooking 20 min
Nutritions / Serving
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Energy97 kCal
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Carbs11 g
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Protein1 g
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Fat5 g
Serves 15. Not included in nutritions:
Ingredients
Macaron Batter
- Almond Flour 70 g
- Icing Sugar 100 g
- Granulated Sugar 20 g
- Egg White 50 g
- Food Colouring q.s.
Filling
- Whipping Cream 40 g
- Granulated Sugar 30 g
- Cream Cheese 100 g
- Lemon 1 pc
Preparation
Line a baking tray with a silicone mat, teflon mat or parchment paper.
Prepare a piping bag with a round tip and place it in a tall container for easy filling later.
Sifting
Sift together almond flour and icing sugar.
Mix the sifted almond flour and icing sugar with a whisk until evenly combined and well-coated.
Making Maringue
(Optional) Add a small amount of lemon juice, white vinegar, or cream of tartar to the egg whites.
Using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar in three additions, add 1/3 when bubbles become fine, add the second 1/3 when soft peaks form, add the last 1/3 and beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Add food coloring near the end of the whipping process.
Macaronage
Add the sifted almond flour and icing sugar mixture to the meringue in two batches, folding gently after each addition until no dry powder remains.
Use a spatula to spread and fold the batter against the bowl’s sides until the batter becomes shiny and flows slowly like lava. When lifted, the batter should drip off the spatula but not immediately blend into the bowl.
Drying the Shell
Pipe the batter onto the prepared tray.
Place the tray in an oven set to 100°F (38°C) for 5 minutes. Remove and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
The shells should have a dry, non-sticky surface before baking.
Baking
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 8 minutes. Rotate the tray 180°, lower the temperature to 280°F (140°C), and bake for another 8 minutes.
Cool the macarons completely on a rack before removing them from the tray.
Filling and Enjoying
Mix softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add 10 g of lemon juice and grated zest from the lemon. Add the whipping cream and beat until stiff.
Pair the macaron shells and pipe the filling onto one half. Assemble and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Discussion
Choose extra-fine grind almond flour for better consistency. Use commercially available icing sugar; do not grind granulated sugar into icing sugar yourself. Fresh egg whites can be used directly; there’s no need to freeze them or prepare aged egg whites.
Sifting primarily removes lumps from the almond flour and icing sugar. Extra-fine grind almond flour is sufficient for making macarons, but for smoother shells, you can sift the almond flour with a finer mesh. Adjust the weight to account for the sifted flour.
Ensure the sifted almond flour and icing sugar are thoroughly mixed—this is crucial for making macarons.
Acidic substances can adjust the pH of egg whites, making them more stable when whipped. They also prevent the formation of protein bonds during whipping, reducing the risk of over-beating and creating a coarse texture.
Freezing egg whites does not improve stability or whipping performance. Aged egg whites can increase protein concentration, yielding more volume after whipping, but this does not enhance stability. There’s no need to age egg whites intentionally.
Add sugar to the egg whites only after the bubbles have become finer and more stable. Sugar dissolves in the whites to stabilize the meringue, but adding it too early can hinder whipping.
The ratio of granulated sugar to egg whites in the recipe affects the standard for achieving stiff peaks. You can judge by these indicators; The meringue forms a stable, upright peak when the whisk is lifted. You feel resistance when moving the whisk through the meringue. The meringue is glossy, with sharp and defined ridges and edges when you lift the whisk.
Do not use oil-based food coloring. You can add coloring near the end of whipping or during the folding stage.
Achieving the right macaron batter consistency takes practice. The batter is influenced by almond flour particle size, meringue stability, humidity, and handling techniques. Look for these signs; The batter is glossy and flows slowly like lava. When lifted, the batter should fall in a continuous ribbon. Dropped batter should not immediately blend into the rest.
Natural drying speed depends on temperature and humidity, making it less reliable. On sunny days, drying under sunlight for 5–10 minutes may help. For consistency, low-temperature oven drying is recommended and achieves a firm shell within 20 minutes. Avoid higher temperatures to prevent wrinkling from temperature differences during oven preheating.
Macarons are sensitive to baking temperature. Adjust heat distribution by modifying temperature and baking time, repositioning trays, using lighter-colored trays, double-layering trays, switching parchment for silicone mats, or starting with high heat and lowering it later. Use convection settings if available, and let macarons cool naturally in the oven after baking.
Transfer macarons to a cooling rack immediately after baking to prevent drying out on the baking tray.
During refrigeration in a sealed container, macarons mature as the shells absorb moisture from the filling, softening their texture and blending the flavors.