French Macarons

How to Make French Macarons

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1. Blitz the ground almonds and icing sugar together in a processor for 30 seconds, then sift twice. Discard any coarse fragments — they will pock your shells.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

2. Whisk 55 g of the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks, then add the caster sugar gradually and whisk to a stiff, glossy meringue that holds a firm beak.

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3. Stir the remaining 55 g of egg whites into the almond mixture to form a thick paste.

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4. Fold a third of the meringue in to loosen, then fold in the rest. Now begin macaronage: press the batter against the bowl side and fold, counting your strokes.

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5. Stop when the batter falls from the spatula in a thick, unbroken ribbon and a figure of eight holds for about 10 seconds before melting back. Usually 35 to 50 strokes.

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6. Pipe 3.5 cm rounds onto lined trays, holding the bag vertically. Rap each tray hard on the counter three times to release trapped air, and pop any surface bubbles with a toothpick.

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7. Rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until the surface is matte and does not stick to a light touch.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

8. While the shells rest, make the ganache: warm the cream until steaming, pour it over the chocolate, stir smooth, beat in the butter, and chill until thick enough to pipe. It firms in the fridge while the shells rest, bake and cool; if it is still too soft to hold a shape when the shells are cold, give it longer, stirring now and then so it sets evenly.

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9. Bake at 150°C / 300°F for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating halfway. A finished shell should not wobble on its foot when nudged.

   Mark done Start 14 min timer

10. Cool the shells completely on the tray; they are ready when they lift cleanly off the paper without leaving their bases behind. Pipe ganache onto half of them, sandwich with the rest, and mature in an airtight box in the fridge for 24 hours before serving.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Notes for Getting It Right

• If you separate the eggs ahead, keep the whites covered in the fridge and use them within 2 days. Take them out no more than 2 hours before whisking: room-temperature whites whip more readily, but raw egg should not sit out longer than that.
• Weigh everything to the gram. Macarons are the least forgiving recipe on this site.
• The 24 hours in the fridge is part of the recipe, and the total time includes it: moisture moves from the filling into the shells and the centres turn chewy. Eaten the same day, they are edible but crisper and drier.

What Goes With French Macarons

• Champagne or a pot of Earl Grey
• Serve as petits fours after dinner
• Pair flavours with the season: raspberry in summer, chestnut in autumn

Keeping and Reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight box for 5 days, bringing to room temperature 20 minutes before eating. Freeze filled macarons for 3 months.

Questions About French Macarons

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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