Macarons
Macarons are delicate French almond cookies that fascinate with their crispy crust and soft, creamy filling. The cookie’s nutty flavor is often combined with a creamy filling, the most popular of which is chocolate ganache. However, they pair nicely with jam, vanilla, lemon, or butter cream.
Although commonly associated with France, macarons actually originated in Italy. They were reportedly introduced in the 16th century by the Italian chefs of Catherine de’ Medici. Over time, Macarons have become a vital part of French culinary tradition.
Today, Macarons come in countless flavor and color variations – from classics like vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio, to modern ones like matcha tea, lavender, or salted caramel. Their preparation requires precision and patience, resulting in a dessert that delights the eye and the palate.
Join us on this sweet journey and discover how to prepare perfect Macarons cookies at home! 🍬✨
Ingredients
Macarons
3 egg whites
60 g caster sugar
110 g almond flour
(or 120 g whole almonds and then grind them finely)
200 g icing sugar
a pinch of salt
optionally food colours and flavours for cakes
Filling
160
200 g dark chocolate
(min. 52% cocoa content)
directions
Macarons
Separate the egg yolks 2-5 days before preparing the Macarons and keep them in the refrigerator. A few hours before preparation, take the egg whites out of the fridge to warm them to room temperature. If you’re using whole almonds instead of almond flour, boil them to make peeling easier.
Once dried, grind the almonds as finely as possible using a food processor or a handheld grinder. Sift almonds with the icing sugar to remove lumps that could lead to an uneven cookie’s surface.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and mix them with an electric mixer at medium speed. When the mixture is light and frothy, add half of the caster sugar and continue mixing at maximum speed. Once the mixture becomes firmer, add the remaining caster sugar. If you want colorful cookies, divide the mixture into several equal parts and add different flavors or food coloring. Divide the almond and sugar mixture into as many equal parts as the colors you’ll be using.
Pour the almond and sugar mixture into the egg whites in two batches, using a silicone spatula to gently fold the ingredients. Use circular movements from the edge of the bowl towards the center, overlapping the mixture as you go.
Line baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Using a piping bag fitted with a circular nozzle, apply the mixture onto the paper in small circles. Ensure that the blobs of the mixture are sufficiently spaced apart, as they will spread while baking. Allow the macarons to dry in the air for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and bake the macarons for approximately 12-14 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before removing them from the tray.
Filling
Melt chocolate using a double boiler (also known as a “bain-marie”). To do this, place a bowl of water on the heat and set another bowl on top of the first bowl, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place them in the upper bowl to melt. Set the heat to medium, bringing the water to a light boil. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowls from the heat. Then, pour heavy cream over the melted chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Allow the mixture to cool before spreading the chilled filling between two cookies.
