French Meringue Macarons

Ingredients

• 100 g Almond flour (Finely ground and sifted)
• 100 g Powdered sugar (Sifted)
• 100 g Egg whites (About 3 large egg whites, preferably aged or brought to room temperature)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (Added gradually while whipping the egg whites)
• 0.25 tsp Cream of tartar (Optional, for stabilizing the meringue)
• Fine sea salt (A small pinch)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (Optional; or use gel food coloring as desired)
• 240 g Buttercream or ganache filling (Prepared separately; enough to fill approximately 24 macarons)

Steps

1. 1

   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone macaron mats. Fit a piping bag with a plain round tip. If using parchment, place a macaron template underneath it as a sizing guide.

2. 2

   Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together into a large bowl. Re-sift if the almond flour is coarse, removing only unusually large pieces rather than pressing them through.

3. 3

   Place the room-temperature egg whites in a clean, grease-free stand-mixer bowl or large mixing bowl. Add the salt and cream of tartar, if using, and begin whipping on medium speed until the whites are foamy.

4. 4

   Increase the mixer to medium-high speed and add the granulated sugar gradually, a little at a time. Continue whipping until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff, pointed peaks that hold their shape. Mix in the vanilla extract or gel coloring at this stage, if using.

5. 5

   Add the sifted almond-flour mixture to the meringue in two or three additions. Fold gently with a flexible spatula, scraping around the bowl and cutting through the center, until no dry ingredients remain.

6. 6

   Continue folding for the macaronage stage. Press some batter against the side of the bowl to deflate excess air, then fold it back through. Stop when the batter flows slowly from the spatula in a thick ribbon and the ribbon disappears into the remaining batter within roughly 10 to 20 seconds. Do not overmix; the batter should not become thin or runny.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe rounds about 3.5 cm in diameter, holding the bag vertically and stopping the pressure before lifting the tip. Leave space between rounds for spreading.

8. 8

   Firmly tap each baking sheet against the counter several times to release large air bubbles. Pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick and smooth the surface.

9. 9

   Leave the piped shells at room temperature until the surfaces are dry to the touch and no batter sticks to a fingertip, usually 30 to 60 minutes depending on humidity.

10. 10

    Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C), preferably with a rack in the center. Bake one tray at a time for about 15 to 18 minutes, rotating once if the oven heats unevenly. The shells are done when they have risen feet and the tops do not wobble independently from the bases.

11. 11

    Let the shells cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. If they resist, allow them to cool longer rather than forcing them off the parchment.

12. 12

    Pipe or spread a small amount of buttercream or ganache onto the flat side of half of the shells. Top with the remaining shells and twist gently to distribute the filling without breaking the edges.

13. 13

    For the best texture, refrigerate the filled macarons in an airtight container for at least 12 hours, then bring them to room temperature before serving.

Notes

The supplied page excerpt did not include the recipe, ingredient quantities, or instructions. The recipe above is a standard reconstruction of the French meringue macaron method and should not be treated as the author's exact formula. Macaron results are sensitive to humidity, oven temperature, meringue stiffness, and macaronage; bake a test shell if possible. Filled macarons keep refrigerated for several days and may be frozen in an airtight container.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• French
• baked
• cookies
• gluten-free
• vegetarian
• make-ahead
• pastry