EASIEST Fail-Proof Macarons Recipe with Step by Step Photos! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good macarons? ›

The key to a good macaron is a good meringue, with smooth, shiny, stiff peaks. You can tell it's done when you can flip the bowl upside down and nothing comes out. The peak will be stiff yet still droop slightly. Start with aged or fresh egg whites and whip them on medium for a few minutes until bubbles form.

Cracked shells were the first issue I ran into when I started baking macarons. A few different things can cause cracked shells, including too short of a rest, trapped air bubbles, too hot of an oven, or under-mixed batter.

The acidic properties of cream of tartar aid in stabilizing egg whites, making them less prone to overbeating and helping to create a voluminous, airy foam. This is essential for achieving the desired lightness and structure in macarons.

Humidity to be precise. French macaroons are incredibly sensitive to moisture above everything. This is why some recipes call for "ageing egg whites" as when egg whites get old they loose some moisture. Some recipes also recommend powdered food colouring over liquid, again to control the water content in the batter.

Meanwhile preheat your oven to 325 degree F (160 degree C) with the oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Bake the cookies (two sheets at a time) for about 14 - 16 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom, front to back, about halfway through baking.

It should take about 10 to 15 seconds for it to blend in. Also, on my recipes I always recommend doing the Teaspoon Test.

Blanched almond flour is usually preferred over unblanched flour because the skin has been removed and so it does not have the the speckles in the color. It creates a smoother batter texture and a brighter color for the macarons.

Although parchment is also great for baking another cookie, macaron shells, some bakers swear by using silicone mats. Many of them even come with macaron templates of different sizes conveniently printed on them. This might boil down to personal preference.

Your batter should then be a lava-like consistency when you pipe it, but if your batter is stiffer than this, it may be because you have over-whipped the egg whites, so try whipping them a little less next time – they should just be reaching the stiff peaks stage when you add the cooked sugar.

If you under mix or over-mix the batter, it can result in the shells not forming feet. Ensure that the batter is not too wet. Your macarons may form underdeveloped feet because they did not develop a skin before baking. The skin gives a shiny finish to the dome and helps prevent spreading.

What are some common mistakes people make when making macarons and how can they be avoided? ›

Hollow shells: One of the most frustrating problems is when the macaron shells turn out hollow. This is usually caused by overmixing the batter, which can cause too much air to be incorporated into the mixture. To avoid this, be sure to fold the batter gently and stop as soon as it reaches the desired consistency.