the d.i.y. little French cookie recipe book + tips and tricks
Introduction
About macarons A macaron is a sweet, meringue-based sandwich cookie perfected by Italian and French chefs. They’re chewy, yet soft. And they’re notoriously finicky; they hate overmixing, undermixing, humidity, and so much more.
That’s where we come in.
About Makuron Makuron was founded in 2017 to make it easier for the average Jean to make these finicky cookies. Makuron sends out starter kits and monthly make-your-own macaron kits to anyone with some moxie, some grit, a sweet tooth, and $29.99.
Make Your Own
Whipping the meringue base
1. The macaron’s airiness comes from its base as a meringue; a confection made of whipped egg whites, sugar, and an acidic ingredient (like lemon, vinegar, or cream of tartar). This is what gives macarons their slightly chewy texture, crisp outside and soft inside. 2. Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit. 3. Set out your eggs until they are room temperature. Remove the yolks from the eggs and add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl. 4. Beat the egg whites in the bowl until foamy.
5. Add salt, cream of tartar, and Âź cup of white granulated sugar. 6. With a whisk attachment, beat for 8 to 10 minutes. 7. The egg-mix will become fluffier as you whip it. 8. Whip until the mix forms a peak that stands upright; like the Eiffel Tower. 9. Add food coloring; 5 drops should work, or more for more vibrant macarons.
Folding the macaron batter
10. Sift the almond flour + powdered sugar mix into the beaten egg whites, removing any large pieces of almond flour to ensure the powder is fine. 11. Fold the flour + sugar into the egg white mixture. Do this by running your silicone spatula under the egg-mix, lifting it and literally folding it in half over top the flour + sugar, then flattening it down again with your spatula. Do this around 65 to 75 times, working the flour + sugar + egg-mix together. Your mixture should look like lava; when you lift batter and allow it to drop back into the bowl, it should hold its form for 20 to 30 seconds before flattening again. When this happens, stop folding. 12. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag.
Piping the macaron batter
13. Cut the tip of the pastry bag at the mark. 14. Place small dabs of the batter at the corners of your 12� x 18� sheet pan. This will hold the provided parchment paper in place. 15. Place the parchment paper onto the sheet pan. 16. Pipe the batter from the pastry bag onto the circles of the parchment paper, using the center dot as a guide. The best way to do this is to hold the tip close to the pan and squeeze until the batter fills the circle, then quickly pulling the bag away. 17. After piping the batter, tap the pan hard at least 2 to 3 times to release the air bubbles from the macaron batter. Do this by lifting the pan up a few inches and slamming it onto the table. Have fun.
18. When you’re done, look closely at the macarons and remove any leftover air bubbles by popping them with a toothpick, then using a toothpick to fill in the bubble by swirling it in a circle where the bubble was. You can also use the toothpick to clean up any batter outside the edges of the parchment paper’s circles. 19. Let the macarons sit for 40 to 60 minutes. They must dry out before they go in the oven. They should be tacky to touch, but not so much that they stick to your fingertips. When the batter goes in dry, the macarons can’t spread out in the oven, and they’re forced to rise up instead—this is what makes their signature “feet.” 20. Bake for 20 minutes. Do not underbake them, even if they look done—they will stick to the parchment paper.
Filling the macaron shells
13. When you take the macaron shells out of the oven, allow them to cool around 20 to 30 minutes before removing them from the parchment paper and filling. 14. If after 30 minutes the macarons are still sticking to the parchment paper, dab your fingertip in a little bit of cold water, lift the parchment paper gently, and rub the bottom of the macaron shell through the parchment paper until it begins to lift. Be careful not to get the macaron shell too wet, though! 15. If you aren’t filling them immediately, refrigerate or freeze them until you’re ready. 16. Fill your macarons by flipping half of them on their backs and piping some of your filling onto them.
17. Fill them enough that when you place the other macaron shell on top and press them together gently, the filling is squished out and just reaches the edge of the cookie. 18. Allow your finished macarons to mature in a closed container in the fridge overnight, at least 24 hours. This will soften their chewy texture a little and make them easier to bite into.
Bon appĂŠtit!
Tips + Tricks
General issues
How should the beaten egg whites look? **
The egg whites are beaten enough when they form a stiff peak when you lift your whisk out. The top of the peak shouldn’t curl down (and if it does, keep beating). Properly beaten egg whites should defy gravity and remain in the bowl if you turn it upside down. If you tilt your bowl to the side and they are sliding out, keep on beating.
**
Be careful not to overbeat! They should not separate in chunks or appear dry. If they do, you’ve gone to far. Once the eggs are ready, fold in the almond flour + powdered sugar right away as egg whites can deflate or separate quickly.
General issues
What should I do if I’ve overbeaten my egg whites? **
If you accidentally overbeat the egg whites, add one unbeaten white and whip again until stiff peaks form. Remove ¼ cup of egg white to come back to the original quantity needed in the recipe.
Why won’t my meringue start to stiffen? **
You haven’t beaten the egg whites long enough— just keep whipping!
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You used a plastic bowl (stainless steel or glass is recommended).
