What Makes A Perfect Macaron?
French Macarons are brightly colored and delectable meringue sandwich cookies that come in a variety of flavors and fillings. It is an iconic dessert that has become quintessential to France, made of meringue, almond flour, and buttercream filling. These cookies are uniform in consistency. While the shells are tantalizingly crisp, the filling is smooth and creamy. Whether it is a birthday or any special occasion, macarons are sure to delight every guest!
Here in this post, we will tell you what makes a perfect macaron.
Outer shells should not be super crunchy or crispy
A French macaron is gentle and airy. On the outside, the shells should have a light and crunchy texture. However, the texture should not be super crunchy like a biscotti. Making perfect macarons is all about precision and timing during the baking process. For a smooth and shiny shell, you need to use a sifter to run your almond flour and powdered sugar through. The baked macarons should be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge to prevent them from becoming hard.
Shells should not be hollow
The shells of a macaron can become hollow if they are rested for too long. Making the macarons sit for too long makes them lose stability, which is a vital factor in maintaining the structure of the macarons. Over resting may also cause a gap between the feet and the top of the shells. If the shells are severely hollow, the macarons will become fragile, and a fluffy macaron’s chewy texture will not be there. Bakers solve the problem of hollow macarons by whipping the meringue to the correct stiffness and baking at an optimal temperature.
Feet should be ruffled and have small delicate air pockets
You can tell a perfectly baked macaron by looking at its feet. The ruffles around the edge of the shell should be unbroken and small. If the feet are big and bubbly, it is an indication that the insides have been pushed outside, and it’s a hollow macaron. Overly developed feet and messy air pockets are other indications of a poorly baked macaron.
Cookie's texture beneath the crust must be light
The macarons are supposed to be chewy. The cookie's texture beneath the crust should not be so soft that it's mushy. At the same time, it should not be too stiff that your jaws have to work hard to chew them. The crispy outer shell should give way to a soft and chewy center full of flavors.
Macaron shells should be round
The shells of a macaron should not be bumpy, irregular, or lopsided. The oddly shaped shells are caused due to an over-mixed batter, wrong piping techniques, and the improper use of parchment paper. For instance, if the almond flour is chunky, it may cause the top of the shells to become rough. It is important to make sure that the almond flour is sifted at least once.
The filling should be smooth and not sticky
The ganache should be smooth and not too heavy or thick. The filling must provide a delicious layer between the two cookies, and it should be firm enough to not splash out of the cookie. At the same time, the filling should not stick to your teeth. In addition, the sweetness of the filling should be bearable and just noticeable.
About Macaron Queen
We make dozens of delectable macaron flavors, including red velvet, key lime, champagne, and french raspberry. 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.
