Mix And Match French Macarons Recipes

FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F using the convection setting. Line 3 baking sheets with silicone mats. Measure the confectioners' sugar and almond flour by spooning them into measuring cups and leveling with a knife. Transfer to a bowl; whisk to combine.
• Sift the sugar-almond flour mixture, a little at a time, through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to pass through as much as possible. It will take a while, and up to 2 tablespoons of coarse almond flour may be left; just toss it.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium high; gradually add the superfine sugar and beat until stiff and shiny, about 5 more minutes.
• Transfer the beaten egg whites to the bowl with the almond flour mixture. Draw a rubber spatula halfway through the mixture and fold until incorporated, giving the bowl a quarter turn with each fold.
• Add the food coloring and extract (see below). Continue folding and turning, scraping down the bowl, until the batter is smooth and falls off the spatula in a thin flat ribbon, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet, pipe 1 1/4-inch circles (24 per sheet). Firmly tap the baking sheets twice against the counter to release any air bubbles.
• Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the tops are no longer sticky to the touch, 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the humidity. Slip another baking sheet under the first batch (a double baking sheet protects the cookies from the heat).
• Bake the first batch until the cookies are shiny and rise 1/8 inch to form a "foot," about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat, using a double sheet for each batch. Peel the cookies off the mats and sandwich with a thin layer of filling (see below).
• Almond-Raspberry:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops neon pink gel food coloring; flavor with almond extract. Fill with seedless raspberry jam (you'll need about 3/4 cup).
• Mint-White Chocolate:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops mint green gel food coloring; flavor with mint extract. For the filling, microwave 3 ounces chopped white chocolate, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 1 tablespoon butter in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon mint extract and 1 drop mint green gel food coloring.
• Blueberry Cheesecake:
• Tint the batter with 3 drops royal blue gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract. For the filling, mix 4 ounces softened cream cheese and 3 tablespoons blueberry jam.
• Lavender-Honey:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops violet gel food coloring; flavor with almond or vanilla extract. For the filling, mix 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon ground dried lavender.
• Pineapple:
• Tint the batter with 2 drops lemon yellow gel food coloring; flavor with vanilla extract. For the filling, press 3/4 cup pineapple jam through a sieve, discarding any large pieces.

MIX-AND-MATCH FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.
• Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.
• Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)
• Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately.

FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• To Make the Shells:.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor until well combined. Sift using a mesh sieve into a small bowl and set aside.
• In a stainless steel bowl, whisk egg whites at medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute, then add cream of tartar.
• Continue to whisk until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes, then turn down to low speed.
• Add superfine sugar and whisk at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Peaks should not be able to fall and mixture should not move when bowl is turned upside down.
• Sift almond flour mixture again into bowl of egg whites.
• Using a spatula, fold almond mixture and egg whites together. The mixture seems very dry initially until the whites start to mix.
• Fold until mixture looks shiny and smooth and batter drips slowly from the spatula but only keeps a shape for about 15 seconds (peak disappears).
• Transfer batter into a pastry bag with a 1/2" round tip or a freezer bag with one corner cut to fit the tip. A well folded batter should start to ooze out of tip when the pastry bag is filled.
• Pipe 3/4" circles separated by 1". For best results, print out 'macaron templates' found online and place under parchment paper as a guide and remove before baking. When piping, keep the tip in the middle and wiggle around while piping to fill the circle, stopping just before reaching the edge of the circle and lifting the tip from the side.
• After completing the piping, tap baking sheet a few times onto counter or table to release air pockets and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While batter is resting, preheat oven to 375 degrees and place another empty baking sheet onto middle rack.
• Once oven reaches 375 and batter has rested, decrease temperature to 325 and place first baking sheet onto empty pan in oven.
• Prop open oven door slightly using an oven mitt and bake for 7 minutes then turn pan to bake evenly, another 7 minutes. When all techniques are executed well, the shells should bake with a frilly "foot.".
• Remove from oven if tops of shells are crisp, not soft, and can be slightly lifted without separating or completely sticking to the pan when checked. Bake another minute or two until shells are crisp but not browned.
• Let sheet cool on wire rack for 2 minutes.
• If baking a second sheet, reheat oven to 375 degrees before reducing back to 325 degrees and baking as before with door propped.
• Remove shells to wire rack to cool completely.
• To Make Filling:.
• Beat softened butter and sugar until well incorporated.
• Add vanilla and beat until smooth.
• To Assemble Macarons:.
• Match shells into pairs according to similar sizes/shapes.
• Transfer filling into a pastry bag with small round tip or into a sandwich bag with a small corner cut.
• Pipe a 1" mound onto the flat side of one shell.
• Take empty shell half and sandwich onto the other with flat sides facing, pushing filling down until it meets the edge of the two shells all around.
• Although macarons can be eaten immediately, they taste best after 24 hours refrigerated then brought back to room temperature before enjoying.
• Flavor Alternatives:.
• For Coffee: add 1 tbsp espresso powder and 1 tbsp cocoa powder to flour mixture. Replace 1 tsp espresso powder diluted with a little water into filling instead of vanilla.
• For Salted Caramel: add 1 tbsp cocoa powder to flour mixture and sprinkle coarse salt on tops of batter after baking sheets are tapped to release air. Fill with your favorite caramel frosting recipe with added salt.
• For Chocolate: replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with 3 tbsp cocoa powder. Fill with your favorite chocolate ganache recipe.
• For Vanilla Bean: add 1/2 of a scraped bean to egg whites after stiff peaks formed and before sifting flour onto whites. Add 1/2 of a scraped bean into the filling mix when beating.
• For Pistachio: replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with 1/4 cup of ground pistachios. Add 2 tbsp of ground pistachios to filling when beating.
• For Green Tea: add 1 tbsp of green tea powder to flour mixture. Add 2 tsp of green tea powder to the filling when beating.
• For Cheesecake: replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with 1/4 cup of ground graham crackers. Fill with your favorite cheesecake buttercream recipe.

BEST FRENCH MACARONS

Steps:

• Combine confectioners' sugar, almond flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until extra-fine. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until frothy. Gradually add superfine sugar and vanilla and continue to beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat; tips of peaks should hold their shape but curl over slightly.
• Gently fold 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the egg whites, turning bowl occasionally, until nearly combined. Drop in food coloring. Add remaining almond flour mixture in 2 additions, gently folding until a batter comes together. Batter should fall off the spatula in thick ribbons without breaking.
• Transfer batter to a piping bag with a #804 pastry tip. Line 2 light-colored baking sheets with silicone macaron mats. Pipe batter into each circle on the mats. Tap baking sheets 4 times against the counter to release any air bubbles. Let macarons sit at room temperature until dry to the touch, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake macarons in the preheated oven until bottoms rise slightly off the mats to form 'feet', 17 to 20 minutes. Switch baking sheets positions halfway through.
• Let macarons cool on the mats for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat butter and confectioners' sugar together using an electric mixer until creamy. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract; beat until combined.
• Transfer buttercream to a piping bag with a #4 pastry tip. Pipe buttercream onto 1/2 of the macarons. Top with the other halves to create sandwiches.