French Macarons Recipes

Steps:

• Place the almond flour and 1-1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar in a food processor; pulse until thoroughly mixed to ensure almond flour is very fine. Pass almond flour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve; discard any large pieces that remain. , Place egg whites in a very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whisk on medium-low speed until frothy. Slowly add superfine sugar; whisk until dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add remaining confectioners' sugar; increase speed to high and whip until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. , Gently fold one-third of the almond flour mixture into meringue; gently fold in remaining almond flour in 2 additions. Using side of spatula, smooth batter up sides of bowl several times to remove air bubbles and ensure there are no lumps; do not overmix. Run spatula down the center of the bowl; the line in the batter should remain visible for a moment before mixture runs back into itself., Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat oven to 300°. Transfer batter into a pastry bag fitted with a #7 or #10 round tip. Pipe 1-3/8-in. rounds onto parchment about 1 in. apart. Tap tray against counter 2-3 times to remove excess air bubbles. Let macarons rest until no longer wet or sticky to the touch, 30-60 minutes. Bake, 1 tray at a time, until cookies rise about 1/8-in. to form "feet," 14-16 minutes, rotating tray halfway through baking. Remove tray and let macarons cool completely; repeat with remaining trays. Once macarons have cooled completely, remove from parchment. , To make filling, cream butter in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; slowly add powdered sugar until incorporated. Add heavy cream, vanilla and salt; mix until smooth. Pour frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe buttercream onto half the macarons. Top with remaining macaron shells. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. , Peppermint Variation: For macaron shells: Add green gel food coloring (do not use liquid food coloring) to whipped meringue until desired color is reached. To decorate: If desired, top macaron shells with crushed candy canes just after they have been piped and before skin has formed. For filling: Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to mixed frosting. Assemble as directed. , Cranberry Variation: For macaron shells: Add red gel food coloring (do not use liquid food coloring) to whipped meringue until desired color is reached. To decorate macaron shells: Place white candy melts or white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Place chocolate in a piping bag fitted with a fine round decorating tip; drizzle over macaron shells. Immediately sprinkle with red, green and white assorted sprinkles. For filling: If desired, add 2-3 drops cranberry flavoring to frosting. Pipe a circle of frosting onto bottoms of half the macaron shells. Place 1/4 teaspoon canned cranberry sauce in center of frosting circle. Top with remaining macaron shells. , Hot Chocolate Variation: For macaron shells: Add 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder to almond flour and confectioners' sugar before sifting. To decorate: Using stiff royal frosting, pipe snowflake designs onto half of the cooled macaron shells. For filling: If desired, using marshmallow fluff instead of frosting, pipe a circle onto bottoms of half the macaron shells. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips and and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Place 1/4 teaspoon chocolate mixture in the center of marshmallow circle; top with remaining macaron shells.

Steps:

