Macaron Recipe
A macaron or French macaroon is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond meal, and food colouring.
There are different methods of making macaron. French and Italian. I like the french way. It is easy and no fail always.
I am making vanilla macaron with cream anglaise buttercream. Why cream anglaise butter cream, because macaron is a sweet cookie and putting a normal buttercream will make it more sweeter. That is why I choose this which will make it lighter and less sweeter.
Here are my tips for making macarons perfectly:
1. Almond meal also called (finely ground almonds) will save you a lot of time, but you can also use regular almonds that you can grind yourself with a food processor. They do not have to be blanched! Other nuts also work… You can make macarons using pistachios or hazelnuts to replace almonds entirely.
2. You need to slowly add in granulated sugar to the egg white mixture when beating the egg whites.It is very important. First add 1/3 of sugar and beat the egg white for 10 minutes almost then add in remaining sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes and done.
3. Egg whites should be on room temperature This is very important, it will make your meringue more stable.
4. Buy a piping bag with a round tip. The bags are available in disposable and reusable versions; I find them handy not only for macarons but also decorating cakes and cupcakes, and there are a huge variety of tips to choose from. This allows better control when piping the circles onto the mat for baking!
5. Use gel food coloring instead of liquid. Liquids can alter the consistency of the macarons and ruin results.
6. When folding the egg whites with the almonds and sugar, use a flexible spatula. Fold by repeatedly scraping around the bowl and moving towards the middle.
7. After piping the macarons onto the baking mat, let the tray sit out for at least 15-25 minutes or until the tops of the macarons look dried out and are no longer spreading. Leave spaces between them when piping to allow them to spread!
8. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pans in the oven in case you have an oven that heats one side more than the other.
9. Macaron hates moisture, so avoid making them at home if the humidity is too high or weather is rainy.
What a perfect Macaron looks like?
The ideal macaron should be a perfect circle (achieved only with a piping bag with a round tip), and have solid smooth bases. They should have a ruffled “skirt” or “feet” along the edges where it has risen in the oven. They should comfortably slip off your baking mat, begging to be paired with a delicious filling and another shell. They should be very slightly chewy, yet crunchy and they certainly should not crumble easily.
Serving : makes about 30 macaron (60 shells)
Ingredients
For Macaron shells
- Almond meal 125 g
- Powdered sugar 225 g
- Egg whites 100 g
- Cream of tartar 1/4 tsp or lemon juice
- Super fine granulated sugar 30 g
For Cream Anglaise Butter Cream Filling
- Milk 100 ml
- Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
- Egg yolk 80 g
- Granulated sugar 40 g
- Unsalted butter 225 g
Directions
- Spread the almond meal on a parchment paper on a baking tray. Toast it in a preheated oven at 100 C/210 F for 20-25 minutes.
- Let cool completely then process with powdered sugar in a food processor.
- Take out and sieve.
- Now in a clean bowl of a stand mixer add egg whites and cream of tarter with a whisk attachment beat it until foamy.
- Then add 1/3 of sugar and beat for at least 10 minutes.
- Add in remaining sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in all sifted almond meal and powdered sugar in.
- Start folding until nicely mix.
- Fill it in a piping bag fitted with round tip.
- Pipe on a tray lined with parchment paper keeping some space in between.
- Tap the trays to make them even.
- Leave them for 20-25 minutes or until there is a hard shell form on them
- Now bake in a preheated oven at 150 C for almost 14-15 minutes.
- Take out Let them cool.
- Now for Cream anglaise Butter Cream
- Beat sugar and egg yolks for few seconds.
- Heat milk and vanilla extract until comes to a boil.
- Pour milk in beaten egg yolks slowly and keep whisking.
- Now pour the mixture back into the pan and cook it while whisking it continuously until it is thick.
- Take out and let it cool completely.
- Now beat it with a whisk attachment and add slowly room temperature butter. Keep whisking until mix properly and cream anglaise buttercream is ready.
- Fill it in a piping bag and fill on macaron shells. Cover them with other shell.
- Chill them in fridge and they are done.
Picture Directions,
Let cool completely.
Start folding until nicely mix.
Tap the trays to make them even. Then leave the trays like this for 20-25 minutes or until macaron have a hard shell on them.
Now Make Cream Anglaise Buttercream
Heat milk and vanilla extract until comes to a boil.
Pour milk in beaten egg yolks slowly and keep whisking.
