Making Macarons: What I learned in Paris.
Ok get ready for a long one folks. I debated all weekend how much macaron info I should share- but decided on all of it- so here you go.
I’ve been wanting to post this since the day I took my Macaron Class in Paris a few weeks ago, but have been waiting to gather some information from my at-home attempts at making them before sharing what I know with you.
Let me start by telling you this- making perfect macs is a lot easier in a huge classroom kitchen with all the ingredients pre-measured, weighed and sifted with a professional pastry chef at the helm than in a minuscule kitchen all alone.
Nevertheless, I’ve now made these twice since coming home, using two slightly different methods, and I feel pretty good about sharing what I learned with you. My teacher in Paris answered lots of questions that I thought both you guys (and I) may have, so I’m including that as well!
I took my class from a lovely cooking school in Montmarte called Cookin’ with Class. The classes are all taught in English, and the subjects range from making macarons, croissants, baguettes and other French desserts.
Briony, the pastry chef who taught our class was wonderful and very very knowledgable. (I felt like the most annoying student though, as I literally asked a question after every step she explained.
What can I say- I wanted to have a thorough knowledge of this stuff!)
The method that we learned was the “Italian Meringue” version, which involves making a sugar syrup that gets poured into the egg whites to create a very stable meringue. Though this process may be slightly more difficult, I like it leaps and bounds better than the “French Meringue” method I’ve tried in the past. The sturdy meringue results in a much more consistent cookie, and I desperately need to know that if I put all the work required into these that they will turn out well. We made three different flavors of macs and they turned out pretty beautifully if I do say so myself. Mine at home aren’t quite so perfect- but I’m getting there!
If you’re at all familiar with macaron making- you know there are a few schools of thought when it comes to a few different (slightly time consuming) factors. In my class- we were taught to basically do ALL of them. I’ll give you the run down:
-Start by aging your egg-whites 24-48 hours. Strain them with a fine mesh seive to get rid of any globby weird bits- resulting in purely liquid egg whites. (This results in a smoother, shinier macarons.)
-Triple sift your almond flour- discarding any larger bits. Then double sift the almond flour together with the powdered sugar.
-Let macaron shells sit out on the counter for 30- an hour to develop a shell before baking.
-Bake with a wooden spoon in the oven to keep the door slightly ajar and reduce possible humidity.
Whew. Right? I mean- that’s a lot of details. Are you completely put off from EVER trying macarons after that?
I came home and did exactly this stuff. Every last bit of it. (Well actually no- I only sifted my almond flour once. I just couldn’t do it 3 times.) The macarons turned out well, maybe not quite as smooth and shiny as in Paris (my fault for skipping the 2nd and 3rd sift.)
I couldn’t help but wonder if all those steps were really neccesary. I remember seeing Annie’s post about the Bouchon recipe for Italian meringue macs- (which didn’t require any of that stuff) So- I tried that version yesterday to compare my results.
Truth be told- they turned out almost exactly the same. No egg white aging or straining, no sifting of the flours etc. There were a couple things I would keep from the first version- just because it worked better for me, but all in all- I think the more simple recipe is generally the way to go. Were my shells as smooth and shiny as the ones I made in class pictured above? No. Would they be if I did all the things Briony suggested? Probably- but I don’t mind all that much. I still think they look pretty and taste great.
This is actually the recipe that we used in my class, but made in the more simple way. My friend Jessica came over while I was making these and snapped some pictures of the process to help give a visual of how it went down. (Don’t mind my makeup-free pajamaed self.)
I’m only giving the recipe for the shells themselves, because there are endless possibilities for the fillings. In class we made, salted caramel, blackberry and chocolate passionfruit. At home- I filled mine with a simple vanilla pastry cream as well as a few with the salted caramel filling. You can use any sort of ganache, jam, preserves, curd or buttercream. (Though many of the macarons I had in Paris stay away from heavy buttercreams- more flavor can be achieved with a potent ganache or fruit preserves.
I hope this is helpful. At the very bottom of the post- after the recipe, I’ve included a few FAQ, Tips and Troubleshooting Topics that may also be of help!
Sifting almond meal. I suggest doing it at least once to weed out some big lumpy pieces.
There’s my itty bitty kitchen! And me checking the temp of the sugar syrup.
Carefully pour the syrup in a steady stream. You want to aim for the spot where the egg whites meet the bowl so it doesn’t cool too much before getting whipped.
The bowl will cool a bit before the meringue is ready.
Stiff and glossy!
Folding.
Piping- keep your bag stright up and down. The little dots on tops will disappear on their own if your batter was mixed enough.
Basic Macarons
Ingredients
- 300 grams almond meal (or ground blanched almonds.) sifted.
- 300 grams powdered sugar- sifted
- 110 grams egg whites
- 300 grams white sugar
- 75 grams water
- 110 grams egg whites
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted almond meal and powdered sugar- breaking up any lumps or large bits.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour 110 grams of egg whites in. Fold them in gently until the mixture is well combined, thick and paste-like.
- Meanwhile- place the other 110 g of egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Leave it be while you make the sugar syrup.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir together until dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.
- When the syrup reaches 225 degrees F- turn the stand mixer on high and start whisking the eggs. You want them to be at soft peak stage, so as soon as they are, turn the speed to low. The egg whites can wait for the syrup- but once the syrup is ready- it cannot wait.
- When the syrup hits 239 degrees- carefully pour it into the side of the bowl while the mixer is running. You don't want the syrup to run down the bowl- or it will cool- so aim to pour it right at the spot where the egg whites meet the side of the bowl.
- Whip on high for about a minute- and then reduce speed to low and continue beating until the bowl has cooled slightly, and glossy stiff peaks have formed.
- Add 1/2 of the meringue to the almond mixture, and gently fold it in until combined and smooth. Gradually add the rest of the meringue until batter is smooth and it almost ribbons off the spoon.
- If you want to divide the batter and add gel coloring to any/part of it this is the time. After adding a bit of color, continue to fold it in until the batter is smooth and shiny and totally ribbons of the spoon.
- Fill piping bags with a round tip and preheat oven to 300F.
- Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. If your oven has a strong fan- you may want to pipe dots of batter onto the corners to stick the parchment down. OR- you can weigh it down with butter knives along the edges.
- Pipe small rounds with the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet. You'll need to develop a rhythm that works for you so that your macs are similar in size. I like to count out loud- "1, 2, 3- release."
- Let the piped macs sit out until a trace of a shell is formed- 20-30 minutes will do- maybe less. This helps keep their shape while baking.
- Bake for about 12 minutes. To test if done- open the oven and wiggle the top of a shell back and forth. If it's super "wiggly" they need more time. Perfect macs will be just a little wiggly- but overall firm.
- When done, remove parchment from the sheet and let cool for 5 minutes on the counter top. Gently peel parchment paper off and cool completely before filling.
