Tips For Making The Best Macarons

French macarons Paris are considered a tough cookie to master as it requires fully understanding the process, practice, and accuracy. The most important step in the macaron-making process is preparing the meringue, the mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar. Despite taking all the care and attention, there’s a chance that you could still end up making macarons that are hollow, flat, cracked, or burned.

Here in this post, we are giving you some tips to make the best macarons.

Ingredients

Although macarons are made of simple ingredients, it is important to use the appropriate quantity. Measuring the ingredients by weight is an absolute necessity for making perfect macarons. In addition, utmost care should be taken to take their ideal ratio. 

Almond flour: The almond flour should ideally be less oily. If it is extremely oily, the macarons will become blotchy or "sweaty."

Powdered sugar: It’s the same as confectioners’ sugar. It helps stabilize the meringue because the sugar will dissolve in those water particles and prevent air bubbles.

Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar is used when mixing in the almond flour.

Egg whites: Room temperature egg whites are key to making a good meringue.

Cream of tartar: Although we do not use Cream of Tartar, some recipes especially if you are just a beginner call for it. The reason is the acid in the cream helps stabilize and strengthen the egg whites to form stiff peaks.

#Tip 1 Sift your dry ingredients thoroughly

Sifting is the most critical step to avoid any almond chunks or sugar granules in the final product. The large pieces in the dry mixture will eventually show up in the macaron shells. They can also weigh the shells down, which can prevent them from rising properly. If needed, you should sift the ingredients more than once. Sifting also helps ‘lighten’ the ingredients, so that they mix more evenly. Remember to use a food scale and weigh everything out.

#Tip 2 Don’t under-whip or over-whip the meringue 

An improper meringue can cause many problems. Meringues get all their volume from the air whipped into an egg white and sugar mixture. Use aged egg whites to make meringue for macarons. Whip the batter until it starts to form still peaks, the meringue that stands vertically without drooping. Stiff meringue forms peaks when you lift it out of the bowl and holds its shape on its own. At the same time, egg whites shouldn’t slide if you tilt the bowl. Remember not to under-whip or over-ship your meringue.

#Tip 3 Macaronage should have ‘lava’ like consistency

Macaronage is the process of working the batter until it is smooth, shiny, and flowing. The macaronage should flow like lava, and ribbon off your spatula. Once the batter drop on a plate, the peak that was formed should flatten in ten seconds. It all depends on the recipe for how long you need to macaronage. It's all about the feel of the batter. Test your batter every few strokes. Use a spatula for this process as a whisk will not work. Be careful not to overmix, otherwise it will cause water to leach out of the batter.

About Macaron Queen

We make dozens of delectable macaron flavors, including red velvet, key lime, champagne, and french raspberry buttercream macaron. Our macarons are often said to taste better than the originals from France. What started as a personal passion for making delectable, edible treasures for close friends and family quickly became a fast-growing business. We now make these treats for private parties, celebrities, fashion spreads, music videos, and movie sets.

You can reach out to us at (908) 867-8336. You can also fill our online contact form here.