French Macarons Recipe Step By Step
How to make French Macarons Recipe Step By Step, Baking French macarons makes me feel powerful, clever—brilliant even. The amount of care these lovely little cookies require may be daunting, but once you make patisserie-worthy macarons in your own kitchen, you’ll be hooked. I always walk away feeling as though I’ve accomplished something grandiose, and that’s a day-making feeling.
Macaron Recipe Tips And Tricks
It wasn’t always that way, though. When I first decided that I was going to master the French macaron, all I ended up with was a kitchen covered in powdered sugar, the throbbing of defeat, and a Google search history chock-full of macaron recipe tips and tricks.
It was many months, recipes, and failures later when I finally peeked into the oven to see 12 perfect macarons sitting so nonchalantly on my nonstick baking mat, as if they weren’t my greatest baking feat yet. My head swelled with pride and I danced around the kitchen for a few minutes before calling my mom to share the big news. Afterward she reminded me, “The devil is in the details.” Oh how right she was.
Keeping an eye on the meringue, for instance, and how even the slightest droop in the peaks means additional time in the mixer. Followed by finely sifted powdered sugar and almond flour. (Yes, I know that sifting is such a pain, but it produces perfectly tender cookies!)
French Macarons and Egg
Or how treating the egg whites will determine whether you make macarons or flat sugary discs. I’ve found the best way is to separate the eggs and allow them to sit out, covered, a day in advance. During my Googling spree, I came across a tip that suggested microwaving the egg whites for 5-10 seconds to speed things up. It worked, but my cookies turned more flat than usual. Just be sure to not use egg whites straight from the fridge—the cool temperature will screw things up.
Ah, and then there is the amount of time your unbaked macarons need to sit before placing in the oven. The waiting game is painful, but gives your little cookies feet (the beautiful ruffled, puffy edges that form near the pan).
French Macarons Filling
we’re starting to filling French Macarons if you’re ready. Lastly, but most importantly, never add flavor to the cookie itself. Save it for the filling. Add a few drops of gel food coloring to the meringue while it’s still in the mixer to brighten things up, but let the ganache, jam, or, in this case, chewy salt-and-ginger-sprinkled caramel do the talking. This tweak allows you to try multiple fillings and make different flavored macarons rather than limiting yourself to one ginger cookie.
So many tedious details, but that’s what makes baking empowering. It’s a challenge, something to overcome. Rather than allowing that to discourage you, instead use this step-by-step recipe and consider the ecstasy of success: biting into a crunchy shell surrounding a pillowy, caramel-filled macaron with elevated flavor from a sprinkle of salt and ground ginger. Every success should taste this good.
How to make French Macarons Easy Recipe
French Macarons with Salted Caramel Filling Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
For the filling:
- 1 10-ounce package of caramel
- 1 tablespoon flaked sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger root
Instructions
- Separate your eggs and keep whites in a covered bowl out on the counter 1 day before baking. If you’re in a pinch, microwave the egg whites for 10 seconds.
- Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar.
- In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at a medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time and whisk on high speed until your meringue achieves stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. This is also where you can add 3-4 drops of gel food coloring if you’d like.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue, about 30 folds. Eventually the mix should take on a consistency similar to honey.
- Scoop the macaron dough into a piping bag (if you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a resealable plastic bag with a small hole cut in the corner). The batter should just slightly drip out of the bag if laid flat. On a baking sheet prepared with a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat) or parchment paper, pipe discs 1 1/4 inch in diameter about 1 inch apart from one another.
- Let the piped dough sit out for 1 hour, until the cookies form a shell—they should take on a matte finish and are no longer sticky to the touch. While waiting, preheat oven to 290° F.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies rise and form feet. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet.
- Place unwrapped caramels in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, until melted. Spread onto one cookie and sprinkle with a pinch of flaked sea salt and a pinch of ginger root before sandwiching with another cookie.
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