French Macarons Recipe

French Macarons are colorful finicky cookies with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two macaron cookies.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine French

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 18

Total Time 43

Servings

Calories 39kcal

Sift almond flour and confectioner sugar on the same bowl. Combine and mix well.

Separate egg white from yolk. Make sure no yolk gets into the egg white.
Beat egg white at low speed for 3 minutes until frothy. Add cream of tartar. Adjust the speed to medium and slowly add a third of the sugar every minute until it forms soft peaks.
This is the time to add the gel coloring and vanilla. Increase the speed to high until it forms stiff peak.
As soon as stiff peak is reached, stop beating.

Add half of the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar mixture to the meringue.
Fold the mixture clockwise. Starting from the top with the spatula, scrape the side down to the bottom and upwards. Pressing the batter in the center with the spatula. Continue doing this motion until batter turns smooth and shiny. The batter should be thick but not runny like a pancake batter. When you scoop the batter with the spatula, it will fall off slowly forming a ribbon when it falls. This is the time to stop folding. You have over mixed if the consistency is like a pancake batter. If you scoop the batter with the spatula, it flows freely or continuously. (If this description is not clear, please watch my video.)

Pour the macaron batter into a pastry bag with a round tip or #12.
If you have a template, insert that in between the baking sheet and parchment paper.
My template measures 1.5 inches rounds and about 2 inches apart.
When you pipe the batter, stop before reaching the circle. It will spread out. Pipe 30 cookies.
To get rid of air bubbles, tap the baking sheets against the counter about 4 times.
Quickly poke the air bubbles or nipples with a toothpick.
Let the macarons sit for 20 to 30 minutes until the top surface is dry to the touch. The batter should not stick to your finger. If it does, then let it sit for another 15 minutes and check again. Once dry, it is ready to bake.

Place an empty baking sheet at the very top rack in the oven to avoid browning of the macarons.
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake the macarons between 15 to 18 minutes. Mine took 17 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on your oven.
Leave the macarons on the baking sheets for 15 minutes to cool down. Then transfer to a wire tack to cool completely.

Pair same sized macarons.
Pipe or spread ganache on half macaron. Sandwich the filling or ganache with the other half macaron,
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze for about 5 months.

Combine and beat cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, mango jam and vanilla.
Beat for about 5 minutes or until well blended.
Refrigerate for a thicker filling.

Interested in making multi-color cookies, check my Northern Lights French Macarons ~~coming soon~~. That would be part 2 of this original post.
Use whatever filling you like.
If you like to use this filling, check my post on how to make mango jam.
Tools and Ingredients I used for this recipe:
Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
Powdered Sugar
Kitchen Aid
Flour Sifter and Sieve