How to Make the Best Macarons

Crispy, chewy, and melty, macarons are perhaps one of the most famous and treasured french desserts. These delicious treats are made up of two meringue cookies brought together by a smooth flavored filling. There are countless different flavors and styles for macarons, but this recipe in particular is one of my favorites. I'll be giving you the instructions to produce these delicious confections, and I'll also be making these myself. I'll include pictures and a review of the recipe at the end.

The recipe I chose is called “Sparkling Wine Grape Macarons.” And although it has “wine” in its name, this recipe uses sparkling wine extract and does not contain any alcohol whatsoever.

Since macarons are a meticulous pastry, there are a few supplies you will need to gather for this recipe.

• Sparkling Wine extract

• Cake-decorating tips (Specifically a ½ inch tip)

• Disposable pastry bag

• Parchment paper or silicone mats

• Mixer

• Kitchen scale

Here are the ingredients and measurements needed to make this pastry:

• 120 g (1 1/4 cups) almond flour

• 200 g (1 3/5 cups) confectioner's sugar

• 100 g egg whites (about 3 regular eggs)

• 50 g (1/4 cup) white granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp sparkling wine extract

• purple gel food coloring

For Filling:

• 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

• 125 g (1 to 1 ½ cups) confectioner's sugar

• 3 tbsp grape jelly

• juice from 1/2 lemon

• Edible pearl spray; optional

This batter yields 25-30 macarons.

After gathering all the ingredients, it’s time to start baking!

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare a large pastry bag with a round tip.

2. Prepare the meringue. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the egg whites and granulated sugar. Whisk on high speed just until stiff peaks form. Add the extract and food coloring last, whisking for an additional 15 to 20 seconds.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar. Add the meringue to the dry ingredients and begin to fold and flatten the meringue into the flour mixture. The batter should flow like molten lava when it's done. A way to know this is by doing the “Figure 8” test. It should fold into itself a few times like a ribbon but not like a runny pancake batter. Transfer the macaron batter into the prepared pastry bag.

4. Pipe even-sized cookie dollops. Once you're done piping, tap the baking sheet against the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. Rest the cookies for one hour at room temperature, allowing a thin shell to form on the outside of the cookie.

5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit and bake the rested cookies for 18 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 10 minutes after baking before removing from parchment paper. This will prevent the macaron from breaking and sticking to the paper. Once the cookies have cooled, spray the tops with edible pearl spray, if desired. Allow the spray to dry for 10 minutes before filling.

6. Prepare the grape filling. First, cream the softened butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix again until creamy. Add the lemon juice and grape jelly, mixing for about 20 seconds, leaving small bits of jelly in the filling. Transfer the filling into a pastry bag.

7. Pipe a generous amount of filling onto half of the cookies, leaving the other half plain. Then, put the two together, forming a complete macaron. Transfer the macarons into an air-tight container and refrigerate for a few hours to a day for best results. When ready to serve these zesty treats, remove from the refrigerator and enjoy.

Many bakers dread making french macarons due to how finicky and exacting these cookies have to be. Although they are tricky, all you need are a few helpful tips to construct these desserts. Here are a few crucial tips for making macarons:

• Whisk the egg white just until they reach stiff peaks. Under mixing and over mixing will cause hollow shells and flat batter.

• Once piped, tap the tray on the counter to remove any extra air bubbles. This will prevent any cracks on the macarons.

• If your macarons don’t have feet, or ruffles around the edge after baking, they probably haven't developed a skin. Make sure to rest them at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to one hour. Then, carefully touch the tops of your cookies. If your finger is dry and you feel a skin has developed, they’re ready to bake.

These tips help the process, making sure everything plays out smoothly.

Review

These macarons are exquisite! I was at first worried when making the cookies. I thought I would make a mistake and a whole catastrophe would take place in the process. Fortunately, with precision and time, they turned out perfect! This recipe surely lives up to its name. Usually macarons just taste like sweet sugar, but I can certainly say otherwise for this recipe. The shells were my favorite part! They were crunchy and chewy. The sparkling wine extract was a cherry on top! For the filling, the lemon juice balances with the sweetness of the cookie, giving the macaron a slight tangy flavor, mixing with the strong taste of grape jelly. Although the filling was flavorful, it was a little too buttery for my taste. But I'll definitely be making this recipe again.

Macarons are one of my favorite desserts, so I decided to make them and share my experience. Although macarons can be difficult to make and take up time, taking a bite into one is worth it. These instructions produce fruity and delicious macarons, making this one of my favorite macaron recipes.