French macarons for dummies Recipe
It was Xmas time and I was trying to find a macaron recipe after having tried them in Paris. Lots of recipes around but complicated and off-putting for most. (I am a retired chef and am used to honing down “gourmet” recipes). After compiling and trying and testing, I came up with a recipe that works great and is not complicated. I want to share it with you.
This is not a recipe for purists. Please keep that in mind. It is meant to be an easier way to make a macaron or macaroon.
The French way is to lather ganache (a sort of chocolate frosting) on the bottom of one and press another one together to make a little sandwich.
There are lots of variations to the flavor but that is not the purpose of this recipe.
- 1 cup whole blanched raw almonds or almond powder or almond meal
- 75 grs granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 tsp almond extract or vanilla
- pinch salt
- 300 grams chopped dark chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 large heaping tablespoons butter
- Preheat oven to 175 C and lightly butter or oil a cookie or baking sheet.
- Using a food processor, process the almonds and sugar until finely ground.
Add the egg white, almond extract (or vanilla) and salt.
Continue to process until you have a thick paste.
(Note: if the paste seems too liquid, add more almonds)
Transfer the paste to a bowl. - Wet your hands and, using your palms, make small balls about 3 cms in diameter and arrange them about 5 cms apart on the baking sheet. If the batter starts to stick your hands, wet them.
Press each macaron lightly with a wet finger to flatten a little. - Bake the macarons in middle of oven 15/20 minutes.
(Depending on your oven, 15 minutes gives you a chewy texture and 20 minutes a crunchier texture.)
Remove and let cool slightly. Then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
The macarons will keep 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. - For the ganache filling:
Melt the chocolate slowly in a pan or in the microwave.
Heat the cream (do not boil).
Mix the cream and the butter into the chocolate.
Cover with transparent film and leave to cool until stiff enough to use to fill the macarons.
The macarons will keep 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Member recipes are not tested by the CHOW food team.
Susie37, if you follow the recipe (you need a good scale) and know how to use a piping bag, it's not difficult at all.
I made the violet macarons from the site you recommended and I was really happy with the way they came out: http://www.histoiresucree.com/recipes/macarons_violettes.html
Thanks!
Today was my first time making macarons and I'm pretty happy because they came out really really good. I thought they'd crack or something as I've always heard macarons were really difficult to make!
Anyway, I used this recipe: http://www.histoiresucree.com/recipes/macarons_coings.html
I must say it was a real success!
Macaroons are those awful tasting things one eats or doesn't eat at Passover (unless you know how to make them). They are made from coconut and flavorings. Ysusi, the recipe above is for French macarons, which bear no resemblance living or dead to macaroons. If you know how to pronounce French, the two words sound nothing alike. Please read her recipe. She includes the one for a filling. I'd like...+READ
Macaroons are those awful tasting things one eats or doesn't eat at Passover (unless you know how to make them). They are made from coconut and flavorings. Ysusi, the recipe above is for French macarons, which bear no resemblance living or dead to macaroons. If you know how to pronounce French, the two words sound nothing alike. Please read her recipe. She includes the one for a filling. I'd like to do a coffee and a caramel filling...would you have a quick recipe for those, afteryouwho?-COLLAPSE
I think the thing here is that this is not the recipe for macarons (filled) but for almond/coconut macaroons (common confusion).
I believe that the term "french maccaroons" applies to those which are two small ones stacked with a filling of ganache. YUMMY !
The macaron (macaroon) is the cookie. The filling is the icing on the cake.
My understanding at least.
Aren't macarons supposed to have cream/ganache in the middle?
AnnieMar. Thanks for your comment. I personally don't see much difference. Like all recipes, you have to play around a little to see how it works for you. For instance, if you want them a little softer, reduce the baking time from 20 to 15 minutes.
As for what you ask about the difference, I didn't see much difference at all. And the labor difference is considerable.
Mine were gobbled down at the...+READ
AnnieMar. Thanks for your comment. I personally don't see much difference. Like all recipes, you have to play around a little to see how it works for you. For instance, if you want them a little softer, reduce the baking time from 20 to 15 minutes.
As for what you ask about the difference, I didn't see much difference at all. And the labor difference is considerable.
Mine were gobbled down at the speed of light so they must have been pretty tasty!-COLLAPSE
Wow... what a different recipe that the one I struggled with this morning! How do these differ once completed from the meringe-based macarons?
If you are interested, I can give some variants. Just email me.