Macarons are everybody's favorite dessert. So it would be safe to say that it's already perfect if a party has macarons served on the dessert table. Their small size, bright colors, and fantastic taste make them loved by everyone.
The only problem is that they are pretty tricky to make. This is why most people fail to make them perfect in the first attempt. We are about to share a detailed recipe for macarons with all the tips and tricks to keep in mind while making them. Follow these steps to make the best macarons for your next event and amaze your guests by how perfectly you can make them.
History Behind Macarons
Before getting into the recipe, we think you should know the history behind this dessert which is quite an exciting journey. It takes us back to the 1700s when the macarons were quite famous in Italy. However, they did not look like the ones we see nowadays- they were just plain shells without filling and were called 'macaroni.' Yes, not the pasta macaroni but just macaroni.
This recipe for macarons inspired the Italian-born Queen of France, Catherine de Medici, so much so that she decided to bring this recipe to France. They were equally loved in France and soon gained a lot of popularity.
Enter the scene Pierre des Fontaines, a close relative of the founder of a French store called Laduree. He took two plain Italian macarons and put a filling inside them. So he is the one who should be credited for the Parisian macarons we eat today.
Ingredients
Macarons have straightforward ingredients that can easily be found in your nearby store, but there are some things you need to keep in mind while adding them. If you mess up any step and your macarons will lose their taste. Before starting our procedure, let us explain why these ingredients are added and what should be considered while adding them.
Almond Flour
Almond flour is a must if you want to make delicious macarons. You can't get the same level of flavor and texture using all-purpose flour. Almond flour gives macarons that nut flavor and smooth texture, making them a fantastic dessert. You can also use hazelnut flour, pumpkin seed flour, or pistachio flour- all of them taste great.
A little disclaimer here- if you have nut allergies, you can use all-purpose flour instead of almond flour, but the macarons will have a slightly different taste. Not that they will taste bad, but they will have a slight difference in taste from the real ones.
Plus, there's a catch to using store-bought almond flour. Even if the packaging says 'fine powder,' you will still need to process the flour in a food processor to make it even more acceptable because the fine almond flour gives your macarons a smooth texture.
Egg Whites
Unlike the ordinary cake dough, macarons require the egg whites to age well before incorporating other ingredients. The aging process gives the meringue its texture and form, keeping it elastic.
Most recipes say 'put three large egg whites, ' which is a problem. It would be best if you precisely had 100 grams of egg whites and not more than that. However, since eggs differ in size, separating 3 egg whites would result in more or less than 100 grams of them, and we don't want that. So instead, use a weighing scale and take out any extra amount of egg white to make them equal to 100 grams.
Ingredients List:
- Almond flour (1 ½ cups)
- Egg whites (100 grams)
- Confectioners sugar (130 grams)
- Granulated sugar (90 grams)
- Cream of tartar (¼ teaspoon)
- Vanilla (½ teaspoon)
- Food color (2 drops)
Procedure:
In a large bowl, separate three large egg whites. It has to be precisely 100 grams so remove excess egg white if there is any. Set it aside for some time.
A food processor processes almond flour and confectioners sugar until they are super delicate. Then, sift both in a bowl because, as we mentioned before, you cannot have a single lump in your macarons.
In a bowl of a stand mixer or a hand mixer, put the egg whites and cream of tartar and start beating on high speed. Once the egg whites are frothy, put ¼ tsp sugar slowly. Beat for 5 seconds, and gradually add another quarter teaspoon of sugar. Repeat until all of the sugar is added. You must add the sugar in small intervals because if you dump it all in, it won't give you the right-textured meringue.
When a soft peak forms in the egg whites, pour in vanilla extract and food color and beat again. Stop beating when stiff peaks form and the meringue doesn't fall upon inverting the bowl.
Now is the time to fold in the dry mixture. Put the dry ingredients in intervals (⅓ cup each) and fold gently. Keep folding until a stage arrives, where it drizzles down the spatula when held up.
Pour in a piping bag and make equal-sized circles on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Tap the baking tray against the counter three to four times to evacuate any air bubbles in the meringue. Set aside for 40 minutes before putting it in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and toss the baking tray inside and let it get baked for around 14 minutes. When they are done, i.e., they are risen well and are dry from the bottom, take them out and fill them with any of your favorite fillings. For example, you can use chocolate filling, vanilla buttercream, or caramel sauce.
A little tip from us - serve these beauties in these fancy compostable plates to complete their look. Using eco-friendly dinnerware for your parties will provide you with the benefit of easy cleanup. Yes, you don't have to clean these biodegradable eco plates as they turn into dust on their own after some weeks. They are basically disposable palm leaf plates that not only look fancy but are biodegradable as well.