Almond Macarons
The secret is in the patience. If you rush the drying phase or over-mix the batter, the macarons will crack or lose their feet.
Measure by weight, not volume.
Baking these requires a digital kitchen scale. Eyeballing flour or sugar will result in failure.
- digital kitchen scale
- sieve
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- silicone spatula
- piping bag with plain round tip
- baking sheets
- parchment paper or silicone mats
What goes in.
- 100gsuper-fine almond flour
- 100gpowdered sugar
- 70gegg whites, room temperature
- 90ggranulated sugar
Folding to Flow
The goal is to deflate the meringue just enough so that when you lift your spatula, the batter falls back into the bowl in a continuous, heavy ribbon that eventually disappears into the surface.
The method.
Sift
Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor, then sift them through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Discard any large almond chunks.
Whip
Whisk egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Slowly rain in the granulated sugar. Increase speed to high and whip until you reach stiff, glossy peaks.
Fold
Add the almond mixture to the meringue. Use your spatula to fold gently, scraping the sides and bottom, until the batter reaches the 'lava' consistency described in the technique callout.
Pipe
Pipe 1.5-inch circles onto lined baking sheets. Tap the pans firmly against the counter three times to release air bubbles.
Dry
Let the shells sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. They are ready when a light touch to the top leaves no residue on your finger.
Bake
Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 14 to 16 minutes. Let them cool completely on the tray before attempting to remove them.
Other turns to take.
Chocolate
Replace 10g of almond flour with high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder.
Pistachio
Substitute half the almond flour with finely ground, skinless raw pistachios.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Age your egg whites in the fridge in a covered container for 24 hours before whipping.
Use a template underneath your parchment paper to ensure all shells are the same size.
If your oven has a convection fan, turn it off or use a lower temperature to prevent the macarons from blowing over.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why are my macarons hollow?
Usually caused by over-whipping the egg whites or baking at too low a temperature.
Why did my shells crack?
The oven was likely too hot, or you did not let the shells dry long enough before baking.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe