For the past seven years, I have been making Italian meringue macarons with ease. To give a bit of background, I once went to a French bakery in Seattle and that is where I first encountered French macarons. I absolutely fell in love with the dessert. This motivated me to get my hands on a recipe for French macarons.
Jump to Recipe Print RecipeLearning to make French macarons was certainly frustrating. I was determined to make them and after quite a few tries (and failures), I was able to make a batch of Italian macarons using Italian meringue. During that process, I certainly faced quite a few challenges, but there were some rewarding moments too.
The very thought of trying French macarons can be intimidating, especially considering the perception of difficulty surrounding them. Unfortunately, I’ve shared that perception in the past. That said, I created this guide just for you, to walk you through the macarons making journey seamlessly!
How to make Italian meringue French macarons
Getting started on Italian macarons may take time, but in the end, it is completely worth it. You just need to be patient and keep putting in the practice, and you’ll be baking macarons without breaking a sweat in no time!
The Italian meringue method macarons
If you are just beginning your baking career and are looking for something that is uncomplicated yet impressive, look no further! This simple Italian meringue macaron recipe is perfect for you.
With the French macarons, you’ll be able to master this simple guide of steps to take, and the method of Italian Meringue will be the cherry on top. Let’s start with the basics.
What is a French Macaron?
French Macaron refers to a French pastry that is a meringue based cookie made with flour almonds and meringue. The filling can vary based on flavors. It is often confused with a macaroon. Macaroon is a confection made with shredded coconut, often dipped into chocolate. The shell of a macaron is inherently free of gluten.
Pronunciation: Ma-ca-rohn
People often debate on how to best pronounce macaron. Assuring everyone, it’s not pronounced as “Macaroons”. I indeed learned it’s not “Macaroons” during the time I visited Paris last summer, I appreciate that time for helping me learn proper macaron’s use.
Macaron Methods
To learn how to make French Macarons, one can use any of the three most widespread approaches. French Meringue, Italian Meringue, and Swiss. Each one has a different kind of meringue. To bake macarons, the meringue has to be of excellent quality and that is a prerequisite for any of the methods.
Types of Macarons
Experiementing with different macaron styles, I found that the core difference lies in the meringue’s prep work. I realized that it ultimately comes down to personal choice. However, it became clear to me that the sturdiness of the meringue is very significant to the successful outcome of the French macarons. I personally enjoy the Italian meringue method. Although it requires more time in prep and bake, the results are essential with the consistency of macarons.
French Meringue
French Meringue is produced by adding sugar in thirds to beaten egg whites and whisking them until sugar is fully incorporated and stiff glossy peaks form. While learning, this method tends to be the fastest and the simplest. However, the method can be less forgiving in certain circumstances.
Italian meringue is heavier and made by adding a hot syrup to the egg whites, whisking until glossy peaks form. The Italian meringue is then folded into the mixture made with egg whites, almond flour and powdered sugar to form a thicker macaron batter. With the Italian meringue method, the prep and bake time is longer, but the result is a macaron batter that is easier to work with, needing less folding.
Swiss Meringue
Swiss meringue is made by heating the egg whites and sugar to a low temperature to melt the sugar, making the meringue denser.
Folding macaron batter / Macaronage
Macaronage is the part where the meringue is combined with almond flour and icing sugar and folded to make the batter. This is done by folding the sides of the bowl and then the center once, until the batter gently drips off the spatula in a ribbon form. The figure eight is a common reference when macaron batter is ready. This process of macaronage usually takes three to four minutes.
Be careful not to over-fold macaron batter. A good indicator of properly folded batter is a ribbon-like, somewhat thick consistency that is not runny. When piping, any bumps in the batter should smooth out over the course of a few seconds, but not too much to the point that the batter spreads. It is best to slightly under-fold rather than over-fold batter.
Macaron baking mats
Although parchment paper works well for macarons, it can sometimes cause uneven baking if the paper does not sit perfectly flat against the baking sheet. In my experience, silpat works well for baking any style of macarons, so that is what I prefer.
How to pipe Italian macarons
With a silpat or parchment flat against the baking sheet, begin piping the macaron batter. Keep the piping tip at a 90 degree angle to the baking mat and directly over it. Squeeze gently to form each round of batter, and use a flick of the wrist to stop the flow after each round.
Resting Italian Macarons
Each recipe is distinct, however, I have observed that Italian macarons typically require a 15-20 minute resting period before being baked in the oven.
Every baked macaron, regardless if its an Italian Meringue, Swiss, or French, should have a smooth evenly rounded shell that is gentle, slightly crispy on the outer layer. The fluffy soft center, has ruffled feet along the bottom edge.
Do I need to mature macarons?
Maturation is a step in macarons where they are filled, placed in the fridge, and then the mingling of flavors occurs. I strongly recommend that macarons are allowed to mature for 24 hours, or at least 4 hours, for optimal enjoyment.
