How to Make Macarons

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1. 1Step 1: Measure all your ingredients with a digital scale and prepare all the tools you need at hand.
2. 2Step 2: Properly clean your mixing bowl and whisk attachment by wiping them down with vinegar.
3. 3Step 3: Pulse blend icing sugar with almond flour for 5-10 seconds then sift them together. The mixture should be very fine powder like.
4. 4Step 4: Move one of the 55g egg white into your stand mixer.
5. 5Step 5: Start making the sugar syrup by boiling granulated sugar with water in a saucepan.
6. 6Step 6: Start whisking the egg white on low/medium speed then gradually add the superfine sugar into it.
7. 7Step 7: Boil the sugar syrup until it reaches 118C-120C / 244-248F. Use an infrared thermometer gun or any other thermometer to measure the correct temp.
8. 8Step 8: By the time syrup reaches 118C-120C / 244-248F, the egg white & fine sugar mixture should be already reaching a consistency of somewhere between foamy and soft peak.
9. 9Step 9: Once syrup on the right temp remove from heat. Keep the stand mixer speed on medium and begin slowly pouring the syrup down on the side of the mixing bowl making sure that the syrup flows on the side only and does not get onto the whisk.
10. 10Step 10: Increase stand mixer speed to medium/high and continue whisking the meringue until it forms early stiff peaks meaning it is strong enough to hold its shape but not over whipped.
11. 11Step 11: In the meantime mix the remaining 55g egg white into the almond flour mixture (almond meal & icing sugar) until it forms a paste, use a flexible rubber spatula.
12. 12Step 12: When meringue is almost done mix in food coloring (powder or gel) and continue beating for a few more seconds.
13. 13Step 13: Once meringue as well as almond paste is ready, gently fold in meringue into the marzipan paste with the help of a rubber spatula. Fold meringue in thirds, making sure that each third is fully incorporated before adding the next.
14. 14Step 14: The first third is about loosening up the marzipan, the second third already working on the macaronage process and somewhat pressing the air out and the last third is fine tuning the consistency to the stage you need that is ribbon stage.
15. 15Step 15: After adding the last third of the meringue make sure you check the consistency of the macaron batter every few seconds. When you lift the rubber spatula over the mixture the batter should fall slowly forming a ribbon. Try to write number 8 with the ribbon, once the consistency allows to write the number 8, it is very likely that your macaron batter is ready.
16. 16Step 16: Move macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with round nozzle tip and while holding the piping bag fully vertical pipe equal sized round shapes, leaving enough space in between them to slightly spread. You can pipe on silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
17. 17Step 17: Tap the baking tray onto the kitchen counter a few times to release any air bubbles. You can also pop air bubbles out using a toothpick.
18. 18Step 18: Rest the macarons on room temp for about 25-40 minutes depending on temperature and humidity. Test by gently touching the macarons, it should feel dry on the touch and proper skin should form on the surface of them.
19. 19Step 19: Pre-heat oven while macarons are drying. I recommend to bake the macarons 155C / 311F but I pre-heat my oven +20C / 68F more as when I open the oven door, the temp drops. Make sure you use a digital oven thermometer to check your real oven temp.
20. 20Step 20: Bake the macarons for 14-15 minutes, adjust if necessary to your oven (use my troubleshooting guide).
21. 21Step 21: Once macarons are done, remove them from the oven and leave them on the parchment or silicone baking mat for 30 minutes. They are not supposed to come off the baking mat until they are properly cooled.
22. 22Step 22: Once macaron shells cooled, remove them from the baking sheet. In case they ended up slightly different in their sizes, pair the similar sizes next to each other.
23. 23Step 23: For filling ideas read my blog post above this recipe.
24. 24Step 24: Pipe filling onto one side of the macaron then press two shells together evenly so the filling will come out to the side.
25. 25Step 25: Macarons require about 12h aging time in the fridge, within this time frame the filling will soften the shells.