I absolutely adore macarons—their delicate texture and endless flavor possibilities make them irresistible. I found a fantastic cookbook called I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita that focuses entirely on one master macaron recipe, providing numerous variations for flavors and fillings. It's been an invaluable resource, allowing me to experiment and perfect my macaron-making skills at home. As a bonus, they're naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients:
For Cookies:
- 210 g confectioners’ sugar
- 125 g almond flour
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp water
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- Drop or two vanilla extract
- 1 or 2 Tbsp Grand Manier, Rye, or Rum
- 2 Tbsp instant coffee powder into the same amount of hot water
Instructions:
Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpat and set aside.
Using a medium-mesh sieve, sift the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour into a large bowl and set aside.
In a clean stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy and the wires of the beater(s) leave a trail, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the granulated sugar and continue to whip for another 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat 3 times with the remaining granulated sugar.
Once all of the sugar is mixed in, continue whipping the whites until they turn glossy and stiff (when you lift the beater(s) from the bowl, the whites should hold a straight peak that doesn’t curl at the tip, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla and stir lightly.
With a large rubber spatula, fold in half of the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once most of it has been incorporated, fold in the remaining mixture until just combined. When you run out of flour, press and spread out the batter against the bowl’s sides. Scoop the batter from the bottom and turn it upside down. Repeat this process about 15 times.
Pipe the cookies using a piping bag fitted with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch round tip (Ateco#806 to #809), pipe the batter onto the prepared sheets in rounds that are about 1 inch in diameter and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, spaced about 11/2 inches apart. As you pipe, hold the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and flick the tip of the bag as you finish each cookie to minimize the peaks.
Rap the sheet against the counter several times to flatten the mounds and pop any large air bubbles. Dry the batter at room temperature, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until it is no longer tacky. If the cookies no longer stick to your fingers, the drying process is completed.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F, using convection to circulate air. Stack teh baking sheet with the cookies into an empty baking sheet and slide both into the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 300°F. Bake until the meringues are very pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes total. Cool completely on the baking sheets on wire racks.
To Make the Buttercreme:
Cut butter into smaller pieces and place them in a heat resistant bowl. Heat for 30 sec. in microwave to soften but not melt. Stir the butter with a spatula until it becomes smooth and creamy like mayonnaise.
Put the water and granulated sugar in a heat resistant container and stir well. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir again. Heat in microwave for another 3 minutes.
While heating the syrup, break an egg into a bowl and beat lightly. Pour hot syrup like a thread into the bowl while beating on high speed. Reduce speed as the mixture becomes white and heavy.
Divide the butter and add it to mixture in three batches. Beat at medium speed. When the butter is well mixed, the process is done. It may seem that the butter separates from the syrup. You may think you have made a mistake but just keep beating unit the mixture becomes creamy. Stir in flavorings.
Spread the cream between the cookies.
The cookies are best the day they’re made, but you can store them in an airtitht container at room temperature for up to 1 day, in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.