- Macarons taste best when "ripened" in the fridge for 24-48 hours, but can last in the fridge air-tight for up to a week.
FAQ:
Can I use a silicone baking mat instead of parchment? Briony says no- the batter doesn’t stick to the silicone as well so it tends to spread more.
Can I use liquid egg-whites? No – never. The preservatives used to give them a long shelf-life doesn’t bode well for macs.
Do I need a stand mixer? Yes- I wish the answer was No- but for this recipe- you need the egg whites to move in their own while you pour the syrup. Maybe it would work if you had a helper in the kitchen- but I had an epic fail trying this with a hand mixer.
This is a huge recipe-can I cut it in half? I don’t think so- reducing the amount of egg whites to would mean your whisk attachment may not reach them to whisk them into a meringue. UPDATE: So a few of you commented that you have successfully halved this recipe- awesome! I will try again even though I didn’t have luck. Read the comments for some tips of how to help your whisk attachment reach them.
My shells are hard and crunchy- what do to? It’s your lucky day- it’s WAY better to over bake your shells than under-bake them. They will soften after you fill them and they ripen in the fridge.
Must I use a kitchen scale? Yes- I really think that weight vs. volume measurements is the way to go. They really do better when everything is precise.
Tips:
It may be tempting to try to flavor the shells a lot to make them whatever flavor you are going for- but I don’t really suggest it. (though I will share the chocolate shells at a later day.) You’d be amazed at how strong of a flavor the filling can give the whole cookie once it has ripened. Test it and give them a taste tight away and then after 48 hours- the flavor of the filling really comes through!
Everything that touches those egg whites needs to be clean as a whistle. A trace of oil or grime on your whisk or mixing bowl will mess up your meringue. Also- yes- even the smallest trace of yolk can be a disaster.
Humidity is the death of macarons. Don’t try these on an overly humid day or your shells may crack or not develop feet!
PS- After I had already planned on making these, Lindsay announced that macarons where the “Kitchen Challenge” for April. How perfect for me since I want to participate whenever I can!
Oh, I can’t believe it! Today I’ve posted my very first chocolate macarons on my blog, too! I haven’t been taught by a French chef though but from my aunt! Well, yours look a lot better but I’d be glad if you took a look at mine :)
You’re always sooo inspiring to me.
xo, Elisa
They look lovely Elisa! Congrats on a very tricky recipe! :)
Your photos are beautiful. What kind and how much food color to color the shells?
Audra do you have a video on youtube as to how to make the macaroons?
These look awesome, and fabulous tips! I did a small batch of French ones yesterday, flavored with dried hibiscus, and they turned out decently. May have to give the Italian version a try too… wonder if I dropped a few flowers into the sugar syrup while it heated if that would ruin the entire thing? :)
I’m not sure- that sugar syrup/egg white step sure can be a finicky one. Let me know if it works though- it would open up lots of possibilities!
When I asked questions about flavoring the shells the only options we were given were whole vanilla bean, or super-intense flavor extracts that only need a few drops to be potent. She said that a bit of spice could be added, but that you’ll get more punch by just creating an intense flavor in the filling. :)
I mean it wouldn’t necessarily add any liquid, since I’d just be ‘steeping’ the flowers in the syrup. Guess I won’t know until I try! :)
Yes! And please let me know how it goes once you do. :)
A chef suggested this on twitter for meringue but I guess you could try with macarons: grind up fruit tea til a really fine powder then folding it though. I asked how many tea bags but he buys his in loose in bulk so he couldn’t give any guidelines.
I use about 1t. and it works fine. Strain the tea after you grind it. Some large parts are still there.
It might do well to steep the flowers in the water(warm) for an hour or so, strain them and then add the sugar and make the sugar syrup. Just a suggestion as the syrup will be incredibly hot and the thickness of the syrup may damage or burn the flowers.
can you share your small batch, her batch is way to big to mess up. Thanks.
Yay!!! This is has me so nervous but SO excited to try macarons. For the longest time I didn’t have a stand mixer or a kitchen scale and I’ve finally got the equipment I need so no more excuses! Thanks so much for all these wonderful tips!
Yes! You must try! :)
Do you have to rap/bang the cookie sheet on a hard surface to get the air out before you rest them?
Yes ALWAYS, then you have to pop the bubbles, or your macs will explode.
Thanks for sharing! I have only tried the french macaron recipe that doesn’t require cooking the sugar syrup. I’ve been a little intimindated to do that, but now I’m going to try!
Do you have the recipe for the flavored shells (blackberry, salted caramel and chocolate passion fruit)? I’ve only ever made the vanilla ones, snickers ones and mint and I’m dying to try a new version. Thanks!
Hey Maureen!
Those recipes actually still use the same shell with some food coloring.
The blackberry just used a blackberry jam as a filling.
I’m planning on making the other fillings sometime soon and sharing them on the blog- but if you are desperate for them sooner- feel free to email me :)
These look pretty cool. thanks for sharing. I have question about your baking pan. Are there ridges or something on it? Looks like lines showing through the parchment. Could just be the photo of course.
Hey Karl-
Yes- my baking pan has some ridges on it. Not necessary- but also wasn’t a problem for the macs!
Thanks.
I love this post!
I managed to scale down macarons for two (a small nightmare, but turned into a miracle), and yes,they’re finnicky. But, I have to say, I don’t do a whole lot. I do sift almond meal because I buy the kind at trader joe’s with shell. But, I’m guessing that letting them sit on the counter first + my propane oven (low humidity) is the reason it works. I love love love your photos :)
You did!!? I must check that out! Did you use the Italian meringue method too? I had made small batches with the french method- but had a very hard time getting my mixer to grab the egg whites when I cut them down. Going to look for yours now… :)
I also had a hard time getting my mixer to “grab” the egg whites until I happened upon a recipe for Swiss buttercream. The recipe entailed whisking egg whites over a water bath on the stove top until the sugar was dissolved–about 140° I believe. Then transfer and beat with the wire beater to stiff peaks. The egg whites got quite foamy and increased in volume some while whisking. I thought, “why couldnt I do this same thing with macarons?” It has made my meringue turn out so much better. My macaron feet have been perfect almost every time!
Thank you for this information…I need to try this.
Perfect I will try this. I was searching for such recepie since my tryes with italian maringue were disaster… I dont have standing mixer. But I was so curious if it will work with it. Macaroon are my chalenge :))
I always use Swiss meringue! Good to know it’s also an option for this recipe since no one else had mentioned it
My uncle lived in Zurich for most of his life and when he visited us, we knew we were going to get pounds of heavenly chocolate.
But, the most interesting thing he brought were the Sprungli Luxenburgerlis, which were baby macarons.
Today, macarons are haute couture in the sweets world and very fussy to make.
