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Classic French Macarons

Elegant, delicate almond meringue shells with smooth shiny tops and characteristic 'feet', sandwiched together with a rich chocolate ganache.

Cook 01:00
Yield 20 macarons

Ingredients

  • Shells: 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup almond flour (super-fine)
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of cream of tartar
  • Ganache Filling: 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 oz chopped semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions

  1. 1
    Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together twice through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard any large bits.
  2. 2
    In a perfectly clean glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
  3. 3
    Gradually add granulated sugar while beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  4. 4
    Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in three batches using a rubber spatula.
  5. 5
    Cut down the center and sweep around the bowl (the 'macaronage' step) until the batter falls off the spatula in a thick, continuous ribbon resembling molten lava.
  6. 6
    Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
  7. 7
    Pipe 1.5-inch circles onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.
  8. 8
    Firmly tap the baking sheet against the counter 4-5 times to release trapped air bubbles.
  9. 9
    Let the shells sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes until a dry skin forms and they are no longer sticky to the touch.
  10. 10
    Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
  11. 11
    Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.
  12. 12
    Let cool completely before removing from the mat.
  13. 13
    Make filling: Bring cream to a simmer, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
  14. 14
    Let cool until spreadable.
  15. 15
    Match identical shells, pipe a dollop of ganache onto one, and sandwich gently with the other.
Category
Desserts
Cuisine
French

Dietary Information

Vegetarian

Recipe Attribution