Macarons (Basic recipe)

The first time I saw macarons was when I was watching a show called Master-chef Australia. It was the second season and the challenge was to make a macaron tower. The guest judge was Adriano Zumbo and he is a master of all things sweet. I was so impressed and inspired that I had to find out more about him and about macarons. I saw that making macarons was no easy task, and since I like challenging desserts I had to give it a try. The first try was not successful. The macarons were hollow, cracked and flat. When I made them the second time they turned out better but still not perfect. After a few tries they were finally the way they should be, shiny, not hollow and nicely risen.

There are many ways to make macarons, many different preparation of the egg whites. You could make Italian meringue macarons, this method is the most reliable and guaranties a glossy shell, because of the high sugar content. It is the best way to start your macaron adventures. To make the Italian meringue the egg whites are wiped until frothy, then the hot sugar syrup is added in the thin steady stream down the side of the bowl. The meringue is whisked until warm. I personally like and use this method, the macarons are really shiny and sweet.
Another way is to make swiss meringue macarons, this is the intermediate macaron recipe with less sugar. The swiss meringue in made by combining egg whites with caster sugar. The mixture is placed over a pot of simmering water and whisked to a firm meringue.
The original and most difficult macaron method is the French meringue method. The mixture is more delicate and needs to be handled perfectly to avoid cracked shells. The egg whites and caster sugar are placed in the mixing bowl and mixed until it reaches firm peaks that are soft to the touch.

It is very important that the egg whites are at room temperature when you whisk them, this will result in a more shinny and fluffy meringue. Some recipes call for "aged egg whites", egg whites that are left out of the fridge for at least a day or more at room temperature. I never use aged egg whites simply because I don't plan my baking in advance. I think that using fresh egg whites at the room temperature is just as good as using aged egg whites. The other important thing when making meringue is that the mixing bowl is clean, if the bowl is greasy or dirty the egg whites won't whip and you will be left with a runny mess.

The basic macaron recipe (Italian meringue version)

(Makes about 40 macarons)

Time:

Preparation: 30min

Resting: 30min

Baking: 12-15min

Cooling: 20min

For the shells:

• 95g room temperature egg whites (45g+50g)
• 125g granulated white sugar
• 40g water
• food coloring (optional)
• 135g finely ground almonds or almond flour
• 135g icing sugar

Different fillings 

-Chocolate ganache:

• 150g dark chocolate
• 150g heavy cream

Making the shells:

Mix almond flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Sift the mixture two times, discarding the big pieces of almonds. In the middle of the almond-sugar mixture put 45g of egg whites set aside.

Put the granulated sugar and water in a pot and heat to 118°C (244°F). If you want to color the macarons you can add the food coloring with the water and sugar in the pot. Meanwhile put the rest of the egg whites (50g) in the mixing bowl, when the sugar syrup reaches 100°C start whipping egg whites on a slow-medium speed. When the sugar mixture is at the right temperature slowly pour in the mixing bowl, while whipping on medium speed. Be careful to pour the syrup down the side of the bowl, so that you don't pour on the whisk. Whisk until the bowl is warm and the meringue is stiff and glossy. 

Put the meringue in the bowl with the almonds, icing sugar and raw egg whites in three additions. At first the mixture will be stiff and sticky. Continue to fold the mixture so it begins to loosen. When the mixture flows from the spatula in a slow and thick stream it is ready. The texture is important for the next step, which is piping.

Pipe the mixture on the parchment paper. To achieve the consistent shape of the shells I like to put a template under the parchment paper. I use the one in the picture below. If you see bubbles rising from mixture when the macarons are piped, just lift the baking tray and gently tap it on the table to get rid of the air bubbles. This is also important, because the bubbles can cause the shells to crack.

   

Let the piped shells rest for about 30 minutes depending on the humidity in the air. On the humid rainy days the drying can last longer. You can check if they are ready by gently touching the top. If it sticks to your finger then rest them longer. If they are dry you can put them in the preheated oven at 150°C (302°F). Bake the macarons for 12-15 minutes depending on your oven. After 10 minutes of baking check every minute to ensure the best result. When baked remove from the oven and set aside for 2 minutes. Then gently lift the macaron with a spatula to check is the base of the macaron is cooked and dry. If its still a bit sticky return the macarons to the oven for about 2-3 minutes. Cool macarons completely on the trays before removing them.

Making the ganache:

Chop or break the chocolate and put in the bowl. Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.

Assembly:

Pair the same sized shells together. Pipe the ganache on the flat side of half the macaron shells, then top with the remaining shells. Put the macarons in the fridge to set. You should let them set for at least 24 hours to achieve the best result. Serve at room temperature.