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Authentic Macarons Recipe
Paris, France
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
One of the world's best-known confections, macarons are notoriously difficult to make. While most recipes follow the same procedure as outlined here, slight variations do exist, most of which involve the way the meringue is prepared. Macarons made with French meringue have a crispier shell and an airier texture, while those made with Italian meringue have a soft shell and chewy interior. Almond flour is combined in a mixture with icing sugar, which then is carefully folded into the meringue. The resulting batter is spooned into a piping bag and piped into rounds onto a baking tray, taking care to make sure each round has enough space to expand during baking. Once the baking tray has been filled, it is lightly tapped to ensure any unwanted air is released from the macarons, after which they are left to rest and form a skin. Macarons are baked quite briefly, for about 15 minutes, and left to completely cool. They are then assembled by sandwiching the desired filling —... Read more
Cooking tips
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french vs. italian meringue
Typically and traditionally, macarons are made with French meringue. A less familiar method, but apparently one that produces better results — especially helpful for beginners — utilizes the Italian meringue instead. One-half of the egg whites is added to the almond and confectioners' sugar mixture, while the other half is whisked until soft peaks. A hot syrup — at an exact temperature of 118°C/24... Read more -
egg whites
Most pastry chefs instruct to use the freshest eggs possible that need to age before use. The egg whites should be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator anywhere from one to two days, but best for up to seven days. However, in any case, the egg whites must be at room temperature before use. The aging will help egg whites to whip up easier and produce a stiffer meringue. Adding cream of ... Read more -
flavors & coloring
Initially, the first double-decker macaron was filled with chocolate ganache, a firm favorite to this day. Other traditional fillings include coffee, vanilla, and raspberry. Today, however, the fillings have diversified. The flavor is in the filling and not in the macaroon shells since the batter for the macaron shells cannot take on extra ingredients without losing its form. That's why macaron shells ... Read more -
humidity
One thing that can ruin even the best of efforts is the level of humidity in the air. When the humidity is high, it is advised not to prepare macarons as you will end up with cracked, flat macarons that have not formed a ruffled edge around the bottom known as "feet". -
preventing cracks
With macarons, it's important to prevent cracks from happening. So, it's important that once macarons are piped, the tray with the macarons is tapped a few times against the working surface so the macarons can spread a bit and the air from the batter is expelled a bit. Also, once piped, the macarons should be left to rest for 10-20 minutes. When in contact with air, the macarons will form a skin on ... Read more -
macaron "feet"
A macaron, if made correctly, should have what is colloquially called "feet" — a ruffled edge around the bottom. That's why an important step that must not be skipped — after you've piped the macaron shells onto a parchment-lined baking tray — is to leave them to rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This simple step will ensure that the shells form a skin on the surface. During baking, that skin ... Read more -
equipment tips & tricks
The bowl in which you make the meringue must be grease-free. Rub the insides of the bowl with half a lemon or a paper cloth soaked with vinegar. To help you pipe the macaron shells evenly, help yourself by making a template. Draw circles that are evenly spaced, then place the parchment circle-side-down on the bottom of the baking tray. The drawn circles will help you pipe even-sized macarons. Also,... Read more
Recipe variations
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Larousse Gastronomique's Macarons Ordinaire
Ready in 1h 20minThe Larousse Gastronomique's recipe for these simple macarons shows how to prepare the original, unfilled macarons, which are flatter and rougher. The procedure is somewhat different than the norm nowadays — here, you do not make the meringue separately; all the ingredients are mixed at the same time. Once piped, the macarons should be sprinkled with powdered sugar and baked until golden.
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Pierre Hermé's Bitter Chocolate Macarons
Ready in 1d 7hThis bitter chocolate macarons recipe is adapted from Pierre Hermé's book Macaron. Hermé is famed for his use of the Italian meringue method, as is the case here, whereas a mixture of melted chocolate and food coloring is used to color the macaron shells. The recipe yields 72 macarons.
Larousse Gastronomique's Macarons Ordinaire
PREP 30min
COOK 20min
RESTING 30min
READY IN 1h 20min
The Larousse Gastronomique's recipe for these simple macarons shows how to prepare the original, unfilled macarons, which are flatter and rougher. The procedure is somewhat different than the norm nowadays — here, you do not make the meringue separately; all the ingredients are mixed at the same time. Once piped, the macarons should be sprinkled with powdered sugar and baked until golden.
Ingredients
200g (7 oz) almonds, blanched
300g (10.5 oz) sugar
2 egg whites, plus 1/2 egg white, optional
confectioners' sugar, as needed
Preparation
Step 1/6
First, set the oven to preheat to 180°C/350°F, grind the blanched almonds until they turn almost powderlike (once ground, sift them to remove any lumps), and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Step 2/6
In a large bowl, combine together the sugar and the almonds, then fold in the two egg whites.
Step 3/6
Using a mixer, whisk the mixture until it turns smooth. If the mixture is still runny, whisk in half of an egg white.
Step 4/6
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 1-1.5-inch-diameter (3-4 cm) macarons, taking care there is enough space between each.
Step 5/6
Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until macarons turn golden in color.
Step 6/6
Once baked, leave to cool before serving.
Other Variations
-
Pierre Hermé's Bitter Chocolate Macarons
Ready in 1d 7hThis bitter chocolate macarons recipe is adapted from Pierre Hermé's book Macaron. Hermé is famed for his use of the Italian meringue method, as is the case here, whereas a mixture of melted chocolate and food coloring is used to color the macaron shells. The recipe yields 72 macarons.
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