When I first made macarons, I was a bit sad when they come out in puddles. Haha. I believed a lot of you guys may have experience it before. But fear not, follow me through and I hope these will make your macarons experience a wonderful one.
I will show you guys the basics of how to make macaron shells and you guys can ready to rock and roll with different fillings! From buttercream, curds, chocolate ganche, jam etc. Live your creativity!
I will show you guys the basics of how to make macaron shells and you guys can ready to rock and roll with different fillings! From buttercream, curds, chocolate ganche, jam etc. Live your creativity!
First, sieve your almond meal with icing sugar together. Make sure to do this step to prevent big lumps in your shells.
And yes, you may substitute almonds meal with other nut flours like hazelnuts and pistachios.
And yes, you may substitute almonds meal with other nut flours like hazelnuts and pistachios.
Making the Meringue!
In a clean bowl and with a clean whisk, beat your egg whites on low till frothy. Then add sugar slowly, and whisk on medium speed till firm peaks form. End off with beater on low to try break any huge bubbles.
In a clean bowl and with a clean whisk, beat your egg whites on low till frothy. Then add sugar slowly, and whisk on medium speed till firm peaks form. End off with beater on low to try break any huge bubbles.
Tips:
Do not beat them on high. We don't want to have big air bubbles in the meringue. Big bubbles that are trapped in the meringue when bake, will most likely burst your shells, or have very hollow shells.
Do not beat them on high. We don't want to have big air bubbles in the meringue. Big bubbles that are trapped in the meringue when bake, will most likely burst your shells, or have very hollow shells.
You may add in colouring here. I would suggest colour paste or edible colour powder here to colour your meringue.
We will want to eliminate as much moisture as we can, especially if you are living in a humid country like I am.
We will want to eliminate as much moisture as we can, especially if you are living in a humid country like I am.
Beat the colour in till just combined.
Pour over almond mixture into the meringue at 2 parts go, folding till just combined, using a spatula and with big strokes.
Tips:
When to know when the folding is done enough for macarons?
A lot of recipes out there tells you the number of times to fold, or how thick the batter should look like, but really??
All these depends on how often you bake, how big is your bowl, how big or gentle your strokes be of folding is.
I teach you a method to really tell if you have folded just enough.
Take up some of the batter using your spatula, and let it drip back into the bowl. The batter should sit on top of the remaining, and slowly dissolves in, within 30-40 seconds. That's is when you know you are done.
Tips:
When to know when the folding is done enough for macarons?
A lot of recipes out there tells you the number of times to fold, or how thick the batter should look like, but really??
All these depends on how often you bake, how big is your bowl, how big or gentle your strokes be of folding is.
I teach you a method to really tell if you have folded just enough.
Take up some of the batter using your spatula, and let it drip back into the bowl. The batter should sit on top of the remaining, and slowly dissolves in, within 30-40 seconds. That's is when you know you are done.
Tips: Using a tall mug, place in your piping bag with a fitted round nozzle. I used 1cm in diameter nozzle.
Pour the batter at some height into the piping bag slowly. This will ensure that no huge air bubbles are trapped in the batter, and thus, there will be no need to bang the tray afterwards
I do not have enough trays to fit all macaron batter, thus I realised this little useful trick. Yes, thank me. =D
Pour the batter at some height into the piping bag slowly. This will ensure that no huge air bubbles are trapped in the batter, and thus, there will be no need to bang the tray afterwards
I do not have enough trays to fit all macaron batter, thus I realised this little useful trick. Yes, thank me. =D
You can make your own template, but I just free-handed piped this shells. Ooh well, I go the any-how way anyways.
Let the batter sits on the countertop, until a skin forms on the batter, and when you touched it gently it does not stick to your fingers
Let the batter sits on the countertop, until a skin forms on the batter, and when you touched it gently it does not stick to your fingers
When they are done, place them on 3 trays, and bake them at 150°C, 130°C (fan). Bake them for about 23-25 mins They should come very easily off the baking sheets without sticking when cooled. If you find them sticking, place them back in the oven for another 5-10 mins.
