Making macarons from scratch can seem like a daunting task, but it’s not as difficult as you might think! In this blog post, we will give you some tips on how to make your own homemade macarons. So if you’re ready to try your hand at making these delicious treats, keep reading!
What Are These French Macarons Made Of?
Macarons are a type of French pastry that is made from two almond meringue discs that are filled with flavored buttercream or ganache. They are usually light and airy, with a crispy crust and a soft, chewy center. Macarons can be flavored in many different ways, including vanilla, chocolate, coffee, raspberry, and pistachio.
The flavor of the macaron is determined by the flavoring used in the filling. For example, if you use vanilla extract as your flavoring agent, your macarons will taste like vanilla. However, if you use coffee extract as your flavoring agent, they will taste like coffee. So it’s important to choose the right flavoring for your particular recipe.
The filling can be made from either buttercream or ganache, depending on what type of flavor you want to achieve in your macarons. The difference between these two is that buttercream is made with heavy cream and sugar while ganache uses chocolate as its main ingredient instead of cream. Both are delicious options though!
Ingredients in French Macarons
- EGG WHITES
The most important ingredient in macarons is the egg whites. Egg whites are used to create a meringue that forms the base of these pastries, making them airy and light. They also help bind together all of the other ingredients so your macarons don’t fall apart when you bite into them! You will need two large or three medium-sized eggs for this recipe. If possible, try using fresh eggs from chickens instead of store bought ones because they tend to be better quality and have higher amounts protein which helps hold everything together better than older eggs do sometimes too!
- ALMOND FLOUR
Almond flour is another key ingredient because it gives your finished product an amazing texture as well as flavor. When combined with egg whites, almond flour becomes thick and sticky which helps bind everything together so your macarons don’t fall apart when you bite into them! It also creates a lovely consistency for the filling since it’s ground up almonds mixed with sugar instead of just being granulated like regular table salt would be if used in place of this ingredient.
- POWDERED SUGAR
This is an important ingredient because it gives your finished product an amazing texture as well as flavor. When combined with egg whites, powdered sugar becomes thick and sticky which helps bind everything together so your macarons don’t fall apart when you bite into them! It also creates a lovely consistency for the filling since it’s ground up almonds mixed with sugar instead of just being granulated like regular table salt would be if used in place of this ingredient.
- GRANULATED SUGAR:
This is an important ingredient because it gives your finished product an amazing texture as well as flavor. When combined with egg whites, granulated sugar becomes thick and sticky which helps bind everything together so your macarons don’t fall apart when you bite into them! It also creates a lovely consistency for the filling since it’s ground up almonds mixed with sugar instead of just being granulated like regular table salt would be if used in place of this ingredient.
- FOOD COLORING GEL/PASTE (OPTIONAL)
It is possible to tint macaron batter; however, it’s not required. If you don’t tint it, the macarons will be a natural beige color. Liquid food coloring should be avoided since it will alter the texture of your macaron batter. Instead, use 1-2 gel food coloring drops instead.
French Macarons Recipe
So, now that you know all of the ingredients that are necessary to make French macarons, let’s get started! The recipe I’m going to share with you today is for vanilla flavored macarons with chocolate ganache filling. But feel free to experiment with other flavors if you’d like!
Now that we’ve gone over what goes into making French macarons, let’s take a look at the steps involved in the process:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Gradually add in the sugar, beating continually until the mixture is glossy and thick.
- Add food coloring (if desired) and continue beating for another minute.
- Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together into a separate bowl.
- Gently fold the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture into the meringue until everything is well combined. It should be very thick at this point.
- Pipe or drop small rounds of batter onto prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave enough room between each round because they will spread out as they bake.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
- Cool completely before filling with desired cream filling (I used chocolate ganache).
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Happy Baking!
It is clear that making macaroons at home from scratch, without experience and cool confectionery devices, is not at all easy. But we hope you’ve got the basics in making this delicate and whimsical French dessert. If you’re ready for the challenge of making these yourself, we hope our tips will be some helpfull on what it takes to do so successfully. Happy baking!