• Combine almond flour and icing sugar in a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds until light, airy and fine.
• Sift the icing sugar and almond powder mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Stir until all the sugar is moistened. Try not to get any sugar up the sides of the saucepan as this will burn.
• Fit the saucepan with a candy thermometer and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the thermometer reaches 238°F DO NOT STIR.
• Immediately after turning on the heat under the sugar, add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment and start to whip on medium speed.
• Once the egg whites are foamy, add the lemon juice and continue to beat until soft, rounded peaks form.
• When the sugar syrup is ready, pour into the whipping egg whites by gently tipping the saucepan into the space between the whisk and the side of the bowl, using the side of the bowl as a guide. You want a slow, steady stream of syrup to pour into the egg whites. You can pour the sugar directly down the inner side of the bowl, using the lip of the bowl as a rest, if it is easier on your wrists.
• Once all the sugar is incorporated into the egg whites, turn the mixer up and whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form and the bowl of the mixer is no longer warm.
• If you wish to add food colouring, add it now to the egg whites. The food colouring must be in powder or gel form, do not use liquids.
• Using a rubber spatula, scrape half of the egg whites out and fold into the almond flour mixture until fully combined.
• Fold in the remaining egg whites into the almond mixture and mix well.
• Now it is time to stir. This step is called "Macaronnée", which is basically slapping the mixture against the side of the bowl using the spatula to thin the mixture. It is ready when a scoop of the mixture falls from the spatula in a continuous ribbon and disappears back into the batter in the bowl in about 15 seconds. *This is part that will usually make or break the cookies.
• Fit a large piping bag with a round tip and spoon the mixture into the bag.
• Use a baking sheet fit with a silicone baking mat (best results) or a piece of parchment paper cut to size.
• Pipe equal rounds of batter about 1.5" apart. Use steady pressure when pushing the batter out of the bag to ensure equal rounds. I also count to three, then I move on the the next and repeat. That's my little trick. Pipe straight up and down so the rounds are perfect. the piped macarons should look like flattened Hershey's kisses.
• Gently tap the bottom of the pastry sheets to smooth the macarons tops. *This will smooth out the "nipples" as I call them. The little points from where the piping bag was pulled up.
• Let the macarons sit for 1 to 2 hours until the tops are dry to the touch and matte. The time will differ based on multiple variables so don't worry if it takes less or more time.
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• When macarons are dry, bake them in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. *They should have a smooth, rounded shell-like top and a "foot" which looks like a thin cloud.
• Let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the trays. They should have a smooth, rounded shell-like top and a "foot" which looks like a thin cloud.
• Once the macarons are cool, you can package them and freeze them, or fill them with your desired flavoured buttercream, chocolate or fruit filling.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until foamy. Then add the white sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Continue to whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then add the food coloring.
• Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together in a separate medium bowl. This will make a fine powder mixture to create a smooth top. Fold the flour/sugar mixture into the egg white mixture - 65 to 75 good strokes.
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag. Pipe out 1-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Tap the pan hard on the counter at least 2 or 3 times to release the air bubbles. This will prevent the tops of your macarons from cracking.
• Let them sit out for 20 to 30 minutes (or up to an hour if you want). This will allow them time to dry out a bit before hitting the hot oven. They should be "tacky" to the touch but not stick to your fingertips. This is another important step to assure your macarons develop feet! When they dry out they can't spread out in the oven and are forced to rise up.
• Bake for 20 minutes. DO NOT UNDER BAKE, even if they look done! Otherwise they will stick to your tray.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the pan before trying to remove.
• Either make the fillings at this time or store in an air-tight container until ready to use.
• Spread a little of the ganache or caramel on half the cookies. Sandwich the other half on top.
• Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
• Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Add the bourbon stir to combine. Allow to cool until thickened slightly (the room temperature ganache should be about the consistency of peanut butter). If it's too thick, you can add a little bit more hot cream and stir until smooth.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Scrape the beans from the vanilla bean pod and add to a saucepan with the cream, butter and salt. Heat on medium to melt the butter. Turn off the heat and let the vanilla bean seeds steep for 10 minutes.
• In a separate saucepan, boil the passion fruit pulp until it is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Once the passion fruit is reduced, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugars and vanilla/cream mixture. Put the pan back on medium heat and cook until a candy thermometer reads 252 degrees F.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool to warm room temperature before using.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F using the convection setting. Line 3 baking sheets with silicone mats. Measure the confectioners' sugar and almond flour by spooning them into measuring cups and leveling with a knife. Transfer to a bowl; whisk to combine.
• Sift the sugar-almond flour mixture, a little at a time, through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to pass through as much as possible. It will take a while, and up to 2 tablespoons of coarse almond flour may be left; just toss it.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium high; gradually add the superfine sugar and beat until stiff and shiny, about 5 more minutes.
• Transfer the beaten egg whites to the bowl with the almond flour mixture. Draw a rubber spatula halfway through the mixture and fold until incorporated, giving the bowl a quarter turn with each fold.
• Add the food coloring and extract (see below). Continue folding and turning, scraping down the bowl, until the batter is smooth and falls off the spatula in a thin flat ribbon, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet, pipe 1 1/4-inch circles (24 per sheet). Firmly tap the baking sheets twice against the counter to release any air bubbles.
• Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky to the touch, 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the humidity. Slip another baking sheet under the first batch (a double baking sheet protects the cookies from the heat).
• Bake the first batch until the cookies are shiny and rise 1/8 inch to form a "foot," about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat, using a double sheet for each batch. Peel the cookies off the mats and sandwich with a thin layer of filling (see below).
• Almond-Raspberry:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops neon pink gel food coloring; flavor with almond extract. Fill with seedless raspberry jam (you'll need about 3/4 cup).
• Mint-White Chocolate:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops mint green gel food coloring; flavor with mint extract. For the filling, microwave 3 ounces chopped white chocolate, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 1 tablespoon butter in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon mint extract and 1 drop mint green gel food coloring.
• Blueberry Cheesecake:
• Tint the batter with 3 drops royal blue gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract. For the filling, mix 4 ounces softened cream cheese and 3 tablespoons blueberry jam.
• Lavender-Honey:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops violet gel food coloring; flavor with almond or vanilla extract. For the filling, mix 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon ground dried lavender.
• Pineapple:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops lemon yellow gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract. For the filling, press 3/4 cup pineapple jam through a sieve, discarding any large pieces.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add white sugar and continue to beat until peaks are stiff enough they stay in place when the bowl is turned upside down, about 5 minutes.
• Sift 1 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, almond flour, and salt together twice. Fold into the egg whites until batter is creamy and falls slowly off the lifted spatula, about 50 turns with a spatula. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
• Pipe batter onto the parchment paper, using a circular motion to make macarons 1 inch in diameter. Tap the baking sheet against the counter about 10 times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes. Rotate baking sheet and continue baking until macarons are shiny and rise slightly to form "feet", about 9 minutes more. Peel off the parchment paper and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat butter, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until creamy and thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
• Pipe a small amount of filling onto the center of 1 macaron; top with another macaron and press gently to sandwich the filling between the two.