Macaron Storage
As for the filled Italian macarons, they should be kept in an airtight container immediately until they are ready to be served. Their longevity is 2-3 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer. Before serving, ensure that macarons are brought to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Traditional Italian Macaron Recipe
Course: SnacksCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium24
servings30
minutes15
minutesDelight in the delicate texture and rich flavor of Italian macarons with this foolproof recipe, perfect for creating bakery-quality treats at home.
Ingredients
For the Italian Meringue Macaron Shells:
107 grams powdered sugar
46 grams of egg whites
107 grams of almond flour
114 grams of granulated sugar
80 grams of water
40 grams of egg white
dash of cream of tartar or lemon juice for stabilizing
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache (Dairy Free):
¼ tsp pink gel food coloring
12 oz dairy free dark chocolate chopped
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
Directions
- For the Italian macarons:
- With a bit of vinegar, wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment to remove any leftover bits. This ensures that the egg whites will whip up effectively.
- Use a kitchen scale to measure all of the ingredients for your recipe.
- Prepare a piping bag with a round tip, Wilton tip 12 is my preference.
- Cover two baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
- In one bowl, add the measured almond flour and powdered sugar. Sift once to remove any lumps, discarding the lumps, then mix to break up any clumpy bits.
- Take the mentioned 41 grams of egg whites and make a well in the center of the dry mix, then pour the egg whites into the well. Fold the mixture until the egg whites and dry ingredients are blended. Then, add the gel food coloring and mix thoroughly until the color is evenly distributed. The mixture should be a paste-like consistency. Set aside.
- For the sugar syrup:
- To make the sugar syrup, add granulated sugar and water to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Make sure to attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Be careful that the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pot.
- Once the thermometer hits around 200F, add the 45g of egg whites into the stand mixer and whisk on medium speed.
- Add a drop of lemon juice or a dash of cream of tartar to stabilize. THEN continue whisking to soft peaks.
- If soft peaks form prior to the syrup hitting 248 F, dial the mixer down to low to maintain motion in the egg whites.
- Keep an eye on the sugar syrup. Take the syrup off the heat the moment it hits 248 F.
- Quickly, raise the mixer to medium-high and slowly drizzle the syrup down the side of the bowl into the meringue, mixing until combined thoroughly.
- Increase the mixer speed to high and blend in the sugar to the cooled meringue until glossy and medium peaks are achieved.
- Incorporate the finished meringue gently into the almond or powdered sugar egg mixture in one third increments, ensuring the previous meringue third is fully folded in before adding the next.
- Initiate the macaronage by mixing the batter in a circular motion around the bowl’s edge, then in a straight line through the center. Keep repeating this until consistent, smooth, thick ribbons of batter stream off the spatula.
- Be careful not to over-mix
- You would want the batter to be thick enough to hold the ribbon shape, but not so thick that it does not hold the ribbon shape or too thin. A bit on the thicker side is better.
- Fill the prepared piping bags with the batter.
- On the lined baking sheets, pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds keeping a 1 inch distance between them.
- When piping the rounds, ensure the piping bag is held at a height of 1/2 inch above the baking sheet. Continue piping until the sheet is completely filled.
- To get rid of the air bubbles, tap the macarons on the counter three times.
- Using a scribe or even a toothpick, burst any air bubbles that might be floating at the surface.
- Do not place the macarons in the oven until they have formed a proper skin on the outside. Let them rest for 15 -20 minutes. To check, gently touch the piped rounds. If they feel dry and no batter comes off when gently pulled, they are ready.
- Be sure to set the oven to 315 degrees F.
- Once you fill a piping bag with batter, you may place it in the oven as long as the top is dry to touch.
- During the baking process, the feet should develop around the halfway mark.
- Rest the macarons in the oven for about 14 to 15 minutes, but remember that the baking time is oven specific.
- Let the macarons rest for a few minutes in a silpat up to 20 minutes, then gently peel the macarons off the rest. Let the macarons cool for the same amount of time, then gently take off the silpat layer.
- For now, set the aside in an airtight container, and remember to fill the macarons later.
- They’re ready to fill.
- For the Ganache:
- For the chocolate ganache filling, take a heatproof glass bowl and pour the chocolate in it.
- Set it over a double broiler and heat it to medium-low as it will take time for the chocolate to melt.
- Once the chocolate is warm, pour slightly simmering coconut milk into the chocolate in a slow manner until it is smooth, making sure to mix the chocolate thoroughly until it combines.
- Assembly:
- Let the chocolate ganaches cool before piping them into the macaron batter.
- During the last macaron filling, take the ganache and evenly fill it around the bottom of the macaron shell and seal it with another shell to make mini macaron burgers.
- Let the macrons mature in the fridge for two hours. Macarons have a better texture and taste if kept for 12 hours or even overnight.
- They will be best enjoyed at the perfect texture after sitting at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
- Place macarons in an airtight container until filled. They will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.