Parisian macarons are notoriously finicky little pastries. Proper method and technique is critical if your macarons are to succeed!
Below are a few tips to ensure that your macarons turn out well.
Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get it right the first time, or even the second time. With macarons, it’s definitely a matter of practice makes perfect.
- Best results are obtained when using egg whites that have been “aged” for a few days. Simply separate your egg whites and leave them at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours before using them. You can also age them for a few days in the refrigerator, but be sure to bring them to room temperature before using them.
- Do not attempt to make your own almond powder by grinding almonds yourself. The result is likely to be too coarse and oily, which does not bode well for macarons.
- Weigh your ingredients using a precision scale. Accuracy is critical! Even a little too much or too little can make the difference between success and failure
- Be sure to let the unbaked macarons sit for at least 20 to 30 minutes before putting them in the oven. This can make a huge difference in how they turn out.
- Place the baking tray inside another one to prevent the macarons from scorching, or keep the oven door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon to prevent the temperature from getting too hot.
- Bake one tray at a time in order to keep the oven temperature circulating as evenly as possible.
- To remove baked macarons from the tray more easily, as soon as they come out of the oven, lift the parchment paper slightly while spraying a small amount of water onto the hot tray and then let the paper fall back. The steam produced by the water will allow the macarons to come off easily once they have cooled.
Recommended macaron resources
Macarons: Authentic French Cookie Recipes from the Macaron Cafe, by Cecile Cannone
Mad About Macarons!, by Jill Colonna
Les Petits Macarons: Colorful French Confections to Make at Home, by Cathryn Gordon and Anne E. McBride
Macarons, by Bérengère Abraham
Macarons: 50 Exquisite Recipes, Shown in 200 Beautiful Photographs, by Mowie Kay
Having problems with your macarons? See ChocoParis Macaron Troubleshooting Tips
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Hello there,
Sofar I produced vulcanos, flat ones cracked macarons. I keep on trying. And bought Herme’s book.
Thanks for your tips. I will try them tomorrow.
One question: Herme writes a fan oven at 180 degrees. You write 160 degrees (normal oven no fan).
Why do you use lower temperatures an slightly longer baking time.
Thanks for letting me know
Kind refards,
Han
Hello Han,
After much trial and error, I have found 160 degrees C to be the optimal temperature for successful macarons using a conventional oven. Even though Pierre Hermé bakes his macarons at 180 degrees in a fan oven, I can only recommend the temperature that works for me using a normal oven. (When the temperature is too high, the feet spread sideways very quickly.) Pierre Hermé’s book is wonderful and an excellent guide to making macarons. Good luck!
My macarons turned out hollow, crumbly and hard. What did I do wrong?
When I made my French macaroons I let them sit for about 40 minutes and they never formed a skin. Why didn’t they form a skin?
In my many attempts I found three reasons for that:
1. overbeaten eggwhites (dried out)- the peaks should be stable but not too firm
2. not enough sugar
3. too oily almond meal – if you grind the almonds yourself, do that together with sugar, be careful not to overprocess and then dry the sifted combination on very low heat in the oven
is macarons can mix with in a mixer machine and not by hand, can you also make a big mix 30 kg mix of macaron or only small batch can be done.
thank you
Hello, I freeze my egg whites until I have enough to make a recipe with. This method works fine when I make meringues. But do you know if that is an issue for macrons? I took them out of the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge, but maybe I should let them thaw outside the fridge and keep them there after thawing for another 24-48 hours? I just tried my first batch yesterday and even after an hour and a half, I couldn’t get a skin to form. Thanks for your help!