Wipe down your egg white bowl and beaters/whisk attachment with vinegar or lemon juice to rid any grease or fat residue. Food Scale: The recipe below is written in grams, so a food scale is imperative. Anytime I make macarons using cup measurements, they fail. You can certainly find French macaron recipes online given in cup measurements, but for true accuracy (and so you don’t waste your time, effort, ingredients, or money), I strongly recommend using a food scale. Here is the one I own and love. In America this may be an extra small size, but in France this is the normal size found in the pâtisseries in Paris. There are also some specialized macaron baking mats but even those are just customized silicone mats that hold the macarons in place and keep them from expanding sideways instead of upwards. The baking mat, for example, plays a huge role in how the macarons bake and rise. Many people get this simple step wrong.

The top of the macaron must have a smooth and risen surface, much like the top of a burger bun with crumbly-textured feet or pieds just below it, followed by another thin, straight, and smooth bottom surface.Extract/Flavoring: I keep these macarons plain. Without flavoring, they have a sweet almond flavor. However, if desired, feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite extract such as almond, vanilla, coconut, lemon, etc. Electric Mixer: An electric mixer is helpful for whipping the egg whites into stiff peaks. You can use a handheld or stand mixer (whisk attachment). I do not recommend whipping egg whites by hand. It requires a lot of arm muscle and at least 30+ minutes of mixing. CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Confectioners’ sugar adds bulk and sweetness to macaron batter. In this new recipe, I use equal parts confectioners’ sugar and almond flour to produce sturdy, more reliably successful macarons. Spoon the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip, such as Wilton 12, Wilton 1A, or even Ateco 806. The macaron batter is very drippy, so transferring to the piping bag can be messy. Now you can add your optional gel food coloring. It’s important to add gel food coloring to the egg whites directly, instead of the finished macaron batter. (Finished macaron batter more easily deflates.) Fold the coloring in very slowly. You can also beat in the food coloring with your mixer on a low speed.

Now add your superfine sugar in 3 additions and beat until stiff glossy peaks form (below photos). What are stiff peaks? After several minutes of mixing in all the sugar, the egg whites will form stiff glossy peaks. This means the whites have stiff, smooth, and sharp points in the bowl or on the lifted whisk attachment/beaters. Stiff peaks do not droop down. You can literally turn the bowl upside down and the egg whites will not move or spill out. (You can watch me do that in the video tutorial.) Bake for 13 minutes. As the macaron shells bake, they should form feet. To test for doneness, lightly touch the top of a macaron with a spoon or your finger (careful, it’s hot). If the macaron seems wobbly, it’s not done and needs another 1-2 minutes. If it seems set, it’s done. Basically, bake until the macarons don’t move around when touched. While yes, you can use parchment paper or other molds to make macarons, the silicone mat provides the best foundation for the macarons and allows them to bake fully.Many reviewers enjoy using this large mat on top of their workspace to protect their counters. The standard size measures 27.5 x 20 inches, which won’t fit most baking sheets, but it comes in a variety of sizes for larger or smaller surface areas and baking trays. Make Your Own Superfine Sugar: Add 80g of regular granulated sugar to your food processor or blender. Pulse about 10-15x until granules are much finer, aka superfine sugar. Weigh 80g superfine sugar—should be about the same amount you started with.

Read on below for our buyer’s guide and recommendations for the best silicone mats for macarons! The Secret To Making Great Macarons If the oily residue is still present, pour boiling water on the silicone baking mat and it will clean the baking mat perfectly to use for your macarons. Baking pan is old Sift the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar together in a large glass or metal mixing bowl. Use a spoon to help work any larger pieces through the sieve. You don’t want to discard a lot of that because then you won’t have enough dry ingredients in the batter. This helps prevent overcrowding and keeps the macarons from bumping into each other. You would want to give each macaron ample space to expand and lift.Lower-grade silicone mats may also require you to grease them which can add to the calories of your macarons and may also affect how they spread and bake as well.