Ingredients To Make Macarons

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Learn what ingredients you need to make macarons, along with the science behind each ingredient. Plus, I'll share some of my favorite tips for professional-looking macarons.

What are the main ingredients?

There are four main ingredients that you'll use to make macarons. These are the same ingredients no matter what method of meringue you make. 1. Almond Flour 2. Egg Whites 3. Confectioners' Sugar 4. Granulated Sugar

What are the supplemental ingredients?

1. Cream of tartar 2. Dried egg whites 3. Food coloring (gel or powdered)

Almond Flour

The best flour and most common flour used for macarons is almond flour.Macarons are known for their almond-flavored shell. In fact, being able to taste the almond flour is a sign that the macaron is fresh. This ingredient is not only a flavor enhancer, but it also acts as a structure builder for the macarons.

Confectioners' Sugar

Confectioners' sugar is another dry ingredient that is combined with the almond flour. Many macaron recipes use a one-to-one ratio of confectioners' sugar to almond flour. However, it's also acceptable to use two parts confectioners' sugar to one part almond flour.

Granulated Sugar

Granulated sugar is added to the egg whites while making meringue build a strong structure. Different methods of making meringue will add granulated sugar to the egg whites using slightly different methods.

Granulated Sugar

1. French method macarons: The granulated sugar is slowly beaten into the egg whites after they've become foamy. 2. Italian method macarons: The granulated sugar is mixed with water and then heated into a sugar syrup. The hot sugar syrup is slowly poured into the partially whipped egg whites.

Granulated Sugar

3. Swiss method macarons: This method combines egg whites and granulated sugar. Then, the mixture is heated over a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are a very important ingredient in macarons that help provide protein and structure in the macaron shells. Egg whites are made up of 90% water and around 10% protein. Egg whites are mixed with granulated sugar to create a meringue.

Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is an acid that's added to the egg whites at the beginning of the whipping process. This ingredient helps to stabilize the egg white foam, as well as prevent an overwhipped meringue. Don't skip this ingredient, especially if you're using fresh egg whites.

Dried Egg Whites

This ingredient is another option for strengthening your egg whites. By using this ingredient you'll get a much stiffer and sturdier meringue. You can use ¼ teaspoon of dried egg white powder for every 1 fresh egg white.

Food Coloring

Macarons are known for their brightly-colored shells. Typically, the color of the shell signifies the flavor of the macaron filling. For example, a green macaron shell could have a pistachio filling.

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