Macarons

This is my go-to recipe for macarons. The dosage is perfect and the only adjustments should reside in the oven’s temperature and cooking time. As I explain in the directions below, you may be lucky the first time but otherwise do not despair and give it another go or book a class so I can assist you. Follow this rule when making something for the 1st time: stick to the recipe. You can get super creative later, once you get the results intended. Keep an eye on my other recipes and you may find some interesting fillings there ;) Meanwhile, happy new year! :) Arno

MACARONS

Macaron Shells

175g ground almonds

300g icing sugar

175g egg whites, at room temperature

175g sugar

A few drops of red food colouring until pink

1 tbsp vanilla seeds / paste / essence

Buttercream Filling

225g butter, at room temperature

500g icing sugar, sifted

2-3 tbsp whole milk, as needed

A few drops of red food colouring until red (you can also use a natural red berry essence)

1 tsp vanilla seeds / paste / essence

SHELLS

1. Preheat oven to 150˚c on fan bake position and place the oven rack at the centre/in the middle of the oven.

2. Combine the almond meal and icing sugar together in a large bowl. Sift the mixture. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add vanilla and a few drops of food coloring gradually until the desired color appears. Gradually add sugar, increase the speed, and whip on high until a shiny peak takes shape.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add half of the ground almond and icing sugar mixture, and fold into the meringue. You want to deflate the meringue just a little at this stage, to combine the meringue and ground almond mixture. Add extra ground almond mixture and combine.

5. Once with the right consistency, put the batter into a piping bag equipped with a round nozzle.

6. On a sheet of baking paper placed on a tray, pipe out the batter into blobs of 3cm width.

7. Hold the tray in two hands, and bang it to get rid of air bubbles. Leave to rest 30min.

8. Bake for about 10 min. Macarons should develop a ring and bake without browning or colouring.

9. Once out and cooled a little, shells should peel away cleanly from the paper. Otherwise, give them another minute or so. Be lucky or be patient: you might have to adjust a few batches to reach the desired look and texture, working on cooking duration and temperature to adjust the recipe to your oven. Print this recipe and add some notes to it, and fine tune your own version.

10. Now, while your shells are being baked or cooling down, make the filling. We will see how to make salted butter caramel soon ;)

11. Store your cooled macarons in an airtight container. They're alwayd better the next day!

BUTTERCREAM FILLING

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the salted butter, and icing sugar, until well combined.

2. If needed, add milk a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy, reaching a dense yet smooth consistency.

3. Add drops of food colouring until the desired colour is reached.

4. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle.

5. Apply a generous amount of cream on one macaron shell, then press a second one of similar size against it until the cream reaches the edge of both shells.

6. Let them rest overnight, if you can. Bonne chance et bon appetit!

Arno