View Large Image Macarons Recipe Check the humidity. The best time to make macarons is on a dry day when humidity is low (50 or below). If possible, separate the egg whites 24 hours before baking. Keep the egg whites in an airtight container in the fridge. Get ingredients: 3 egg whites (large, room temperature; separate when cold) 1/4 tsp cream of tartar gel food colouring 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 3.5 oz (1 cup) almond flour 7 oz (1 3/4 cups) powdered sugar 1.75 oz (1/4 cup) sugar (white, granulated) 1/2 tsp salt digital scale sifter medium mixing bowl whisk large mixing bowl hand mixer spatula piping bags 1/4-inch round tip drinking cups (to hold piping bags while filling them) 4 baking trays parchment paper 1/2 tsp Line the baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside. Optionally, print a macaron template and place it under the parchment paper; or use a cookie cutter to trace circles onto the parchment paper, then flip the parchment paper upside down. The circles should be about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, spaced about 1 inch apart. You should be able to fit 15 shells per 13"×9" baking tray, 3 rows by 5 columns. Prepare a large piping bag with a 1/4-inch round tip in a drinking cup. Set aside. Sift into medium mixing bowl: more than 7 oz (1 3/4 cups) powdered sugar (discard large chunks rather than forcing them through; this is why you need more than 1 3/4 cups) Sift into another medium mixing bowl: more than 3.5 oz (1 cup) almond flour (discard large chunks rather than forcing them through; this is why you need more than 1 cup; almond flour is course, so 1 1/2 cups would be good) Pour the ingredients in one bowl into the other bowl. Add to medium mixing bowl: 1/2 tsp salt Whisk until combined. Sift together twice times. (The finer, the better.) Set aside. Add to large mixing bowl: 3 egg whites Using a hand mixer, mix on slow-then-medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Add to large mixing bowl: 1/4 tsp cream of tartar Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form (about 2 minutes). Continue mixing and slowly add to large mixing bowl: 1.75 oz (1/4 cup) sugar Add to large mixing bowl: gel food colouring Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes). Do not over mix. Add to large mixing bowl: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Mix until just combined (a few seconds). Turn off the hand mixer. Add the dry ingredients: Sift about 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl. (Discard large chunks rather than forcing them through the sifter.) Using a spatula, gently fold together until the dry ingredients are no longer visible. Repeat until all the dry ingredients have been added. Using a spatula, keep folding until the batter looks like wet sand and falls into ribbons (about 2-3 minutes). Press the batter against the bowl to remove air bubbles. When done, you should be able to draw a figure 8 by dripping the batter from the spatula into the bowl without the ribbon breaking. Do not over mix. Using a spatula, scoop the batter into the large piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Tie off the piping bag (so the batter doesn't spill out the top). Remove the parchment paper from the baking tray temporarily. Pipe a small dot of batter in each corner of the baking baking tray (so the parchment paper will stick to the tray). Place the parchment paper back on the baking tray. Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper. The batter will spread, so don't overfill. Hold the piping bag straight up. Hold the tip close to the sheet (about 1/4 inch above the sheet). With one hand, squeeze from the top of the piping bag. With the other hand, hold the piping bag steady closer to the bottom. Apply pressure evenly to all sides. Do not move the piping bag. When the circle is almost full, stop squeezing, and flick/twist in a single circular motion while lifting up and away. Remove the template from under the parchment paper. Tap the bottom of the baking tray against the table five times firmly to remove air bubbles. Using a plastic toothpick, pop any air bubbles or bumps. Let the macarons sit at room temperature until they are dry to the touch (about 30-60 minutes). You should be able to brush your finger back and forth on the macaron without indenting it. While waiting for the timer, start making buttercream icing for the filling. (Use 3/4 of the original recipe, so 3 cups powdered sugar instead of 4. Use at least 1 tbsp milk.) If there's anything in the oven, take it out. Set the oven to bake, 300° F (149° C). When the oven reaches the correct temperature, place the baking tray in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 10 minutes (or until the feet are well-risen, the macarons don't stick to the paper, and if you nudge the macaron, the top doesn't wiggle away from the bottom). Do not open the oven while baking. Let cool on the baking tray for about 15 minutes (or until the bottoms are not sticky). When the timer is done, remove the macarons from the baking tray and let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Wait until the macarons have cooled completely before filling. Scoop the icing into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip or no tip. Tie off the piping bag (so the icing doesn't spill out the top). Flip half of the shells upside down. Pipe a dollop of icing on top of each upside down shell in the centre. Leave about 1/4 inch around the edges. Place a right-side-up shell on top of each upside down shell to create a sandwich. Press down lightly. Place the macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Remove from the fridge and bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
