Macaron Cookies may take many trial and error batches before achieving the technic of making these cookies. Watch videos on macarons it helps when trying to achieve the macaron cookie. Every Video can give a tip that might help you in having success with making macarons.
Also see our recipes at Tea Party Food for your next tea party.
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French Macaron Cookies
**2 to 3 half baking sheets with Silpats or Parchment Paper
Ingredients:
*2 cups Powdered Sugar
*1 cup Almond Flour, Note: If you keep the flour in fridge or freezer you will need to dry out flour in the oven 185*F. 10 minutes stirring halfway through.
*Pinch of Sea Salt, literally
*3 Egg Whites, separate then room temperature
*1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
*1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
*Yellow Food Paste Coloring; add little at a time until desired color
*1/4 teaspoon Almond Flavoring, optional
Directions:
In a bowl sift the powdered Sugar, almond flour, salt and discard pieces of almond that won’t pass through sifter, for super smooth add to a food processor whisk/pulse, 30 seconds or so then sift again. Then and set bowl aside.
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Now in a clean grease free glass bowl. Add the 3 egg whites and whip eggs until frothy and then add the cream of tartar and continue whipping the egg whites until they become white in color and slowly add the granulated sugar a small amount at a time. Continue to whip the egg white mixture until stiff peaks occur and the whipped mixture in the beaters remain within beaters without dripping out when held up. Add food coloring and flavoring if desired and mix just until incorporated.
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Remove beaters from the whipped mixture. Then with a rubber scraper fold in 1/3 of the dry almond mixture in the whipped mixture, about 12 folds. Repeat by folding in a 1/3 more of the almond mixture and fold another 12 folds. Now add the remaining almond mixture fold in another 24 folds or as needed. Mixture should become lava like, flowing off the rubber scraper when scooped and let sheet down to the bowl taking about 30 seconds for the almost the entire mixture to sheet off the spoon and back into the batter bowl. Then the batter that is in the bowl will become smooth again in the bowl after 60 seconds of sitting. Note: This is where you can over or under mix/fold the mixture. The right air consistency is crucial in the success of these cookies. Also if you can make a figure eight with the batter mixture without the batter breaking then stop folding.
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When consistency has been achieved. Place/scoop the batter in a pastry bag (2/3 full) with an 803 tip attached, pipe on small dots of batter onto a Silpat covered 1/2 baking sheet with macaron circles printed on the Silpat or pipe consistent circles on Silpat or parchment paper, try to make each macaron the same size. Hold the pastry bag with the tip straight down in the middle of the macaron circle close to the 1/2 baking sheet mat etc…(space macarons at least one and a half inches apart). Fold down the open end of the pastry bag to batter level and holding fold squeeze the pastry bag until batter flows smoothly. Then place piping tip in the center of the macaron circle and squeeze out the batter until it almost reaches the drawn circle pattern. Repeat until all circles are filled. Pickup baking sheet a couple of inches from the table and drop the baking sheet, repeat 8 times, rotating baking sheet after each drop. This is to remove air bubbles.
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Smooth down with your slightly wet finger any piping tips that might poke up on the top of each macaron.
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Now let the piped macarons set for 20-35 minutes until macarons don’t stick to your finger when touched, a smooth semi-gloss crust will develop and then bake in oven. If the Humidity is high it could take up to an hour for the crust to develop.
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Macaron Batter fills 3 (1/2 baking sheets) making about 96 small macarons and 53 filled macaron cookies. (Depending on the size of your macarons.)
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In a pre-heated 295*F. oven, place piped macarons on 1/2 baking sheet (second to the lowest rung/rack) in the oven. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.
Every oven varies in temperature; you may need to adjust for your oven temperature. This can affect the developing of the little feet of the macarons
Let Macarons cool completely before removing from the baking mat or parchment paper.
If macaroons stick after cooling or when trying to remove place back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
Honey Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
*1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
*1/3 cup Honey
*3 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted, use more if needed
*1 teaspoon Cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
*2 to 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream, as needed
Directions:
Add to a bowl butter, honey, powdered sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, vanilla and heavy whipping cream as needed.
Using a hand mixer beat/whip on high speed for 8 minutes. Then mix by hand for about 1 minute to remove air bubbles.
Pipe (using a piping bag with small tip) or frost about 1 teaspoon whipped frosting onto one side of macarons and add top with another macaron. Repeat with each macaron.
Decorating Bee Macaron
*Black Melting Wafers, like Wilton
*Candy Eyes
*Finished Macarons
*Almond Slices, for bee wings
Directions:
Melt wafers, about 12 in the microwave, follow directions on package.
Then using a piping bag with small tip. Pipe on three black stripes to the finished macaron.
Add the 2 eyes, attaching them with a dot of the melted black wafers for each eye, attaching them in place as shown.
Attach 2 almond slices one on each side of the macarons, making wings. Repeat for each macaron.
Enjoy!
Lindy