Tips:
Yes, 3 trays, or more if you have. This is because if you bake them on many trays, the heat will dispersed more evenly and you will have nice little feet that go up. Trust me.
Tips:
Yes, 3 trays, or more if you have. This is because if you bake them on many trays, the heat will dispersed more evenly and you will have nice little feet that go up. Trust me.
And there you have it. A tray of wonderful macaron shells. Easy? Yes. Try it!
These shells can sit outside without filling, in a airtight container for weeks. Or in freezer for months.
You can now fill them up with any fillings you want. I filled mine with passionfruit curd. Yes, passionfruit. Tangy, yet a little sweet, really appetising. =)
Typically, you serve them a day after you pipe the fillings, but if you are using a more liquid filling like curds, you may want to serve them within hours.
These shells can sit outside without filling, in a airtight container for weeks. Or in freezer for months.
You can now fill them up with any fillings you want. I filled mine with passionfruit curd. Yes, passionfruit. Tangy, yet a little sweet, really appetising. =)
Typically, you serve them a day after you pipe the fillings, but if you are using a more liquid filling like curds, you may want to serve them within hours.
Here is the recipe:
(Adapted and modified from Joy Of Baking)
Ingredients:
100g of egg whites (about 4 eggs whites, aged in fridge overnight)
100g almond meal (or you call them almond flour, ground almonds, or you can just processed flakes almonds or any nuts in a food processor until fine, together with icing sugar so that they will not turn into paste)
180g icing sugar
35g caster sugar
some food colourings
Directions:
1) Sift almond meal and icing sugar together in a bowl and set aside.
2) Beat egg whites with a electric mixer till frothy. Add caster sugar and continue beating on medium speed till firm peaks form. Do not overbeat the meringue. Add food colouring if desired and beat till combined
3) Fold in almond mixture together with meringue in 2 portions till combined. You have to fold till the batter when lifted up with the spatula and drips back into the remaining, settles in after 30-40 seconds.
4) Place piping bag, fitted with a plain 1cm nozzle in a tall mug. Pour batter into the mug at a height, slowly.
5) Twist the bag and pipe shells, at around 4cm in diameter per shells.
6) Let sit on counter till a skin forms on the top.
7) Preheat oven to 150°C, or 130°C Fan-forced oven.
8) Bake the shells on 3 or more baking trays for about 23-25 mins. The shells should come off the baking paper easily when cooled. If not, bake them for another 5-10 more minutes.
9) Let cooled and pipe on any fillings you like.
10) Enjoy!
(Adapted and modified from Joy Of Baking)
Ingredients:
100g of egg whites (about 4 eggs whites, aged in fridge overnight)
100g almond meal (or you call them almond flour, ground almonds, or you can just processed flakes almonds or any nuts in a food processor until fine, together with icing sugar so that they will not turn into paste)
180g icing sugar
35g caster sugar
some food colourings
Directions:
1) Sift almond meal and icing sugar together in a bowl and set aside.
2) Beat egg whites with a electric mixer till frothy. Add caster sugar and continue beating on medium speed till firm peaks form. Do not overbeat the meringue. Add food colouring if desired and beat till combined
3) Fold in almond mixture together with meringue in 2 portions till combined. You have to fold till the batter when lifted up with the spatula and drips back into the remaining, settles in after 30-40 seconds.
4) Place piping bag, fitted with a plain 1cm nozzle in a tall mug. Pour batter into the mug at a height, slowly.
5) Twist the bag and pipe shells, at around 4cm in diameter per shells.
6) Let sit on counter till a skin forms on the top.
7) Preheat oven to 150°C, or 130°C Fan-forced oven.
8) Bake the shells on 3 or more baking trays for about 23-25 mins. The shells should come off the baking paper easily when cooled. If not, bake them for another 5-10 more minutes.
9) Let cooled and pipe on any fillings you like.
10) Enjoy!