Swiss Method Macarons
Learn how to make macarons with a Swiss-style meringue. This macaron guide is perfect for beginners to understand the fundamentals of making Swiss method macarons.
Servings: 30 macarons (60 shells)
Calories: 63kcal
Equipment
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- pastry bag with ½ inch round tip
Ingredients
- 112 grams egg whites
- 140 grams super fine almond flour
- 140 grams confectioners' sugar
- 126 grams granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 5 - 10 drops gel food coloring
Instructions
Prep Work
- Separate egg whites from yolks.
- Measure dry ingredients using a kitchen scale. Double-sift the almond flour and confectioners' sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a little white vinegar on a paper towel to remove any leftover oils.
- Print off two macaron templates. Place them on a light colored sheet pan underneath a piece of parchment paper.
- Prepare your piping bag with a ½ inch (1 cm) round tip. Push part of the side of the piping bag into the piping tip to ensure nothing leaks out. Set the bag inside a tall glass, and pull the remaining top of the piping bag out over the outside of the glass to make pouring the batter easy and clean.
For The Macarons
- Find a small saucepan that your stand mixer bowl can sit on top of to create a double boiler (bain marie). Add water to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar to a stand mixer bowl. Whisk to roughly combine. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Place the stand mixer bowl on top of the water to create a double boiler (bain marie). Whisk the egg mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 100°F (38°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Carefully remove the hot bowl from the heat, and transfer it over to the stand mixer.
- Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Optionally, add 5 - 10 drops of gel food coloring once the egg whites reach soft peaks stage. Once you reach stiff peaks, you'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk and is glossy. To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over, and nothing moves or falls out. Make sure not to overbeat the meringue at this stage (this is when the egg whites look dull or curdled).
- Pour the sifted almond flour & confectioners' sugar into the meringue mixture, and gently fold them together using a silicone spatula. Continue until all the meringue is fully incorporated, and no dry bits of almond flour remain on the bottom of the bowl.
- Begin working the batter until everything is fully incorporated (this is called the macaronage process). Slowly spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. Be sure to do this gently. Repeat until the mixture has reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10 - 15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter. Don't over macaronage the batter or the macarons will not properly bake in the oven.
- Pour the batter into the prepared piping bag. Hold the bag vertically, and gently pipe 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) circles. Once you have reached the desired size, release the pressure on the bag and twist your wrist without lifting up. Continue until no batter remains.
- Tap the sheet pan down the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Pop the air bubbles with a toothpick. Allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron. This resting time will vary depending on the humidity (they may take up to 90+ minutes to dry if you live in a humid or rainy environment). While the macarons are drying, heat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 19 - 23 minutes. You can test that the macarons are done by gently touching the edge and the feet of the macarons. If the shell wiggles, is sticky, or wet, the macarons need to bake longer. Remove macarons from the oven, and move the sheet pan to a cooling rack until completely cooled.
- Match up macaron shells so that they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Pipe your desired filling on one side of the macaron shell. Gently place the matching side on top of the filling.
- Mature the macarons with the filling in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the macarons to slightly soften and develop a deeper flavor.
Notes
Having trouble with your macarons? See the full troubleshooting guide above.
Whipping the meringue to stiff peaks (not over or under) is one of the most crucial steps when making macarons. Both under-whipped and over-whipped meringue can result in cracked shells. This is because the meringue needs to have the proper structure in order to rise in the oven.
In order to achieve stiff peaks, you need to learn the visual cues you can use to know that your meringue has whipped to stiff peaks:
You may need to adjust your oven temperature. If your oven temperature is too low your macarons will generally be wrinkled. If your oven is too hot the macarons will be browned or cracked.
If your macarons aren't developing a skin or drying out, it's likely because it's too humid in your kitchen. Many people often run dehumidifiers or air conditioning in the kitchen to help.
Don't cut the resting time short. If your macarons don't dry long enough, they won't properly bake. I prefer to dry my macarons for 60 - 90 minutes.
Wondering how long to macaronage your batter? There's really not a set time. It all depends on the recipe, your specific ingredients and environment, and even the amount of batter you are making. If you're in doubt while macaronaging, it's better to undermix a little bit. Overmixing causes more detrimental mistakes that are more noticeable (cracking, no feet development, etc.). If your egg whites aren't fully whipped to stiff peaks, this will happen really quickly and become too runny.
Learn more about how to properly store macarons.
- You'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk while it's mixing.
- Pull the whisk out of the mixer. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).
- You can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.
- The meringue feels sturdy (not flimsy).
Nutrition
Serving: 1macaron (without filling) | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg
