I love macarons. I tried so many times to make them and I was not very successful – i got something but they were so far from what they were supposed to be that I could not even call them failed macarons. They were some weird entities.
However, one day I found a book called “Macarons” by Pierre Hermé. And that is where I got from the best ever recipe for macarons (at least one that I am able to do 🙂 ). It is true that this is using the Italian meringue instead of the French variation, but I do not care. They come out just perfect from my point of view.
The recipe calls for a food thermometer and patience, but other than that, it is quite straightforward.
One note, though, if you feel that the quantity of food coloring you are using is high, add some more. The color tends to fade when the macarons are baked.
See below for the outcome of the french meringue attempt.
Enjoy it with a smile! 🙂
How to
- YIELD: 52 shells (5 cm in diameter)
Ingredients:
- 300 g powdered sugar
- 300 g almond meal
- 220 g egg whites divided in two batches each of 110 g
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 75 g water
- gel food coloring (color of your choice)
- lemon curd (cream of your choice – must not be runny)
Directions:
- Shells: Preheat oven at 160°C. Grind together powdered sugar and almonds. Place in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add 110g of the egg whites. Mix to obtain a firm consistency. Color may be added at this point.
Place remaining 110 g of egg whites in a clean mixer bowl. Fit mixer with whip attachment.
In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water and cook until it reaches 118°C. When the mixture reaches 104°C, start whipping the egg whites to soft peak.
Pour the sugar syrup over the egg whites while the mixer is still whipping. Continue whipping until the meringue cool down to 40°C.
Add a fifth of the meringue to the almond mixture and beat with paddle attachment until incorporated.
Fold in the rest of the meringue until the meringue is incorporated, but not longer than that.
Pipe the mixture onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You can use a template placed under the parchment paper as guidance.
Let them sit uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the surface of the macaron is dry to the touch.
Bake for 18 minutes until done.
Let them cool before filling.
- Assembly:Pair the shells based on their size. Pipe the filling on one of the shells. Place the empty shell on top pressing lightly so that the filling spread evenly. Let the filled macarons rest for about 24 hours before serving.
Note: Just for recording purposes, here is a picture of my last attempt of the macarons with the French meringue (the mixture was runny, so the macarons spread):
No need to say more :(.