Thanks for the tips and the recipe. I’m going to try my hand at making them again!
Thank you for the great info. I was just getting ready to try my hand at macarons and was bewildered by all the recipes. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Thank you so much for this whole post!! I’ve been wanting to make macarons fora while, but I’ve seen so many recipes, I wasn’t sure which one to make! Since you explain a lot of the background and went to a class in Paris with a pastry chef, I’m going to make these! I finish Uni in 6 weeks and then I can spend all Summer baking!!
I love the thoroughness of this post, Audra – So glad you chose to share ALL that you learned in Paris! My first attempt at macarons was my last, sadly, but after this post showing how to make your gorgeous macarons, I definitely want to get back on that horse! Thanks so much.
What a fabulous post Audra! Those macs you made in your class are gorgeous, love the vibrant colors :) I’ve had moderate success with the French Meringue method, but have been itching to try the Italian one since buying Bouchon Bakery. Thanks for the tips, I know they’ll come in handy!!
GREAT post, Audra. I haven’t tried macarons yet and I want to so badly. I need to set aside a day to just read up and try it out!
I have been wanting to try macarons for quite some time but have always been a little scared. I am so glad you shared your tips/tricks/thoughts – It’s so hard to know what methods to go for and which ones don’t really change the outcome much! I definitely need to give your method a try now that I have a stand mixer (yay, Christmas!).
Those are gorgeous!! And they look so delicious! While the steps are very tedious, I am totally going to try it!
Also, you look amazing without makeup! I’m just going to pretend you didn’t write that part about no makeup….And your kitchen is so cute! I love all the colors (the teapot, mixer, le creuset)
p.s. in the ingredients list, the first 110 egg whites doesn’t have a ‘g’ next to it….at first I thought we needed 110 egg whites! It’s obvious in the directions, but just wanted to let you know….sorry!!
Thanks dear!!
And oops! Yes- grams for sure!!
Awesome post, Audra!! This sounds like a great baking challenge to take on; thanks for all of the info. I do have a few questions–when you say the macs should be ‘ripened’, does that include them with or without filling? Rephrased–should they be filled or unfilled prior to ripening, and does that depend on the type of filling? I’m guessing that a buttery filling might make a difference compared to a jam or something similar. Also, can you freeze macarons? Filled or unfilled? I’m guessing not, but thought I’d ask. Thanks again!!!
I totally get your question :) they should be “ripened” with filling. Then the flavors of the filling have time to soak into the cookie. :)
And yes!! You can freeze them! I don’t remember how long she said, but at least a couple weeks. I was thinking of macaron ice cream sandwiches!! :)
Do the macarons need to be covered while ripening? I don’t recall if I watched a video that said not to cover at first.
Thanks
Hi! Do I freeze without the filling and add in later before they are ready to be served? Or can I freeze the whole thing as one?!
I have frozen shells for up to six months. I layer the shells in between parchment paper in a Tupperware container. You can also freeze filled macs. Important to note … Take macs out to thaw about an hour before serving. Cold macs will crack when you bite into them rather than being the soft chewy cookie you desire.
I make a ton of macarons using this exact recipe, though I cut the almonds and sugar in half and make two batches with one Italian meringue if that makes sense. For chocolate shells, I drop the almond flour and icing sugar down to 135g each and add 30g of cocoa. For pistachio shells: 135g icing sugar, 135g ground almonds and 30g ground pistachios. To save time grind the almonds and icing sugar in the food processor then sift – who has time to triple sift?? I follow your blog from South Africa (but am originally from the US) and really enjoy it. Thanks for the time and effort you put into it!!
I totally get what you are saying- sounds like a great way to divide the recipe!!! :)
I haven’t been brave (foolish? j/k, haha) enough to try making macs at home yet, but when I do I’m sure your post will be an invaluable resource! Thanks for sharing your knowledge :)
Is that 110 eggwhites? They look so good!
Oops! That’s meant to be grams.
I love this post, it’s great! I’m jealous that you got to take a macaron class in Paris – that’s so exciting.
Your macarons look perfect, too :-)
I’ve been making a lot of macarons lately trying to test out different fillings, and wanted to let know you know that I successfully halved this recipe and didn’t have any problems with my whisk not reaching my egg whites! And it still makes a TON of shells! :-)
Ok good to know Natasha! :) I may edit that in the post :)
I just made chocolate passion fruit filled macarons yesterday! The amount of each ingredient in your recipe is the same as Pierre Herme’s recipe. I have successfully halved the recipe…. To make the whisk attachment reach the bottom of the bowl,with a small amount of liquid, I just don’t lock it into place on the mixer and it works great. I also add 1/2 tsp of meringue powder into the egg whites.
One question – what kind of food colouring did you use in your class? I find unless i use powered food colouring the colour fades a lot when baked.
Hey Carolyn!
So good to know it can be halved- maybe my larger 6 qt mixer is part of the problem? The teacher had said we shouldn’t attempt it- but I’m gonna try again.
We used gel colors. I’m not sure of the brand, I think it was European! I can email her and see what she says :)
Hi Audra — I have a big 6 gt mixer… I can’t remember where I learned the trick to not lock the whisk on the “pin” (Just slide it up, but don’t turn it), but it works wonderfully for whipping small amounts of egg whites, whipping cream, etc.
And one other question… Pierre Herme writes about using titanium dioxide for shells where colour isn’t added… did your instructor talk about that at all?
The pictures and lighting in the step by step pictures is beautiful.
wow yours turned out beautifully. i made macarons once and they turned out horribly. i love that you were able to take a macaron class in Paris. That is such a dream come true! I’ll have to pick your brain when I plan a European vacation because you seem to find the best things to do! thanks for sharing your wonderful tips! maybe i’ll give it a try soon :) i’ve kind of been scarred with my first attempt! haha
This is so beautiful! I made meringues in cooking camp one year and these remind me of the precision and cleanliness needed, especially when working with egg whites. Your photos and kitchen-ware is absolutely beautiful!
Thank you so much Grace! :)
My friend and I just recently took a macaron making class at our local Sur La Table, and now we’re both addicted. Our instructor showed us, both the French and Italian style, but had trouble with the sugar crystallizing with the Italian Meringue. So we’ve just stuck to the French Meringue instead. But seeing your post, gives me courage to try the Italian Meringue. Thanks for sharing!
This is SUCH a useful post, thank you so much!
I am so envious of your baking class experience, I hope to do exactly the same thing one day.
Leah x x x
This is such a helpful post. I’ve been wanting to make some macaroons, but I’ve been a bit nervous. They’re on my 2013 bucket list, so I better get to baking. Your macaroons turned out absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much for putting together such an educational post.
Dear Audra,
I’m an italian girl who found out about you almost accidentally (without the almost) and couldn’t help falling in love immediately!!! Thanks for all of your recipes, tips, great photos and bits of life!