Steps:

• You will need 3-4 baking trays to be double lined with baking paper, depending on the size of your macarons. Have these prepared before hand.
• You will also need to prepare a piping bag with 1cm hole in nozzle.
• In your electric mixer place first 2 egg whites and start whisking until frothy, about 2 minutes.
• While egg whites are mixing, put 150g caster sugar & 50g water in small saucepan and turn on medium heat.
• Start adding 40g of sugar to egg whites and let them whisk on a medium speed while sugar syrup is coming to a boil. This should only take a few minutes, you want your egg whites to be white and thick and fluffy.
• Once syrup is boiling, this is the time to add coloring and essence. I like to make my macarons very bright so don't be shy with the coloring.
• remove colored syrup from the heat and while the egg whites are still beating, slowly pour a drizzle from the syrup into the mixture until all gone. You want this to be gradual and slow but should only take about a minute.
• Now you leave to whisk on a medium speed until the bowl is cool again, this will take about 5-6 minutes.
• While your egg whites are whisking you need so comdine the almond meal & icing sugar by sifting through a sieve & into a large mixing bowl. This will break up lumps and give you a nice smooth consistancy for the perfect macaron.
• Mix the extra 2 egg whites into the almond meal mixture to form a smooth paste.
• You should now have a wonderful looking egg mixture that resembles a thick merang and is at room temperature. Spoon egg whites into almond meal mix and stir it in with a spatula. You don't have to be overly careful with "losing air" the mixture is quite robust at this stage and can handle a bit of rough treatment. Just make sure it is thoroughly combined.
• Spoon batter into piping bag and carefully pipe rounds that are about 1" across with 2cm between as they will spread a little. This is the best size for me, I like them petit and this is how the French make them. Store bought Macarons are often too big and awkward to eat.
• Once you have piped them all they need to be left to "dry out" for a couple of hours. You know when they are ready to go in when you can gently tough the top of one and it has formed a skin, if the mixture goes onto your skin it is not ready yet.
• Heat your oven to 270 with a rack in the center and nothing else in the oven.
• Place just one tray at a time in the oven and try not to open the oven while they are cooking. It doesn't take long, my oven is exactly 12 minutes, you may have to experiment to get your perfect time as all ovens vary.
• Once they are ready to come out, remove the entire sheet from the tray but leave the Macarons on the paper to cool on a wire rack. Once they are completely cooled they should easily peel away from the paper.
• This is a recipe that I have "tweaked" to suit my kitchen, you may have to adjust to suit you but don't give up if the first batch don't work, they can be hit and miss even for the experts!
• So worth the effort.
• The best way to serve these delightful treats is to sandwhich together with a nice thick frosting, matching similar sized shells for best presentation, cool and serve.
• They will keep in your freezer in an air tight container very well too so they can be made in advance.

Steps:

• Place the icing sugar and ground almonds in the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 15 times until fully combined. Sieve this mixture into a large bowl, discarding any particles that stay in the sieve. Add the first batch of egg whites to the almond mixture, mix to form a thick paste and set aside.
• Tip the second batch of egg whites into a spotlessly clean, heatproof bowl and have an electric whisk at the ready. Place 50ml water and the granulated sugar into a small saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the syrup registers 110C, using a sugar thermometer, at which time start to beat the egg whites on high speed. Once the syrup is at 118C pour it slowly down the side of the mixer bowl, avoiding the moving whisk. Continue to whisk on high until the mixture has cooled slightly and you have a shiny peaked meringue mixture - the bowl should no longer be hot to the touch, but still warm. Add the colouring and whisk to combine.
• Tip the meringue onto the almond mixture and gently fold together. It is important not to over-mix the batter - it should fall in a thick ribbon from the spatula. The ribbon should also fade back into the batter within about 30 secs - if it doesn't, fold a few more times.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3-4. Line three baking sheets with baking parchment. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Hold the bag vertically to the tray, with the nozzle about 1cm from it. Pipe rounds about 2.5cm in diameter onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave to rest for 30 mins, or until the macarons have developed a skin.
• Bake the macarons for 14 mins (this needs to be precise, so you could test a macaron first). Immediately slide the parchment onto the work surface and cool for a few minutes before gently peeling the macarons off the paper.
• To make the filling, place the cream in a small saucepan and the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few mins, then stir to combine. Add the butter and stir until smooth, then leave to set until thickened. Place the chocolate mix into a clean piping bag with a smaller nozzle and pipe around the edge of half the macarons. Fill the centre with jam and sandwich with another macaron shell.
• Once finished, the macarons will improve with an overnight rest in the fridge.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
• Whisk egg whites in a clean metal mixing bowl until thick, about 5 minutes; whisk the superfine sugar into the egg whites until thick, glossy, and the mixture holds stiff peaks, 5 to 8 more minutes. Place a sieve over the bowl containing egg whites and sieve both amounts of almond meal and confectioners' sugar into the egg white mixture. Gently fold the almond meal and confectioners' sugar into the egg whites, retaining as much air as possible.
• Separate the meringue into separate bowls to flavor and color, if desired. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 3/8-inch tip. Pipe 1-inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
• Let the cookies stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes to form a thin skin. Pick up the baking sheets and let drop from several inches above the work surface to adhere cookies to the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are dry, about 15 minutes; let cool completely on the baking sheets before peeling off the parchment paper.