Macarons are traditional French treats, but they are now famous all over the world because they not only taste delicious, but also have a fun and colorful look. These are two small meringues that contain a wonderful ganache. With this recipe you can prepare chocolate macaroons or, if you want, customize these sweets using the flavors and filling you prefer.
Ingrediants
For Macarons
- 225 g of powdered sugar
- 112 g of Almond Flour
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa
- A pinch of salt
- 2 Egg whites at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- half a gram of Tremor tartar
- 50 g of sugar
For the Ganache
- 122 g of cream
- 2 tablespoons of chocolate flakes
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Part 1: Make Macaron Dough
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 140 ° C
Macarons are baked in the oven at a temperature that is not too high, so that they swell gently. If you cannot regulate the temperature of your oven well, it is better to cook them with the door a little open.
Step 2. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper
These cakes are very delicate, so it is best to use parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
Step 3. Mix the dry ingredients
Put the icing sugar, almond flour, salt and cocoa in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients with a whisk, being careful to remove the lumps.
- If the almond flour is not very thin, put it in the food processor for a finer grain. Don't blend for too long, or it will turn into almond butter.
- If you don't want to make chocolate macaroons, don't add cocoa.
Step 4. Beat the liquid ingredients
Pour the egg whites into a metal bowl and whisk them until stiff. Make sure the bowl is perfectly clean and dry, or you won't be able to whip the whites. Add the sugar and other moist ingredients. Keep whisking until the egg whites are firm and shiny.
- At this point, you can add your favorite flavors to the wet mixture, such as vanilla, mint or almond extract. Add about a teaspoon of your chosen flavor.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to make the macarons more cheerful. Maybe, choose a color suitable for the aroma to get the best effect.
Step 5. Combine the dry and wet mixture
Mix half of the almond flour mixture with half of the egg whites. Mix the ingredients with a spatula, then add the rest of the mixture.
Step 6. Work the compound
To get macarons with a classic soft and chewy consistency, you need to knead the dough. Use the back of the spoon or the spatula to form a strip in the middle of the mixture: starting from the side of the bowl, scrape the dough up to the center, then start again by pushing the mixture down again. Keep kneading it like this until it's smooth with the consistency of a pudding.
- You will probably need to knead the dough for about 10 - 12 minutes before it is ready.
- Make sure the dough has the consistency of a pudding. If you work it too hard it will ruin, becoming liquid.
Method 2 of 4: Part 2: Bake Macarons
Step 1. Fill a pastry bag with the dough
The same bag you will use for the garnish is fine. Choose a wide, round tip. Fill the bag with the dough and twist the top to close it tightly and avoid leaks.
- If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a normal plastic food bag. Cut off the bottom corner and adjust the tip.
- Try out different types of tips. Most pastry chefs use circular tips, but try the star shape if you prefer!
Step 2. Squeeze the pastry bag to form small 7 cm diameter circles on the pan
They must be well spaced because they will tend to widen. Try to use the same amount for each circle, in order to obtain meringues of the same size to form the macarons. Raise the pan a few inches from the work surface, then let it fall. Repeat this step three times for each pan, so that the dough stabilizes.
Step 3. Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes
You can put the macarons in the oven when a crust has formed on the dough. Touch them with your finger: if they are not sticky, you can cook them.
Step 4. Cook the macarons
Place the baking sheets in the oven for 15 minutes or more (if needed). They are ready when a hard crust forms on the surface and the inside remains soft, but not sticky. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
- After a couple of minutes from the start of cooking, you can open the oven door to let the humidity out. This way, the macarons will swell more easily and take the right shape.
- Do not overcook them, otherwise they will darken on the surface and not have the right consistency.
- Cooking macaroons is not easy and requires a lot of practice. If you don't get good results on the first try, try changing the temperature or cooking time.
Method 3 of 4: Part 3: Prepare the Ganache for the Filling
Step 1. Heat the cream
Pour it into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat, continuing to stir. As soon as you notice steam, remove the pot from the stove because the cream doesn't have to boil. If you prefer, you can heat it in the microwave in a special bowl.
Step 2. Pour it over the chocolate
Let the hot cream soften the flakes for a couple of minutes, then stir with a spoon until you get a smooth, creamy ganache.
Step 3. Put a few tablespoons of ganache in the clean piping bag
This will make it easier to fill the macarons. Use a fine tip.
Step 4. Try other types of toppings
Chocolate ganache is a classic, but you can choose from many types of fillings. For example, use butter cream with your favorite flavors, or a fruit filling; in fact, macarons are excellent with raspberry, apricot or blueberry jam.
Method 4 of 4: Part 4: Assemble the Macarons
Step 1. Lift the macarons off the baking tray with a spatula
Use gentle movements, flipping the halves so that the flat side is facing up. They crumble easily, so be careful.
To make them cool quickly, pastry chef Eric Lanlard recommends lifting the parchment paper and pouring some cold water between the paper and the pan. This will create steam which will allow you to detach the macaroons more easily
Step 2. Fill the macarons with the ganache
Place the tip of the pastry bag in the center of the macaron and squeeze the bag to release the ganache. Repeat the process for each half.
Step 3. Cover the filling with the other half of the macaron
Lay it down gently and press lightly, as if it were a sandwich. Repeat this process until you have assembled all the macaroons.
Step 4. That's it
Now they are ready to be enjoyed or preserved. You can eat them right away, or place them in vacuum-sealed containers. You can store them for several days in the refrigerator.
Step 5. Finished
Advice
- You can create some delicious favors with macarons: just pack them in cellophane with a nice ribbon, or in a cookie box.
- Get creative with colors! Choose bright shades to make them stand out; if you prepare them during the spring or summer, inspired by the typical colors of these seasons.
- Be careful not to mix too much (or too little) the almond flour, powdered sugar and egg whites. Keep stirring until you have a thick consistency, as suggested by the recipe.
- Check the cooking of macarons often, as they are very delicate. If they come wrong, double check each step carefully to make sure you haven't missed anything. Even the lack of a small detail can ruin this dessert.
