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Macarons – Needs more work!

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    Have you made Macarons yet?? I was so nervous about them, I went and took a class on how to make them. I’m not sure I got my money’s worth because I did not make very good Macarons in the class or at home!

    I really enjoy making Meringue cookies, so I thought I would be a pro at Macarons. But, OH NO! Not even close!

    It’s such a science to get it all right and perfect! I must not have done everything perfectly when I was making these.

    I wanted to make something Special and Different for my in-law’s 45th Wedding Anniversary. My Sister-in-Law put together an awesome gift basket full of Sapphire colored treats! Let’s just say that if it had a blue label, bottle, or package, she put it into the gift basket. It turned out really great and I’m sure they are still picking out things from the basket. One of my contributions were these Macarons. (Hence the blue ones in attempt #2)

    On my first attempt of the day, I made some Chocolate Macarons following the recipe by David Lebovitz (found here). Even he could not get it perfect, so I didn’t feel too bad….

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    I had my Almond Meal.
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    I gently combined the meringue with the cocoa and almond. 

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    And I ended up with lumpy, flat, and cracked Macarons. 
    Pretty Sad!
    Then I moved on to a Martha Stewart Recipe (found here).

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    I watched my meringue closely being sure to obtain a Stiff Peak. 
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    This time I sifted the almond flour as I added it the (blue) meringue. I also allowed them to sit on the counter for 15 minutes prior to putting them into the over. They turned out better, but still not perfect. They were hollow inside. Not good.

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    Finally, I tried a final recipe (found here).
    This IS the Martha Stewart recipe, however, she provides weights. This time I weighed all of my ingredients!  

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    I grounded my Almond flour to make it EXTRA fine. 

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    And then triple sifted it to get the larger pieces out. 

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    I tapped the cookie sheet let them sit for 30 minutes and I reduced the heat. 
    I followed everything – EXACTLY! 
    This turned out to be my best batch. 

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    There are a bunch of filling suggestions on the Martha Stewart, but I made a basic chocolate ganache filling.

    1/2 cup heavy cream

    3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (preferably 70% cacao)
    1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened

    Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

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    I WILL make these again. I just bought some almond slivers without the skins. 
    I didn’t like the small flecks left in the Macaron by the skins. 
    There are so many tips and tricks online for making these French Cookies. If you have any advice on making them, I’d love to hear them.  Please share so I don’t have to make three batches to get them right again. Thank you!

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    Karyn Granrud

    I'm Karyn, a mom and wife, and I founded this little baking blog. Baking and making desserts have been my passion since I was a kid. I love experimenting with different flavors and sharing delicious recipes with all of you. Read more.

    34 thoughts on “Macarons – Needs more work!”

      2. Anonymous
        Reply

        They don't quite look like Ladurée (a friend of a friend brought some back from NYC, worth every penny, esp. someone else's penny) but they look better than what I've seen for sale around Chicago. You should be proud!

    8. Shannon
      Reply

      I've never tried macarons but I've been thinking this might be the year. Even though you made them three times they look great to me! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    16. Erin
      Reply

      They look wonderful! I've never made them because they scare me. My Mom told me to weigh the ingredients too. Man, that's so precise. But your look beautiful! Great job!

    21. Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.com
      Reply

      They all look good if you ask me! I haven't attempted macaroons, too intimidated. I did buy almond meal at Trader Joe, but it sits in my cupboard, alone. I impressed you tried them 3 times! Again, I think they all look wonderful!

    23. Miz Helen
      Reply

      Hi Karyn,
      These Macarons are just beautiful we will just love them. Hope you have a fantastic weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

    28. Annette
      Reply

      Try using Bob's Red Mill almond meal. I sift the almond meal, then process with powdered sugar in a food processor. When combining the almond/sugar with the meringue, make sure you fold the mixture so that it flows slowly like a ribbon, but not too much! After piping I always tap cookie sheet firmly on the counter a few times and have them rest 30-45 mins. to help form the skin on top so the feet form in the oven. Good luck!

    30. Michelle's Tasty Creations
      Reply

      Karyn,
      These Macaroons look beautiful. So sorry to hear it took three times to get it right. I would NEVER have that much patience, lol. I'm sure your in-laws loved the finished product. Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you share this week! Have a wonderful week.
      Michelle

    33. Mellie
      Reply

      They look delicious! I made them using the first link that you provided. I also read the Martha Stewart recipe beforehand, many, many times. I was afraid, even intimidated by making Macarons, too. I had been putting it off for a few years, in fact. I was taking a public speaking class (as if that isn't intimidating enough) and needed to do an informative speech. There aren't many steps in making Macaron's and since my speech couldn't be longer than 5 minutes, I decided to use making Macaron's as my topic. I made them with perfection on my very first try. I was floored.
      The other student's enjoyed my Macaron's and I can mark it off of my bucket list! 🙂

      Cheers!

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