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…
I mean thats why american recipes work and than dont work. BAKING IS DONE IN WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS or gram or oz but the only way to do it no cups no eye balling anything. The only way that recipe will come out every time is by following exact numbers from weight to temperatures.
You need to rest them till dry because the heat is going through the top vs the sides where it forms the feet.
I have tried the Italian method for making macarons but everything goes well and then when I boil my sugar after a while it gets brown and discusting. It is difficult for me to make please tell me where I am going wrong . ♥
Buy a cheap digital scale and you can do it for everyone. I finally bought one from king arthur along w digital instant thermometer. What a treat
When making macarons, you HAVE TO MEASURE BY weight. You cannot convert g to cups. It doesn’t work that way. You can pick up a digital scale for less than $20. It’s worth it.
For those wishing for American conversions, I would highly suggest not converting the recipe. Scales that can do gram conversions are super cheap on ebay and amazon. I now have 2, but then again, I’m a culinary student where we only have a small number of scales in the labs, so I bring my own so I don’t have to beat someone with a spatula to get ahold of one.
Grams are by far the most accurate measurement when it comes to baking. Professional bakers all use grams and ounces because it is measured by weight instead of by volume. When measuring in cups, it really makes a difference on how you even put the ingredients INTO the measuring cups. If you add sifted product, less will fit. If you do a dry-pack, more will fit, etc.
My honest suggestion to just to invest in a little cheapy scale if you want perfect macarons, or honestly, any baked good. I am American, and I was so stubborn in transferring to the metric system, thinking it was going to be WAY too confusing. But now that I’ve seen the results of using grams instead of cups, my baked goods are a LOT more consistent AND it’s SO much easier to double, or even triple recipes!
Just my words of wisdom, take it or leave it. Happy baking!
Hi! I just used your recipe and my macarons exploded in the oven! Any thoughts on how this could’ve happened? I normally use the French method and have it down pat but I’ve been trying out the Italian method lately because I want a sturdier shell. I absolutely loved how your recipe gave me a super sturdy and ultra smooth shell but why do they keep bursting from the top? I’ve tried everything from 355 degrees F down to 305 degrees. I need to find a way to keep to your recipe because I LOVED the shell texture. Any thoughts? Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Urgent! When do I start to pre heat the oven? At the beginning or while making the macaroons rest?
Can u double this recipe?
I am disappointed because I cannot convert the measurements from grams to cups, etc.
Please see the “About the recipes” section here: http://myfoodgeek.com/about/
I believe the degree of shine achieved rests with how fine the almond flour is ground. I sift prior to measuring and get good results. I also let sit for 20 minutes or so, until the surface is no longer tacky. Some of these times shared will depend on humidity in your area, time of year, etc. also, someone asked about chocolate batter, just sub about 1/2 cup of almonds for cocoa powder, Dutch processed will give you a darker more robust chocolate cookie… The only time I have gotten a dry cookie that is too crunchy is when I have over beaten the egg whites. They need to be stiff, but not dry and so stiff that they will not even make a peak. I have a friend that uses a hand mixer just so she can keep a better eye on the texture of the whites. Sorry, I will stick with my Mixmaster…
not almost, but definitely foolproof for me! My mum have been bugging me to try this recipe after countless failed attempts. I was extremely skeptical, but finally relented and tried it..first batch, and it was perfect..well, cept for that few occasional tip that refuses to settle down and give me a smooth finish. the feet was perfect, the dome, and even the white I made didn’t turn brown much. so happy I finally gave this a go. 🙂
May i ask a question for this recipe ?
One is i use convection oven ,i try so many times but always will make my macarons top surface so dark .how can i stop this happen to my macaron ? should i use fan bake or just upper and lower heat ?
beside that ,i have do so many research for macaron recipe ,now i was wondering about the recipe of you ,i mean you show pic piping method to paper sheet ,do we need to rest our macaron for 15-30 min for get dry the macaron top shell ? or we just bake after finish pipe to sheet and just bake it ???
@Martha Andrews: it’s really easy if you have a digital scale that will do ounces or grams. My gran says that was the easiest thing to do when she started baking in the States.
I would love an AMERICAN measurement version of this recipe!
THANK YOU!
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!
How do you make chocolate macaron.? And should it be a thermofan oven or not?
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!
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 🙂