I have been making these macarons many many times before I got the right texture and taste delicious. Making macarons can be very tough and some batter can waste time but the more I keep trying, I learning for better and better technique every time.
For me they are fun to make plus they are gluten free because they made from almond flour, without almond flour then they won't be macarons, right! Another important ingredient is powdered sugar. When I search for powdered sugar in grocery, I found some of powdered sugar contains tapioca starch in it, I can use this one but it can be tough to make macarons to the right texture. I found out that my macarons didn't make feet well either they didn't rise up well.
Another step that challenging me it when I am adding other ingredients to make colors. It could give me right at the first time I make it and sometime I fail to make the macarons look pretty color and tasty flavor. However, I have discover how to make macarons even more healthier without using chemical or any food coloring because my kids love these macarons. So, I am trying to use real fruit source for coloring my macarons plus they can give more nutrients for my kids as well.
Macarons can be fun activities to play around with. I decorate them for Valentine's Day with white chocolate and sprinkle some hearts pieces over. I made macarons for my kid's birthday can decorate them like candy or some special event like Easter or Christmas decoration, they are always fun to make them decorate with my daughters for their holiday or school off.
If you have never make macarons before then I suggest you start with the basic one without adding any colors that will be a first step of making macarons and that where I first start multiple time before I add color to make it fun color and tasty flavor. Now let get start.
Menu Ingredients Make for 60 Cookies
Special tools you need for making French Macarons
Hand mixer
Silicone Macarons Mat
At least 2 big trays, I make 30 cookies per tray and this batter ingredients good for 60 macaron cookies. If you want to make less macaron cookies then you will need to cut down the ingredients in half.
Bakery silicone bag with pipes
Macaron Cookies Ingredients
1 cup of Almond Flour
1 and 1/2 cups of Powder Sugar
3 large Egg White, use only room temperature eggs
1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tar Tar
1/4 cup of Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon of Almond Extract (Optional)
When you get more pro with the basic macarons then start make them more fun with colors. I create one flavor at a time and currently I have 6 flavors. Wow, I did it, right!
For pink color, I use 1/2 tablespoon of dragon fruit powdered then using homemade strawberry jam mixing with vanilla buttercream.
For brown color, I use 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with chocolate buttercream filling.
For green color, I use 1/2 tablespoon of Japanese Matcha tea powder with Matcha buttercream filling.
For purple color, I use 1/2 tablespoon of Acai powder to make purple color then using homemade blueberry jam mixing with vanilla buttercream.
My lemon flavor one, I make the macaron cookies as basic color then add lemon curd for filling that mixed with vanilla buttercream.
Macaron Cookies Preparation
Mixed almond flour and powder sugar in a medium mixing bowl then shifted the mixing dry ingredients once at least. I did it twice just to make sure that dry ingredients supper fined.
In another large mixing bowl, separated egg yolk and egg white. Put egg yolk in a container and put aside, we will use the egg yolk for homemade custard cream.
Using hand mixer beat the egg white until it foam then added cream of tar tar while beating the egg then added granulated sugar little at a time.
Continue beat until it look shinny and whipped.
Added 1/3 cup of mixed dry ingredients into the whipped at a time and using silicone spatula gently mixed until everything corporates.
Added vanilla and almond extracts, and food coloring, mixed until desire texture.
Transfer the cookies mixed into a bakery decoration silicone bag and put on a baking sheet at the same side about 1 inch round, they will expand more while I let them set at room temperature for 30 - 60 minutes.
Preheat oven at temperature of 300 Fahrenheit Degrees and bake for 14 to 15 minutes, rotate the tray at 7 minutes.
When the cookies done, take out of the oven and let it cool completely before add buttercream filling.
Buttercream Filling Ingredients
1/3 cup of Salted Butter, soften or at room temperature
2 and 1/2 cups of Powder Sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
2 to 3 tablespoons of Milk
Buttercream Filling Preparation
In a medium mixing bowl, using hand mixer beat the butter until it very creamy soften.
Added sugar and mixed until all corporates then added vanilla extract and milk.
Mixed well until it all look creamy and ready to fill on the macarons.
Homemade Strawberry/Blueberry Jam
This homemade recipe jam easy to make and only take a few minute to prepare. Made fresh as you need any time you want it. This don't have to make just for macarons filling but it is also can make as jam spread with bread is a great options for snack time or even for English afternoon tea.
Jam Ingredients
1 cup of Fresh Strawberries, dices small pieces or Fresh Blueberries
3 tablespoons of Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 teaspoons of Cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt
Jam Preparation
Put everything into a small pot, boil at medium heat, stirred until strawberry cook.
Pour into a blender until strawberry smooth then transfer to the same pot and let it cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off stove and let it cool down completely before using.
Transfer into an airtight container and store into refrigerator will keep it fresh to use for about 2 weeks.
You can watch on my YouTube channel for how to prepare French macarons step by step. This video I show the basic one for beginners and for advance skill will coming for next following episode.
Visit my YouTube Channel at Pitsuda's Kitchen
I hope this full French macaron recipe will inspire you for some baking project in the kitchen.