Let’s Learn How to Make French Macarons
Making French Macarons is one of The Gourmandise School’s most popular classes. This delectable recipe is easy to make and the steps below will show you how to perfect the folding and the piping, and how to make a delicious chocolate ganache to sandwich the cookies.
Follow the steps below or check out our Class Calendar for the next in-person or virtual French Macaron Class.
Let’s Make French Macarons Kit
To make it even easier, you can purchase all the essential ingredients in our Gift Shop! The French Macaron Kit includes everything you need to create two batches of these delectable treats. With the purchase of your kit, you will also receive a unique code to take one of our virtual macaron classes for free!
THE SHELL
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until they reach the soft peak stage.
2. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat on high speed until very stiff.
3. Then add food coloring to the meringue you’ve just made and beat until incorporated. Remove the pink meringue mixture from the stand mixer bowl and transfer it to a large wide shallow bowl.
4. In a separate bowl using a hand whisk, mix the powdered sugar and almond flour together. Using your sifter, sift half of these dry ingredients over the pink meringue and fold until the mixture is still very stiff, but most of the dry ingredients look incorporated. Sift and fold in the remaining dry ingredients and continue folding until the mixture looks less like a dough and more like a thick batter that forms a neat ribbon as it falls
5. Cut a small hole in the piping bag and fit it with the piping tip. Place the batter in a piping bag. Pipe macarons on parchment-paper lined half-sheet pan. They should be a little larger than a quarter and have at least 12″ space between them. Let the cookies dry until you can touch them without leaving batter on your finger (about 30-45 minutes).
GANACHE
Melt the chocolate and cream together either over a double boiler or in a microwave, stirring often and pulling your bowl off the heat once 75% of the chocolate has melted to prevent it from burning. Add butter stirring until melted. Let it cool until it has a spreadable consistency.
MACARON ASSEMBLY
1. Once the macarons have cooled, gently flip the parchment over and peel the parchment paper back from the base of the cookie.
2. Open a piping bag and place the ganache inside. Cut a small hole at the tip of the bag. Pipe a dollop onto the bottom of one macaron, place a second one over the ganache, and twist ever so slightly to settle
3. Spread your sprinkles in a small saucer or something similar. Gently roll the edges of your macarons in the sprinkles to secure them to the chocolate. Your macarons will be delicious right now, but SUPER delicious once they’ve rested overnight in the refrigerator.