Description
This classic French macaron recipe features crisp yet chewy almond meringue shells filled with rich and creamy vanilla French buttercream. Perfectly delicate and colorful, macarons are a sophisticated treat that require precision and patience. The recipe provides detailed steps for preparing the meringue-based cookies and velvety buttercream, as well as tips for aging the sandwich cookies to achieve the best texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookie
- 100 g egg whites (room temperature, about 3 large eggs)
- 140 g almond flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 90 g granulated sugar (just under 1/2 cup)
- 130 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (800 mg)
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened, 226 g)
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp water (30 mL)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together into a bowl to remove lumps and larger particles, ensuring a smooth macaron shell texture.
- Whisk Egg Whites: In a very clean bowl, whisk the room temperature egg whites using an electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar, then slowly add granulated sugar while continuing to whisk to form a glossy stiff meringue.
- Add Flavor and Color: Mix in vanilla extract and any desired food coloring once soft peaks form. Continue beating until stiff peaks form and the meringue holds shape firmly.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold one-third of the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue, then carefully fold in the remaining dry ingredients. The batter should flow like lava, falling off the spatula in ribbons and forming a figure-eight shape without breaking.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer batter to a piping bag with a medium round tip. Pipe 1-inch dollops onto parchment-lined baking sheets, tapping the trays on the counter to release air bubbles. Allow piped shells to rest for about 40 minutes to form a skin.
- Bake Shells: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake macarons for 12-15 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
- Prepare Buttercream Syrup: Combine granulated sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat over low, stirring until sugar dissolves, then increase heat to boil syrup until reaching 240°F (soft ball stage).
- Beat Egg Yolks: While syrup heats, beat egg yolks in a stand mixer with whisk attachment until thick and foamy.
- Combine Syrup and Yolks: Slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg yolks with mixer running. Continue mixing until the mixture cools to room temperature and the bowl feels cool to the touch.
- Add Butter and Flavor: Add softened butter cubes one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the buttercream is smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add food coloring if desired.
- Assemble Macarons: Pipe buttercream onto the back of half the cooled shells. Sandwich with the remaining shells. Refrigerate assembled macarons for 1-3 days to soften shells and develop flavor.
Notes
- The meringue must be stiff and glossy for the best results; whisk thoroughly until the mixture thickly coats the whisk.
- Sift almond flour multiple times and discard coarse bits to avoid rough shells.
- Using a kitchen scale for ingredient accuracy is highly recommended for consistent macarons.
- Fold batter gently but thoroughly until it reaches a lava-like consistency that slowly falls and forms a figure eight.
- Pipe macarons perpendicular to the baking tray, stopping piping before lifting the bag with a circular motion to create perfect rounded tops.
- Rest piped shells for 40 minutes to create a smooth skin that allows the macarons to rise evenly while baking.
- Macarons improve in texture and flavor after 2-3 days in the refrigerator as the filling softens the shells.
- If shells are too crisp, brush the bottoms with a little milk before assembling to soften.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11 g (1 macaron shell)
- Calories: 63 kcal
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 18 mg
- Fat: 1.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0.7 mg