P.S. Your chocolate chips cookies are the BEST ever, really appreciated by anyone.
Lots of love,
Ilaria
Thank you SO much Ilaria! Happy to have you as a reader :)
This is such great information and couldn’t have come at a better time! I’ve been wanting to make macarons for a while now. You’ve inspired me to actually do it! Your photos are so beautiful! So happy to have found you!
wowza they look beautiful! I am obessing over macarons right now during spring! filled with ganache or even fruity fillings! yum! i have to try these sometime soon. Ps– i know this is random but where did u get ur sifter? i see martha stewart using it too and i cant find it online!
oh my gosh, those macaroons are absolutely gorgeous – whether you followed all those steps or not! They have to be one of my favorite desserts.
Your itty bitty kitchen is so cute and colorful! Our old place in the East Village had bright yellow walls like that and we miss them dearly (Park Slope kitchen… not so cute haha). I’ve been fascinated with macarons for years, but haven’t been brave enough to get after making my own yet. I may just have to get at it this weekend! *Inspired.
First off, if that is what you look like without makeup and getting ready, you are very blessed, haha. :)
And second, these macarons are beautiful. I wish to make macarons some day, but I think I would like to be in the comfort of my own home before atempting that. Thanks for all the tips on macaron making! :)
I can’t begin to tell you how much I LOVE this post!! This weekend I am buying a better sifter and a candy thermometer and getting some macs in my life!
Thank you so much lady for sweet words and all the sharing. xoxo
First of all, I am super jealous that you learned how to make macarons in Paris! Second, I just love this post. So informative! I used Annie’s method for the first time (only time so far) I made macs and was very successful. I’m definitely going to try to do some extra sifting next time, though. Actually, I think next time we should get together to make them!! Mac party in my kitchen?
This is the recipe that I’ve been looking for!
I made macaroon with a person whose also went to a cooking school in Paris to made macaroon like you and she did exactly like you wrote (except for the silicon baking mat, which she used and it was a total success)! I’ve tried to browse it on the internet but no one ever mentioned about the TEMPERATURE for the sugar syrup!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your recipe!
Hi! Love all the info! Question: do you not add that first granulated sugar amount to the egg whites you whip before adding the hot syrup? Thanks!
That’s right! The granulated sugar all gets made into syrup. None gets added to the egg whites before whipping them. :)
Hi, Just tried your recipe this weekend. And they turned out great. I’m so glad I tried the italian method. Thanks for posting this:)
Your macarons are lovely!
I will note that you CAN use liquid egg whites, but not the kind you’ll find at your regular grocery store. I use Papetti’s which I get at my local restaurant supply, and they work amazingly, they pour out looking just like normal egg whites (which they are, I guess, as they’re for restaurant use). I make thousands of macarons a month, which I why I experimented with these – it is so much easier than separating flats of eggs every week! And a carton is only $2 and change, which is also nice.
I use slipways almost exclusively because in Florida, the humidity causes my macarons to wick into weird shapes on parchment, but I also use a printed template under the mat so my sizes don’t go all screwy.
Also, have you tried blending your powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor? It’s also a huge time saver, I just push everything through a sieve after and I get no big chunks or unblinded bits.
I am so envious of your glossy shells – mine get sheeny but never that shiny!
And, um, that’s ‘silpats’ not slipways as my autocorrect insists I meant!
Brianna,
I have been making macarons for a long time and I would like to transition to using the Papetti’s egg whites. Unfortunately, when I use them, my shells have a big air pocket and don’t come out the same. Do you recommend some special baking when you use the Papetti’s egg whites? What temperature and how long do you cook your macs? The commercial oven I use only has increments of 25°F. Today, I tried: 325°F for 14 minutes and the macs where hollow. I increased the cook time to 16 minutes and then the macs were turning brown – the top baking sheets had hollow macs and the one underneath was okay (although brown). Do you recommend anything to fix this? I am so frustrated!!!!
Hey Caroline,
I’m not sure if Brianna with reply back, but I will try to reach out to her if possible. I wish I could be of more help, but I always use regular old egg whites.
Quick question, you said to sift your almond flour 3 times, did you have to put it in a food processor first? I have chefs who would do that first along side the icing sugar before sifting so I was just wondering if that’s what you did too? Thanks a bunch!
We weren’t taught to do it that way- I think the sifting is enough!
I have a question. Where do you position your racks in the oven? In the middle only? on the top and bottom? pleas help! Thanks
Hey Theresa! My oven runs hot from the bottom so I bake these in the upper third rack. If your oven is normal- middle rack would be best. I don’t suggest baking more than one tray at a time unless you have a convection oven.
Thank you! Also, how can I make chocolate ones? I read you can replace 20 grams of powered sugar for cocoa power. Is that about right! Btw, I will be attending these very soon! Your work is amazing!!!
I meant attempting these…lol
Hello
These all look so beautiful, I have made about five batches with the different method,however I can’t seem to get mine to hold their colour, I have tried both paste and powder, they look pretty before they cook but looses the colour in baking. I’m not sure how much to use. Any ideas please
Thanks x
Hey Yvonne- do you use gel color? That is what our teacher used in Paris and the colors were super bright!
My light pink macs came out rose. I would love to try getting the true pale pink. A baking specialty store suggested I should use powder food color. W
hat do you think?
Hi! I was wondering, can I reduce the amount of sugar , or replace some of it with more almond meal? I don’t want them to be too sweet… I’ll be doing them for the first time and I don’t want to mess something up :)
Thanks!
Hey Natasha- I would really not mess with macarons- the proportions need to be exact for them to turn out right!
I thought so… but I read somewhere that you can add a pinch of salt to the almond/sugar mixture which will reduce the sweetness. Maybe that will help…
Great recipe overall! Some of my macarons cracked! Any suggestions/tips?? Thanks!
Hi Carolina, cracked macarons could be due to a variety of things: 1- too much moisture in the air due to humid weather 2- the macs didn’t dry out enough before baking 3- piped too close together.
Sorry I can’t help more- without being there its really hard to know!
can we freeze the macarons ?? thanks
Hi,
I love your photos and recipes and tips and everything. They’re so so inspiring to me!!! Can you please help me at the baking part, my macarons can’t seem to keep their colours, it’s alway fading and get alit brown… Thanks so much.
Hey Jane- what type of food coloring are you using? A strong gel coloring is best. If they are getting brown- I think your oven is a little too hot- I suggest using a oven thermometer to test the temperature of your oven :)
Hi,
I really love how your macaron looks. So pretty. I have a question for you why does some macarons looks matt and not glossy. Mine is always matt in color. I wonder why?
I think the shininess comes from egg whites that have been strained and beat into a super glossy meringue. I have had both matte and glossy too!
