The COMPLETE Guide to makeing Macarons

TL;DR

John Canil of Preppy Kitchen teaches French macarons from scratch, covering every critical technique to avoid hollow, lumpy, or collapsed cookies.

Key Points

• 1.Precise measurements are non-negotiable for macarons. Use a kitchen scale: 168g blanched almond flour, 120g powdered sugar, 100g egg whites, and 100g granulated sugar — volumetric measuring introduces too much error.
• 2.Processing and double-sifting almond flour is essential for smooth tops. Pulse the almond-sugar mixture in a food processor for ~30 seconds, sift twice, and discard large almond pieces to prevent bumpy, dull macaron shells.
• 3.Humidity is the enemy — always bake on a dry day. Moisture prevents meringue from whipping properly and stops the shell surface from air-drying, which is required before baking; use a fan or extractor hood in humid conditions.
• 4.French meringue must reach stiff, shiny peaks at medium speed. Add 100g sugar one tablespoon at a time, mix for ~6 minutes on medium — never high speed, which creates large bubbles that cause a hollow shell and crumbling texture.
• 5.Macaronage is the single most critical step in the recipe. After folding in the dry ingredients in thirds, press and fold the batter against the bowl to pop air bubbles until it flows like lava and holds a figure-eight shape for 10 seconds.
• 6.Piping and resting technique directly affects the foot and dome. Hold the bag straight up and down, pipe 1-inch dollops 2 inches apart, tap the pan firmly to release bubbles, then rest ~40 minutes until the surface is dry to the touch before baking.
• 7.Bake at 270°F for 16–18 minutes, rotating the pan at 8 minutes. A properly baked macaron has a distinct ruffled foot, shiny dome, and a chewy interior — underbaking causes collapse, overbaking causes brittleness.
• 8.French buttercream filling uses egg yolks, sugar cooked to 240°F softball stage, and 226g butter. Macarons are best eaten the next day after the filling moistens the shells; they keep 4–7 days refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen.