Foolproof French Macarons

Ingredients

• 100 g egg whites
• 100 g powdered sugar (For the macaron shells; sift with the almond flour.)
• 100 g almond flour (Sift with the powdered sugar.)
• 100 g granulated sugar (Add half while heating the egg whites and the remainder during whipping.)
• food coloring (Add to the meringue; amount and type are not specified.)
• salt (A little, added to the meringue and mixed in completely.)
• butter (For the buttercream frosting; quantity is not specified.)
• powdered sugar (For the buttercream frosting; quantity is not specified.)
• vanilla (For the buttercream frosting; quantity is not specified.)
• milk (A little, for the buttercream frosting; quantity is not specified.)
• parchment paper (For lining the baking tray.)

Steps

1. 1

   Use a kitchen scale to measure 100 g egg whites, 100 g powdered sugar, 100 g almond flour, and 100 g granulated sugar. Macarons require precise measurements.

2. 2

   Set up a double boiler and gently heat the egg whites over it, whisking constantly until they become foamy.

3. 3

   Slowly stream half of the granulated sugar into the foamy egg whites while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch.

4. 4

   Immediately remove the egg-white mixture from the heat and transfer it to a stand mixer.

5. 5

   Whip the mixture in the stand mixer until it becomes opaque. Add the remaining granulated sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. The finished meringue should be glossy, dense, and able to stand straight when the whisk is lifted.

6. 6

   Add the food coloring and a little salt to the meringue, then mix until both are fully incorporated.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together to remove lumps and create a fine, even mixture.

8. 8

   Add the sifted almond-flour mixture to the meringue. Use the stand mixer to whisk for about five seconds, just until the ingredients are incorporated.

9. 9

   Finish mixing by hand with a spatula. Sweep the spatula around the outside of the bowl and lift the batter up into the center, repeating until the batter can be lifted and formed into a few figure eights. This visual cue indicates that the batter has been mixed sufficiently and should take a few minutes.

10. 10

    Transfer the batter to a piping bag.

11. 11

    Line a baking tray with parchment paper. If desired, place evenly sized macaron circle printouts underneath the parchment as a stencil.

12. 12

    Pipe circles of batter onto the parchment. Keep the piping bag taut, pausing to twist the top to maintain tension. Hold the piping tip steady while piping, then move it upward to lift it away at the very end.

13. 13

    Let the piped macarons sit for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats. They are ready to bake when touching the tops no longer makes the batter stick to your fingers.

14. 14

    Bake the macarons. The source does not specify the oven temperature or baking duration.

15. 15

    Allow the baked macaron shells to cool completely.

16. 16

    While the shells cool, make a simple buttercream by combining butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and a little milk. The source does not specify quantities or a detailed mixing method for the frosting.

17. 17

    Once the macaron shells are fully baked and cooled, pair them by size.

18. 18

    Pipe the buttercream frosting onto the paired shells and sandwich them together. Serve the finished macarons.

Notes

The source omits the baking temperature and baking time. It also names the buttercream ingredients but does not provide their quantities or detailed frosting instructions. The finished macarons are described as crisp on the outside and soft and chewy in the center.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• French pastry
• baked
• gluten-free
• vegetarian
• macarons
• weekend baking