Hello, I just stumbled on your blog looking for instructions to make macarons. I didn’t even know about the Italian versus the French method. It sounds like you really put a lot into this so I am going with your way or the Italian way. Can I pre-triple sift my almond flour in advance and then I can just use it as I bake? Or does it clump in storage? I am not sure if what I am sifting is stuff that wasn’t milled finely or if I am just breaking up the meal? When it comes to baking I am a perfectionist so I will probably want to triple sift. I just got a 3 lb bag of superfine blanched almond flour. I love that you gave everything in grams. It makes everything so much easier. And you look gorgeous without makeup!
I think the sifting is for the purpose of breaking up clumps so in advance should be fine :)
Hey, Audra. I also ‘stumbled across your post while trying to do a little research on the best method to make macarons. I am an experienced mac baker (if you include all the flops in the experience) but I wanted to find out why some that I see in photos have so much more height than mine do, and if that was a result of using one method over the other. I’m guessing that the French method is the one without the cooked sugar. I’m pretty much into baking authentically which is why it caught my attention that you have actually taken a class in Paris and learned how to do it there. I have used the Italian meringue (ironic, isnt it?) process mostly, and I thought I found the greatest success with the recipe from Bouchon. I still get shells too flat for my liking but honestly the last time I made them was when it waswarmer and could have been a little humid. I will try the extra sifting although I feel like I lose some almond there. (I usually use the package almond flour)
I’m glad I found your blog and will keep up with it in my own tiny kitchen! (sent from my phone so I hope there are no ridiculous typos)
Do you put the filling in before you ripen them in the fridge? Also, I live in northland (New Zealand) where mos of the time it is humid! What would I do if I had an order for these and when I went to bake them it was a humid day? Is there any way around it?? Thanks for this recipe and sharing your knowledge!! Much appreciated :)
You might be able to get away with just sticking a wooden spoon in the oven if it isn’t a particularly humid day.
Your best bet, however, is to just not chance it. Macarons are finicky!
If you’re worried about this, maybe you could make a double batch in advance. I know you can freeze them for up to a couple weeks w/ filling
Happy baking!
xx M
I’m a bit confused because in one of your FAQ’s, you said you cannot use liquid egg whites… but isn’t liquid egg white straight from a whole egg. And in one of your reply’s, you said you can’t have any egg yolk in your egg whites. So my real question is, can we use the egg white straight from a whole egg?
Hi Elizabeth- I meant to not use liquid egg whites from a carton. You want to use egg whites from actual eggs!
Can the macaron shell cookie be frozen. If yes, how long are you able to freeze them for?
I would say yes you can freeze them- but I would fill them first. Then you can freeze for up to a month.
How you achieve such beuatiful colours? My shells until now have a good colour at the interior but outside turn into a pale beige…. Should I take more colour or reduce the temperature or…?
Thanks in advance for your help :)
Hey Margot- our teacher used really high intensity gel colors which gave such vibrant tones!
I was wondering if you could tell me approximately how many egg whites are in 110 grams. I just want to make sure that I have enough eggs on hand before I start. Your pictures look so great.
Hi Pam about 3-4 eggs should do the trick though I always have several extra in case I make any snafus separating them.
Hi I was just wondering if you could tell me what temperature to bake the macarons at? (I don’t know if I’m blind or just totally missing it!)
Thanks
Never mind ahaha I am blind! I now see the 300 degrees!
Hi i tried the recipe just now but my meringue just doesn’t seemed right, after adding the sugar syrup i beat it for about 10 minutes already, the meringue is cooled but i just can’t get it to stiff peaks.. it was glossy but quite soupy.. I’m sure that I’m using all clean equipment and i have aged the egg whites, what am i doing wrong?!
Sounds to me like something happened with the eggs . . . Was everything totally dry? Maybe a bit of yolk in there? Something splash into the cup while whites were aging?
I agree- sounds like something with the eggs. So frustrating- I hate when that happens! Also make sure you pour the sugar syrup right to the spot where the egg whites touch the bowl!
Making macarons all this week. I need a good stable filling. Is Swiss buttercream too mushy? What are the best for stability?
Also, I’m always so afraid of folding too many times to get the macaronage, then I end up with bumpiness. Pushing down with a damp finger results in a less than perfect top. Can you help allay my fears? Yours look so perfect!
I suggest ganache, jams, or a nice firm butter cream.
In terms of folding- you want to get to the “ribbon stage.” Perfect batter will smooth out on its own even with a little tip!
Sorry for the late reply- my baby was born the day before you asked this!
Well, congrats! That’s a good excuse : )
I ended up doing a swiss bc with a blob of jam or caramel or whatever flavor. I was making salted caramel, passion fruit, and raspberry. I was asked by a company owned by a friend to make 94 packages of macarons (which equals 564 cookies! ) as a classy gift to clients. I managed to ship out 33 packages before I found out that one client had received it and they were totally crushed to unrecognizable. Agghh! We had stacked 6 of then in a plastic tub and stuffed each side with tissue paper, tied with pretty ribbon. They looked so nice! Now it’s on to Plan B. A sturdier cookie is in order. Gotta come up with a good one that looks nice!
I have been making french macarons for about 5 months. I am finding that if I divide the recipe and color half, the color is not true (it seems faded) and the colored macarons crack. I do not have the cracking problem at all with the uncolored macarons. I use Americolor gel to color my macarons. I am coloring them before I put the mixtures into the piping bags. Any suggestions?
Do you add the color to the egg whites during whipping, or to the TPT?
I find mine will crack if the liquid is off, I will actually reduce the egg white in the TPT by the amount of coloring I put in. This keeps the liquid to powder ratios true.
I am adding the color at the very end after I have folded in the almond/confectioner’s sugar mixture. I’ve been doing it then because I am dividing the batter to make two different colors. Also, since I was using gel color, I didn’t think that the color would throw off the liquid to powder ratio?
That should work as long as you don’t get the batter to ribbon stage until *after* you add the color. Divide the batter when it’s almost here but not quite and then add color. Make sense?
Thank you for your advice. I added the color before I mixed in the flour and the macarons came out perfect!
Excellent recipe and guidance, thank you! I made a batch and am in the process of baking it. I split the batter and am making half with grated lemon peel that was dried overnight. I’ll fill them with a lemon cream, and the other plain half with a chocolate ganache of some kind. Some thoughts:
1. I ground blanched almonds in a food processor, and there was no way to get small fluffy particles that would sift. I got an oily mass that could be forced through a mesh sifter–whatever was left over I continued to grind until it went through. Once I added the powdered sugar and first set of egg whites, what I had was loose almond paste. I had to pass everything through the food processor a final time to get it smooth. Way time consuming & very sticky. Pre-ground almond meal would be a real time saver.
2. I did use a hand-held mixer to make the egg-white/sugar combination. I used a wide, stainless steel bowl, and poured the sugar in gradually around half the circumference of the bowl. Then with the mixer hand I turned the bowl quickly, poured over the other half the circumference, and continued until all the syrup was used.
3. I used a small ice-cream scoop rather than piping the batter, holding the scoop as level as possible with the sheet.
Everything worked pretty well. I have uncracked, semi-gloss tops, good feet, and flat undersides. They are not uniformly circular in shape, but since I am pretty awful with a pastry bag I doubt I would do better that way.
Hey Maggie- For future reference- you can grind the almonds but you need to add the powdered sugar as well otherwise you’ll end up with almond butter (and it seems like you realized!) :)
I attended several classes from this french coking school and they were excellent. The caramel ones were out of this world!!! I havent made any at home using the italian method becuase boiling the sugar scares me! I found an excellent french recipe in the cookbook Small Plates and Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga which was very detailed and only required the sugar to be added slowly to the meringue and thy turn out perfect everytime. Its so interesting to know there are so many ways to reach an awesome result of the macaron! Thanks for sharing your tips, I was about to experiment with liquid egg whites and your tip saved me! Thanks!!
I put pink food colouring in the egg white but the macarons did not turn out the colour i wanted, they looked like they were over-cooked, but my oven’s temperature is exactly 300 F. What did i do wrong?..
hi i just asking is it okay if we put normal food colouring instred of gel food colouring
It might throw off the balance of liquids/powder in the macarons.
Besides, gel food coloring is more concentrated, so it’ll be a nice vibrant color if you use it.
Good luck baking!
xx M
Unfortunately my macarons cracked completely! What could have happened?
I think it is because I let them dry too much before baking – is this even possible?
I from Brazil and loved your website!!!
I want to try your recipe, but i am confused in what to do for steps 2-3
Just finished these and had so much fun! :) My only problem was that the macarons tended to stick to my parchment paper. I was also insanely happy that they didn’t crack in our humid Ohio air :) Thanks a ton!
Please help, I don´t have a thermometer for the syrup, can you advise me how best to achieve it without having the thermometer.
Hello! Could you please tell me how your shells became so smooth?)
Try triple sifting the almond flour. Lumps- non smooth shells! :)
What consistency should the shell batter be? Mine looks grainy. Is that normal? I shift 3 times, sometimes 4.
this may be a dumb question, but is that 50 ASSEMBLED cookies or 50 shells for the yield??
50 sandwich cookies :)
i want to contribute this tip cause this is a very big cause of macarons not getting feet and i think this tip will help a ton.
i live in a tropical country, that means constantly high high high humidity. making macarons perfect is virtually impossible unless my kitchen is in an enclosed aircon room, which unfortunately i do not have. so if it happens to be humid, through in 2 teaspoon of cornstarch into the icing sugar and almond mix. the macarons will dry very fast even in humid weather. this works to well for me all the time!!
so maybe if you stay in a country that isnt that humid, you can still put the cornstarch and the macarons will dry out even faster!!! hope this helps :D
I trained in Paris years ago and have a patisserie in Northern California. That recipe they gave you is Pierre Herme’s and a great one. We do to a ton of hand piped macs a month and they are always turn out a little different! They are tricky.
Here are some of my tricks.
Cover your sugar syrup on the stove until it starts to boil. The condensation will clean the crystals off the side. Or use a little cold water on a brush to way away.
Add powdered or paste color to your Italian meringue right before it is done mixing.
After piping slap the baking sheet twice on the counter (helps with bubbles)
We let ours sit for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Try natural colors, they aren’t bright but honestly no one should be eating synthetic colors…especially kids!! We just switched to all natural and our customers live them.
Amusez vous bien!!
I love your post! I use natural colors when I bake at home too and wish they were easier to find.
Thanks!!
Should you freeze your macarons for your business in order to optimizing your processes? Or otherwise how do you manage with stock?
Hi Audra! Your macarons are just so lovely! I baked macarons quite a few times now, and mine is nearly close to perfect, but something is missing, they don’t have a glossy top like yours. May I know how to achieve a shiny and glossy macaron top after baking it? Although it tastes nice, but it just look dull. :(
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I tried other recipes with inconsistent results. Yours worked perfectly and I’ll definitely stick to it :-) Thanks again.
You have very nice macarons. Do you bake in a convection oven? If not, is it possible to bake macarons in one? Thanks.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It really helps a lot. I’m planning on making macarons for a wedding this coming Sunday and I want to make them ahead of time. Could you freeze the macaron shells prior to filling them the following day? Then fill them and store the finished macarons in the fridge? With method do you prefer? Thanks.
I would suggest filling then and THEN freezing :)
Hi Audra.
I must be the only one to make your recipie and for it not to turn out correct. My batter is too runny from the piping bag…now I don’t know if this is insufficient whisking of egg white…your mix looks very stiff from the bag. Can you give me some pointers as to why this should happen please.
Thank you
Hi Sandra- if it’s too thin it may have been “over-folded”
Hi Sandra,
It’s been a few years since you commented this, and you’ve probably mastered the art of macarons by now. But in case you haven’t, you can count the number of “folds” that you do in your macronage. It usually takes me about 35 folds to get the right consistency.
Hope this helps:)
Forgot to mention..they are cracked on top, not risen either.
hello, I really love your post :))
I always want to make a macaroons, but I think they’re too sweet.
if there any chance that I can make the macaroon less sweet? thankyou very much!
hello, I really love your post :))
I always want to make a macaroons, but I think they’re too sweet.
if there any chance that I can make the macaroon less sweet? thankyou very much!!
No unfortunately macarons need that amount of sugar to hold their shape. You could do a not sweet filling though!
Hi,
I have taken a class and all the steps you have posted is almost the same and finally tried it at home with my home oven – apprently its not coming out the same as what I have done in class…its “hollow” in the middle. HELP! What am I doing wrong???
Thank you in advanced.
Hi Desiree. Sorry but it’s really hard for me to know what went wrong without being there to see what happened. Macarons are so fragile- even the climate or temperature could affect them.
do you use a special pan with indented holes for macaron batter. Will this help keep them uniform and prevent spread or am I running risk of them sticking? What do you use?
I just use a regular cooke sheet with parchment :)
What is the benefit of adding 110 grams of egg whites to the almond flour vs just making it all 220 grams into a meringue and then mixing?
Hey, I have been trying macarons for two months, but these aren’t coming perfect when I mix color. I use IBC powder good colors but the macarons come with big air pockets. What can be the probable solution ?
Prangi jain
What substitute can you use for the almond meal, for us tree nut allergic folks?
Unfortunately macarons can only be made with almond meal. Some use half almond half pistachio or peanut, but as far as I know these don’t mix well without allergies!
can someone tell me the recipe in cups… PLEASE
So sorry but macarons really need to be made with weight measurements- it is so specific that if things aren’t precise the cookies won’t turn out.
