Siena Corrigan

The Most Versatile Macaron Recipe

This isn't your typical recipe.

This is more of an informative website than simply just a recipe. Yes, there is a recipe attached at the bottom of the page that I truly recommend that you try (I worked very hard on it please try). It is also a recipe that is 100% versatile, meaning that you can take that recipe and make any flavor desired with it. If you are interested in macarons and getting to know the process, then this website is for you! I have done all of the hard work and research for you and simplified it into a foolproof recipe with tips and tricks for troubleshooting, and recipe development of your own.

About Me!

Hi! My name is Siena Corrigan, and I am a Senior in High School. I had to complete a self directed research project over the course of my senior year, and I chose to create my own macaron recipe, and then eventually post it on a public website. This project took me my entire senior year, and there was a lot that went into it, particularly the applied piece.

What you are reading right now is the product of said applied piece, as I have created my own macaron recipe and I am now super excited to share it with the masses! This was a lengthy process that included a lot of trial and error, but it has finally come together and I like to think that with the extent of research and trial and error that I have done, I have made a recipe that anyone can make!

A few fun facts about me: I love fleetwood mac, spending time with my family, cats, and baking!

This Wasn't Easy.

Making a macaron recipe completely from scratch was a lot more involved than I had anticipated, in the sense that there are a LOT of things that can go wrong. From bake time, to ingredient proportions, to oven temp, to the stiffness of the egg whites, to even the humidity level outside, there are a lot of different factors that can influence the outcome of your macarons - I learned this very quickly, as you can see in the image on the right. Self explanatory.

*The macarons that you are looking at in this picture are the product of my first original recipe - yikes.

What Even is a Macaron, Anyway?

The Anatomy of a Macaron

A successful macaron contains one of many different aspects. It has a smooth and crunchy shell, that has a slight gloss to it when under direct light. There is also a small, ruffled border that is often referenced to as "feet". The feet of a macaron is the most aesthetically significant feature. The insides of the shell itself are chewy, and soft. As for the filling, this is the versatile part of a macaron. This can be virtually anything, and this is where the flavor profile of a macaron comes from.

The History of Macarons

Although the most popular macarons are of French origin, traditionally, the Macaron stems from Italian origin, dating back to the 8th century. They were originally established as two biscuits with a jam or custard holding the cookies together, yet eventually progressed into the delicacy we know and love today. The recipe was adapted when they were introduced to France in 1533, when Queen Catherine de Medici married King Henry the II of France; Queen Catherine's pastry chefs brought the recipe with them. They were a delicacy until the French Revolution, when two sisters who had the recipe supposedly started selling them on street corners to commoners. They gained popularity under the name of "priests bellybuttons", but eventually began to be called "Macarons De Nancy".

Terminology & Things you Need to Know:

Macaronage: The stage in the preparation process where the dry ingredients are folded into the whipped, and stiff, egg whites until the batter is smooth, shiny, and flows slowly - like lava.

Meringue: A light mixture of egg whites that have been beaten until stiff peaks form when the whisk is pulled away from the mixture.

Feet: The ruffled border that surrounds the circumference of a macaron - one of the main indicators that a macaron is successful or not.

French Meringue VS. Italian Meringue?

A French Meringue is whipped, room temperature egg white mixture with a high percentage of superfine sugar. Whereas an Italian Meringue is whipped, room temperature egg whites, with a liquid sugar syrup - this difference creates the difference between an Italian and a French Macaron. The Italian method is more complicated as it requires a double boiler in order to melt the sugar into a sugar syrup.

Originality

When it comes to baking macarons, I find that originality is a key role that plays into the success of your bake. While classics like chocolate and vanilla are good to start with, doing things differently is a great way to expand your pallet and broaden horizons when it comes to different flavor combinations. Even doing something as simple as simmering assorted berries from your fridge along with a splash of water, lemon juice and granulated sugar is a great way to add some difference and originality to your macaron recipe. I find that it is also important to take risks with your macarons - whether that be working with flavors unfamiliar to you or trying a flavor combination you haven't had before. The filling is the most important part of your macaron when it comes to flavor, so I find that it is best to make fun changes occasionally.

