Recipe
French Macarons Cookies (Almond)
Wine Pairing Suggestions
A sweet wine or ice wine pairs nicely with the sweet French Macaron.
Servings
Makes approximately 50 cookies
Equipment
Macaron shells: Large piping bag fitted with ½ inch (1A plain tip)
Almond Filling: Food Processor, Small piping bag fitted with 10mm plain tip
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
275 grams ground almonds (almond flour)
250 grams confectioners’ sugar
6 egg whites
210 grams granulated sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
Almond filling
10.5 Tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups almond paste
¾ cup whipping cream
Preparation
Macaron Shells
Separate the egg whites and age over night.
Weigh each of the dry ingredients using a scale and sift together over a large piece of parchment to remove any lumps. Set aside.
In a clean, dry bowl of stand up mixer whip the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to mix.
Delicately fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a large spatula.
Quickly “strum” the batter until ingredients are combined, but be careful not to over mix. Batter should fall off gently from the spatula, not drip.
Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip.
On a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper, pipe macarons rounds 1 ¼ inch in diameter.
Tap underneath baking sheet to spread rounds, and remove air bubbles.
Sprinkle chopped almonds gently on top of rounds.
Let the macarons rest (uncovered) for 30 minutes to an hour before baking and preheat oven to 325 degrees
Place baking sheet in oven and bake for approximately 12 minutes, until they form a slight crust.
Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing the macarons from baking sheet.
Place half of the macarons shells upside down to prepare to be filled and completed.
Almond Filling
Process the almond paste until it resembles granules.
Add room temperaturebutter and cream and process until fully combines with no lumps.
Chef Holly’s tips for success
Test macarons for doneness by touching the tops with your finger. They should be firm and not jiggle. Let cool completely before filling. Pipe filling directly in the center of cookie and twist top until filing reaches the edges.