Oh sorry, I just posted a question below asking the same thing! I do have a food scale, but how would I measure water/egg whites? Sorry, I’m totally new to this whole cooking thing!
Hi, I wanted to know if I could substitute meringue powder for the egg whites?
This looks fantastic! I was wondering if there is anyway to convert this recipe into cups, since I’ve never used grams before?
So glad to have found this. Recently, my niece has been obsessed with macarons, all because of a picture she saw on Pinterest. So, I want to learn how to make them properly, so I can teach her. Thank you very much for the recipe and all the wonderful tips.
I’ve made a few batches of macarons before, but none of them come out right. My almond flour is too coarse to use. The brand of almond flour I use is almost completely useless because 4/5ths of the bag is too big for macarons. What brand would you recommend for use in macarons? Also, when I leave my macarons out to dry, it doesn’t really work. Where I live, the humidity is really high and takes forever for the macarons to dry. What should I do about that? Thanks.
Someone else who lives in a humid area recommended adding a couple teaspoons of cornstarch into the icing sugar/almond meal mix before folding with the egg whites.
You might as well give it a go; good luck!
xx M
Can you convert everything to cups instead of grams.
No you really can’t with Macarons. Everything needs to be weighed and extremely precise!
So I started having a go at macarons a couple of weeks ago and tried both French and Italian methods for the mirangue and settled with the latter, although I use a hand mixer and as you pointed out it can be pretty tricky!
The basic shell mix you use is the same as Pierre Herme and does work a treat however one question.. Any recommendations for food colourings? I feel like I’ve got macarons nailed but so far only been able to get hold of dr otker gel colours and they are useless. Particularly the green one isn’t very temperature stable so they start to colour after about 7 minutes in the oven! I’m using an oven thermometer too so temp isn’t the issue.
Thanks!
try using double pan when baking if your macs are getting too brown on top. Strangely, I need double pan for Italian macs and single pan for French macs.
What do you mean by a double pan? Are you referring to a water bath…I would think that would make the oven humid…thanks in advance for the clarification!!
No just two baking sheets stacked!
King Arthur’s Almond flour is the best. Several local store carry. Food Lion has it in their specialty aisle and Walmart carries it as well. Cheaper at Walmart
I’ve made many batches of macs over the years, some successful, some not so (the foxes LOVE the discards), but the one thing that virtually never goes right is the colour intensity. I’ve tried powder, gel and liquid, always discolours in the cooking process. Any tips?
Can you please post recipes for the filling and tell us which filling should go with each type of macaron.
Thank you!
Hello,
I’ve been using the French recipe for a while and had decent results with feet and good form, but really want the crisp, smooth, consistent and shiny results you describe come with the Italian method. I intend to try it but wanted to ask you about your instructions above first. As I read through you list the two separate measures of whites and it seems like you fold the first 110g into the almond/dry ingredients; but my question is, is this first set of whites beaten at all, or just regular, unchanged room temp aged egg whites being folded with the almond mixture?
I very much appreciate you sharing the knowledge you’ve gained for everyday home cooks/moms/wives to use :).
Thank you!
Hi,
I have tired to make macaron’s a couple of times now, and everytime i mix the almond flour and icing powder with the egg white its becomes a really stiff clump and it not loose and even when I add the meringue and the whole mixer is stiff thick and and doesnt lloosen uup at all. What am I doing wrong? :(
Is the oven temperature for a convection oven? If so what temp would you suggest for static?
I made these yesterday with my daughter and they were awesome. We tried it with parchment paper and with the silicone baking sheet with the macaron circles. We found that the parchment paper baked up perfectly per your instructions, but the silicone sheet needed double the baking time but still turned out perfectly. This recipe was a lot of work (triple sifting and all) but our results were well worth the effort. We added raspberry flavor and pink coloring to the batter and filled them with a simple raspberry flavored icing and they were just sweet enough without being too sweet.
One question, can the cookie batter be saved overnight to be used the next day? We had at least half of it left over and I wasn’t sure if it was worth saving.
About cutting it in half – yes, it does work! I even did as little as 1/4 of this recipe, and everything just went perfectly. It was the best macaron batch I’ve ever made!
This was a great recipe and filled with awesome advice! I’ve never baked macarons so I took a lot of notes on different techniques and had to look at a ton of different recipes before I actually decided on one. This one seemed the most informed so I ultimately went with it. The piping took a little getting used to and the meringue peaks weren’t as stiff as i had wanted them to be, but the best looking ones look like the ones pictured, the texture is perfect, and they taste absolutely delicious right out of the oven! I just made a simple vanilla buttercream filling for the inside. Thanks so much!
I just needed to tell you that your recipe is literally magic, and is the ONLY one that has ever worked for me. I remember trying and trying and trying macarons, and failing miserably (which in all honesty had not happened to me with too many baking endeavors), and then finding your blog about your time in Paris, and nailing them! Unfortunately I didn’t bookmark you, so kept failing, and then after some creative googling, finally found you again. Some context: it’s 4:45 in the morning, I’m baking macarons for my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday this weekend, and I already failed two batches tonight before I found you again. something about this is magic. THANK YOU!
This is the best recipe I ever found online. I went to two classes in NYC to learn macaron techniques. My macarons came out successful in the class, but a complete failure at home. I kept troubleshooting and kept wasting so many expensive ingredients ($12/lb – almond meal). I bought a macaron book from the Chef instructor, but the recipe didn’t work for me. I followed several recipes online and all came out a failure. I saw your post. After reading your post, I followed your recipe and technique. My macarons came out a complete success. My macaron came out stiff, but I know where I made wrong. Thank you very much for sharing.
I seem to be the solitary male here. I am going to try this above recipe when my next shipment of ground almonds arrives. Christmas is the day after tomorrow so there will be a frustrating delay in my efforts to bake an acceptable macaron!
So far I have made five batches of twelve and all have been a total disaster. My most recent catastrophe was after purchasing ‘Macarons’ a book by Pierre Herme, and despite following his recipe for the raspberry macaron to the letter, I have failed miserably. I used liquid egg whites – obviously a major contributor!
I noted that the batter was thin and wouldn’t stay in the piping bag – again maybe down to liquid egg whites.
Within moments of putting my macarons in the fan oven, the kitchen smoke alarm went off. I checked the temperature given in the book: 180 C, 12 mins = nightmare. The macs resembled fried eggs – a central yolk with a burnt top and widely spread whites! – undoubtedly due to the liquid eggs that I thought such a bargain. (incidentally, Pierre says to put half the eggs in the mixer and the other half poured straight onto the sifted almond and icing sugar .110g eggs barely reach the whisk in my KitchenAid mixer?) Next time stick to proper eggs. The ingredients in your recipe perfectly match that given in Pierre’s book – with the exception of the additional 110g of egg white – I take this was a typo?
I’ll let you know how my next attempt works out.
Hi
Love you blog. Just a quick question do you put these in the middle of the oven? have you tried two trays at a time?
thanks
Thanks for this great recipe! Please, can you send me the latest posts to my email? I am unable to subscribe to your website! :-)
I’ve tried many recipes and these worked the best so far! I managed with a hand mixer (mixing while pouring the syrup) and a half batch, so it can be done. They’re not *perfect* but they have feet and nice shells and they’re pretty cute. The meringue deflates a lot for some reason after I add the syrup – I haven’t had this happen when I’ve used a stand mixer (borrowed from a friend since I don’t have one myself) but it always happens with the hand mixer. I’ll keep trying but they still worked pretty will this time despite this. Good luck everyone!
Hi Audra, did you ever share the chocolate macaron recipe using Italian meringue? I had a quick look and couldn’t find anything.
I live by the coast in Germany and humidity is always very high, regardless of weather. I always have problems with my macarons and thought I’d try the Italian meringue method. Maybe I’ll get slightly better results. Thanks
so i’ve tried to make macarons numerous times with the italian method, and i have some experience working pastry in commercial kitchens so i feel like i should be able to nail this. however, my macaronage in my last three attempts (including your recipe) have come out way too stiff. i made your recipe today and mixed probably 150 strokes and still never got the batter to ribbon. i went ahead and baked them but of course they did not come out right. they had nipples and also puffed up quite abit in the oven, and had a bit of cracking. any advice? i just don’t know why my batter is coming out so stiff every time. maybe the type of almond flour im using? it’s just from the the bulk section at the grocery store… can’t think of anything else! may be worth noting that the dough is very stiff and hard to mix before i add the meringue. i added maybe 10g extra egg whites to it to get it mixable….
thanks in advance for your help!
Hi! I am a little new to baking! Just wondering if the flour and powder sugar were sifted while being measured or if you measured out that amount and then sifted it before using it? Does this make sense? Or does this not matter when you are measuring using exact weights instead of volume measurements? Sorry if this is a silly question it had me stumped for some reason. Thanks so much! Excited to make them today :):)
hello, I am also new to this type of precise baking, and I am used to using cups, ounces, tsp or tbsp.
So if I use a converter to change the grams to cups or ounces will it be accurate enough?
Also I have never ever used a pastry bag any suggestions on type or fabric?
Thank you and thank you for sharing your knowledge on these beautiful cookies :-)
As far as pasty bags, I love using plastic disposable…you can even skip the metal tip and just cut the tip off the bottom bag to the side you’d like to pipe!!!!
Can I use almond flour in place of almond meal?
Hi Audra! I am having some trouble making your Italian meringue. Three attempts and I still was unable to get it to stiff peaks. Do you have any tips? I think it might be my thermometer, but any suggestions would be helpful!
Is your bowl and beater 100% clean? Any speck of other food or yolk can totally affect it :)
Hello!
I just stumbled across your recipe after many failed attempts with this method and can’t wait to try it! I do have a question first though:
Almost every time I cook the sugar it starts crystallizing around the 115C mark. I have tried to make with and without a candy thermometer and just used a laser one, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I’m not sure what it is I am doing wrong. I have an electric stove, should it be cooked on low, medium or medium high? I have tried all different sorts and it does the same thing.
Thanks so much!!
How long does it take to make these? Please answer soon I am going to attempt these in 1 week, and I really need to know.
Is there anyway to make them less sweet?
Woehoe! After a million attempts my macarons are finally as they should be. I also added 2.5 grams egg white powder to the broyage. And the drying process seems so important! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m so glad they worked for you!
Hi! I was just wondering how you put the egg whites through a strainer…. I attempted it and the egg whites just held onto the wire instead of going through it… is it THAT necessary? Lol
Looking forward to trying these this weekend. My 12 year old wants to make something to sell at our local bake sale and wanted to pick something I don’t already make. She has tried 2 different times and both times they were not edible. I suggested this time we try together and use a new recipe. I think the ones she was using were YouTube people making them with out the Italian meringue step trying to make it beginner friendly. This weekend she is going to get a lesson in cooking sugar. :) Thank you for all of the information. I am very through when I start something new so having so many Q&A’s to read through is also very helpful. I will try to post again after we try this recipe Saturday Morning.
Looks like the recipe disappeared :(
Just to clarify. You are mixing 110g of egg whites into the flour/sugar mixture and adding the meringue? Or are we just mixing in the meringue?
I just want to make sure I have enough eggs for this recipe.
Can I use cashew flour instead of almond flour?
Different nuts have different moisture and oil contents, which can mess with a macaron recipe. Macarons are VERY finicky. Your best chance for success is to find a recipe that is sound and stick to it – weigh everything precisely, etc. Thus, it’s wise to also stick with the traditional almond base. If you’re looking for different flavorings, you can use a little freeze dried fruit powder or a couple drops of flavoring extract within the macaron shells, but the safest way is to opt for a high potency filling like a tart, punchy jam or rich, decedent ganache.
I took the same class in Paris in November. My daughter and I were the only ones in the class. I was the annoying one asking questions-haha! My friend and I are making them today and I really appreciate all your tips. Wish me luck!
I’ve pretty much perfected the French method, am gonna try the Italian. Quick question. Have you tried using the cartoned egg whites? I used them once and the product was perfectly normal yet another time the egg whites failed to whip up. What’s your advice on their use? I notice that the cartoned egg whites are pasturized.
Thanks
Can you email me with your response???
I’d like some help with the egg whites and beater depth. Seems a problem with many. I started making Italian Macs but had a problem getting the whites to beat well. Turned to French and can’t get rid of “hollows”. I’ve tried everything. Any help would be so appreicated.
I have a question. I made 3 trays of macaroons, the first tray came out perfect the second and third tray had a hollow shell. I didn’t change the oven temperature.
Hi Audra, I’m intimidated to make these…but still want to try. I have an exceptionally dumb question. You mention needing 220 mg of egg whites…110 for the Italian merengue and 110 folded into the almond flour.
Are the 110 folded into the almond flour folded into the almond flour in a raw state? Meaning, do you strain your 110 of raw egg whites & then mix into the almond flour (and doesn’t that become clumpy)? Or do you first whip the egg whites into soft peaks (without sugar) and then fold into the almond flour before folding that with the Italian merengue made from the rest of the 110 of egg whites. So sorry for the dumb question, I’ve never made these and have no frame of reference, except I
LVE macarons! Thanks!!!
I absolutely loved this post! Your experiences in Paris really brought the process of making macarons to life for me. I can’t wait to try my hand at it after reading your tips and insights. Thanks for sharing your journey!