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There were traces of egg yolks in the whites—be very careful when separating the eggs.
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Egg whites were too cold when you started beating them—let them come to room temperature.
How do I fold the almond flour + powdered sugar into the meringue? **
Although Makuron™ gives you an exact number to fold to, it’s all about the end result and not numbers. To fold the dry mix into the meringue, use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl, then bring the bottom to the top. Do this repeatedly until everything is well incorporated and no pockets of dry ingredients remain. However, avoid beating the batter, because overbeating will make your batter too runny and cause lots of problems.
General issues
What is the right batter consistency? **
Your batter should form a thick ribbon that seems to flatten a bit when spooned, but with a sturdy consistency. Lots of macaron-bakers compare the right batter consistency to molten lava.
**
As a general rule, it’s always better to underbeat than to overbeat: as you transfer the batter to the piping bag, and then pipe the shells onto the baking sheets, the batter will continue to thin. If you overbeat from the getgo, you’ll end up with cracked or feetless macarons.
General issues
What is the right oven temperature? **
Makuron’s recipe calls for 300° F, but not all ovens are calibrated the same way. Some overheat, others underheat, and some ovens are even off by 50°. With enough practice, you’ll start to get to know your oven to deal with the discrepancy.
**
Macarons are particularly sensitive to heat, so it’s crucial that you adjust cooking times according to your oven’s power. Your first batches may wind up overcooked or take lots longer to bake, but you’ll find that sweet spot (generally somewhere between 285° and 315° F). It’s best to bake macarons for a longer period of time so the shells rise slowly but consistently.
**
Some ovens have poor air circulation, making the temperature rise excessively, so it may help to keep the oven door slightly open (with the help of a wooden spoon) throughout the cooking process.
Why are my macarons spreading unevenly and / or not round? **
Make sure you use a pastry bag, spooning won’t work! Hold the pastry bag at a 90 degree angle when piping.
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Your batter could be too thin; this can be caused by unaged egg whites, egg whites not beaten stiff enough, egg whites that stood too long before adding the dry mix, use of liquid (rather than gel) food coloring.
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Make sure your sheet pan is straight and not warped, as this can lead to uneven macarons.
Aesthetic issues
No feet **
Too thin batter.
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Batter overbeaten; all the air was taken out.
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No resting period; the batter should have become tacky and lost its shine. If the weather is rainy or very humid, the resting period may take longer. Oven temperature too low; try raising it by 15° F.
Uneven feet **
Oven temperature too high; it’s best to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time so the shells rise slowly but consistently.
Hollow shells **
Overbeaten egg whites.
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Shells resting for too long.
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Oven temperature too high; the insides couldn’t set, and the meringue collapsed when the cookies were taken out of the oven. Try baking at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Aesthetic issues
Cracked shells **
Oven temperature too high; it’s best to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time so the shells rise slowly but consistently.
**
No resting period; the batter should have become tacky and lost its shine. If the weather is rainy or very humid, the resting period may take longer.
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Batter too thin resulting in delicate shells; see No feet.
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Batter was overmixed; see What’s the right batter consistency?
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Batter was undermixed; if the batter isn’t mixed enough, too much air remains in the macarons and the meringue dries out and cracks during the baking process.
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Too much moisture in the batter; try using smaller egg whites, aged egg whites, and make sure not to use liquid food coloring.
Thin shells (thin cap with feet) **
Overmixing—they’ll still taste good though!
Shells that puff, then deflate **
Never take macarons out of the oven before the end of the cooking time. You can open the door and rotate the sheets, but never take them out; the shells will deflate and additional baking can’t fix this.
Bumpy / lumpy shells **
Forgot to tape the pan against the countertop before resting, so air bubbles stayed in.
Aesthetic issues
Shells too soft **
Undercooked shells; bake them longer, checking every minute for doneness. Properly baked macarons are firm on their feet when you tap lightly on the shell; if you see them budge even slightly, they’re not cooked enough.
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Oven temperature too low; try raising it by 15° F.
Shells too crunchy **
Properly baked macaron shells always feel a little too dry at first. They’ll get better when you fill them, assemble them, and let them mature for 24 hours!
Sticky on the bottom **
Undercooked shells; bake them longer, checking every minute for doneness. Properly baked macarons are firm on their feet when you tap lightly on the shell; if you see them budge even slightly, they’re not cooked enough.
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You tried to lift them off while they were still hot or warm; let them cool completely before lifting. If you feel that the shells are cooked enough but they are still sticky, lightly dampen the bottom of the parchment paper and let rest for a couple of minutes. The moisture from the watter should help the shells come off, but don’t let them sit on wet paper too long or they’ll be soggy!
Some are perfect, others are not **
Uneven airflow in the oven; try rotating your pan hallway through cooking.
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Batter handled for too long and warm bu the end of piping (try to work quickly when piping!)
merci beaucoup
Beth Le Manach Beth’s Foolproof Macaron Recipe https://entertainingwithbeth.com/
Marie Asselin A Macaron Troubleshooting Guide https://foodnouveau.com/
Rebecca Lindamood Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce https://foodiewithfamily.com/
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