Berry Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups desired berries
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp of cornstarch

1.) Over low heat, simmer berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water until the berries have fully broken down, stirring consistently. Add cornstarch based on thickness and consistency - it should be more like a jam and not watery. Let cool completely.
2.) OPTIONAL - run mixture through a strainer to remove seeds and lemon zest to create a smoother compote.
22

Tests and Trials

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November 23, 2022

Trial bake #1

February 23, 20223

Trial Bake #2

March 7, 2023

Trial Bake #3

March 22, 2023

Original Test Recipe

The Final Product

Development

When developing your own recipe, it is hard to know where to start. There are so many different aspects to something like a macaron, as I have established in the prior sections. I knew what I wanted the end result to be like, yet had no idea how to get there, even with the extensive research that I had done. Once you hit your stride and develop a recipe that works, it is a much simpler process - yet trying to figure out what works and what doesn't can be incredibly tedious, making it hard to stay motivated.

If you decide to test different ratios in your own macaron recipe, the biggest thing that I would recommend is testing one ingredient at a time. Having one ingredient be a "control" group with each bake you do allows you to be able to easier identify what each ingredient does to the macaron. This makes it so much easier to be able to determine what changes need to be made to the process and ratios of your recipe.

The Final Recipe

Final Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

For the shells:

142g almond powder

255g powdered sugar

1/4tsp cream of tartar

142g room temperature egg whites

71 g superfine granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

3-6 drops of gel food coloring (depending on desired color vibrancy)

Just under 1 tbsp of cocoa powder, if chocolate shells are desired

Equipment Needed:

Scale in grams

Stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment

Sieve

Spatula

Large mixing bowl

Parchment paper

Baking sheets

Food processor

Piping bags

1 in round piping tip

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 275° Fahrenheit
2.) Wipe down stand mixer bowl and whisk with a very small amount of white vinegar or lemon juice on a paper towel in order to remove any oil from your equipment, as this helps the egg whites whip.
3.) Add egg whites to prepared mixing bowl, whip on medium low until they begin to froth.
4.) When egg whites begin to froth, keep the mixer running and add in cream of tartar, food coloring, and vanilla.
5.) Whip for another 2-3 minutes until the egg whites begin to hold a soft meringue consistency, and slowly add in the superfine sugar in 4 sections.
7.) Continue whipping the egg whites until stiff peaks form - this means that when the whisk is pulled away from the egg whites it holds a point.
8.) Using your sieve, sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt (cocoa powder if chocolate shells are desired) into the large bowl.
9.) Taking the sifted almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt, (cocoa powder if chocolate shells are desired), add in the dry ingredients to the meringue slowly, in increments of three. When adding in each increment, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients completely before adding in the next section.
10.) The full mixing process should take around 5-6 minutes in full. You are done mixing when the batter flows slowly but fluidly, like lava. It should also fall away from your spatula in a fluid motion without breaking.
11.) Put the batter into a piping bag fitted with a one inch, round tip. The batter will be piped onto the baking sheets prepped with parchment paper. When piping the shells onto the baking sheets, hold the bag directly above the parchment paper, leaving no more than an inch between the piping bag and the tray. Pipe shells just slightly larger than a quarter, finishing the shell with a "c" swirl, or "flick of the wrist".
12.) Lift the tray about 5 inches off of the counter and drop to remove all air bubbles 3-4 times. Pop all visible, remaining air bubbles with a toothpick.
13.) Set the shells out to dry for 15-20 minutes, or until the shells are dry to the touch. I do this in increments of 5 minutes, testing the dryness of the shell every 5 minutes until they are dry to the touch.
14.) Bake at 275° Fahrenheit for 18 minutes, rotating halfway through at the 9 minute mark to ensure proper heat distribution.
15.) Cool for 20 minutes before handling.

Buttercream!

The filling inside of a macaron is the most important factor when it comes to taste. So, I have created what in my opinion is the perfect filling when it comes to flavor- and of course, versatility. It isn't sickly sweet, and can be easily altered to fit whatever flavor profile you are going for.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) softened, unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp of softened cream cheese
1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.) In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
2.) Add in heavy whipping cream and turn speed down on low to prevent whipped cream from forming.
3.) Add vanilla and a pinch of salt, as well as any other different flavor variations you please during this stage. Some of my favorites thus far are nutella, lemon juice / lemon curd, strawberry jam, and chocolate ganache.
4.) Add in the powdered sugar SLOWLY, in small increments. Let it mix completely with the cream mixture before adding the next section of your powdered sugar. The consistency should be smooth, rather than too buttery or too stiff. If the buttercream is too thick, add a splash of heavy cream or milk to smooth the buttercream. If it is too buttery or thin, add more powdered sugar.
5.) Add the buttercream into piping bags and pipe how desired in-between your macaron shells.

The Most Versatile Macaron Recipe

This isn't your typical recipe.