French Macarons

 This week’s bake are French Macarons from Samantha Merritt of Sugar Spun Run.  They are delicate Vanilla French Meringue Cookies, dyed orange and filled with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting !

Macarons have been produced in the Venetian monasteries since the 8th century A.D. 

During the Renaissance, French queen Catherine de' Medici's Italian pastry chefs made them when she brought them with her to France in 1533 upon marrying Henry II of France. 

According to Larousse Gastronomique the macaron was created in 1791 in a convent near Cormery. In 1792, macarons began to gain fame when two Carmelite nuns, seeking asylum in Nancy during the French Revolution, baked and sold the macaron cookies in order to pay for their housing. These nuns became known as the "Macaron Sisters". In these early stages, macarons were served without special flavours or fillings.

It was not until the 1930s that macarons began to be served two-by-two with the addition of jams, liqueurs, and spices. The macaron as it is known today, composed of two almond meringue discs filled with a layer of buttercream, jam, or ganache filling, was originally called the "Gerbet" or the "Paris macaron." Pierre Desfontaines, of the French pâtisserie Ladurée, has sometimes been credited with its creation in the early part of the 20th century, but another baker, Claude Gerbet, also claims to have invented it.

Here is the recipe:

French Macaron Recipe from Samantha Merritt of Sugar Spun Run

Ingredients

150 grams super-fine almond flour (1 ? cup) see note

150 grams powdered sugar 1 ¼ cups

110 grams egg whites room temperature (about 3 egg whites/110ml/just under ½ cup) see note

1/8 teaspoon table salt

pinch cream of tartar optional (I typically use 1/8 teaspoon)

95 grams granulated sugar scant ½ cup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Food coloring optional

White Chocolate butter cream frosting

Instructions

Before you begin: Ensure that all of your equipment (bowls, spatulas, beaters, etc.) are completely clean, dry, and grease free. Rubber, silicone, and plastic are not ideal for whipping meringue, so I recommend avoiding these materials and using glass or metal bowls when whipping the egg whites.

Line 3 standard-sized cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Sift almond flour and powdered sugar into a medium-sized mixing bowl

Pour egg whites into a separate large, clean, dry mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed until foamy (about 30 seconds).

Add salt and cream of tartar and stir on medium-speed for 30 seconds (it’s OK if the cream of tartar isn't totally broken up)

With mixer on medium-speed, add about 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar and beat for about 30 seconds, then add the next Tablespoon. Repeat until all sugar has been added.

Once all sugar has been added, add vanilla extract and food coloring (if using)

Continue to beat on medium to medium-high speed until mixture reaches thick, fluffy, stiff peaks. Meringue should be thick enough that the electric beaters leave tracks in their wake. When you lift the beaters straight out of the meringue, the peaks that form should not be soft or fold over on themselves, they should hold their shape firmly and stay straight without bending.

Add about a third of the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture to the meringue and use a spatula to fold until combined. Repeat with the next third of the mixture, and then the last.

Continue to fold the batter, moving your spatula in sweeping motions, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl and cutting through the middle of the batter and turning your bowl as you go. Use your spatula smoosh the mixture against the side of the bowl periodically to help deflate it. Continue to fold until the batter flows smoothly and falls from the spatula in a smooth ribbon. You should be able to make a figure-8 with the batter and it should hold its shape for about 10-15 seconds before the edges relax back into the batter.

Pour the batter into a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip 

Pipe batter onto prepared baking sheets, holding the piping bag straight up and down and squeezing until you have 1 ½" circles of batter. Flick your wrist in a "C" motion at the end of piping each shell to complete the macaron and minimize peaks. Space macarons at least 1 ½” apart on baking sheet.

Rap each pan very firmly on your countertop 4-5 times to release any air bubbles and preheat oven to 325F (160C).

Let macarons rest until a skin forms on the surface (if you run the pad of your finger over the top it should feel dry and not sticky or tacky). This is typically about 30-60 minutes but may take more or less time depending on individual kitchen conditions

Bake one tray at a time in center rack of oven for 10 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through the baking time. When finished baking, the feet should look dry and if you lightly press down on the top of a macaron it shouldn’t give.

Allow macaron shells to cool completely before pairing off the shells and sandwiching them around your favorite frosting. For best results, allow macarons to mature in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 24 hours (and then allowing to sit at room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes before serving) before enjoying.

Here are some pictures from the bake:

Have a wonderful day !