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Macarons Tips (1 Viewer)

If you've ever had any trouble making Macarons, here is a quick list of hints and tips that may help you with your issues.

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Macarons Tips​

  • Read the recipe and weigh out all your ingredients as instructed.
  • Sift all your dry ingredients.
  • Ensure your mixing bowl is free from grease.
  • Whisk your egg whites using a hand whisk or stand mixer, you will not be able to incorporate the amount of air manually.
  • If the temperature is too warm, it will be hard to get the right consistency.
  • Temperature is vital, so if it's too warm, they may look cracked and sloppy.
  • If living in a warm climate or working in a warm bakery, pipe the macarons at the end of the day when the ovens are off and when the temp will be at its coolest, then bake them first thing in the morning when they have dried.
  • Always pipe the macarons onto a stencil/template or a mat; never do them freehand; this will ensure they are all the same size and shape.
  • Use a disposable piping bag to pipe with.
  • Pipe at a vertical angle and then twist and pull away.
  • When piped, slam/tap your tray on the work surface to deflate them; this removes any air pockets giving the macaron a nice dense batter.
  • If air bubbles appear in the batter when piped, pop them with a toothpick.
  • Check if your macarons should be baked straight away or left to dry and form a skin.
  • Ensure that your parchment is stuck to the tray before going into the oven; this stops it from lifting/blowing around when baked.
  • Let them cool fully before trying to remove them from the parchment/mat.

 

Troubleshooting with Macarons.

If you're looking at making a batch of Macarons, then it's worth checking out the above hints and tips relating to making them and the below to help make note of any issues that could potentially arise. Hopefully, this should aid you if any problems do arise and ensure you get the very best out of your bake.

Texture

  • A good Macaron should be very light, slightly crisp and perfectly shaped.
  • The exterior of the Macaron should be shiny and smooth.
  • The texture of a Macaron should be chewy.

Batter

  • Under mixed batter can cause nipples to appear on your macarons.
  • If the batter is too wet, the Macarons won't form 'feet'.
  • The batter should not be too thick but lightly stretch and slowly wiggle from the spatula.
  • Over mixing will cause the macaron to be flat and spread.

Grainy

  • This could be caused by an undermixed batter.
  • Or perhaps the dry ingredients weren't sifted properly.

Lumps and Bumps

  • To prevent lumps and bumps, sift both the ground almonds and icing sugar.
  • You can sift more than once.
  • Remove any large chunks when sifting.
  • Ensure to mix the batter thoroughly.

Temperature

  • Temperature is key so use an oven thermometer to ensure the correct temperature when you bake.
  • Too high a temp can make the Macarons crack or explode if they have trapped air in them.
  • If the oven is too high or the batter is over-mixed, the feet will spread.

Crispy/Cracked

  • This means you have over baked them.
  • Cracked shells on macarons means that there has been too much moisture in the batter, which has escaped when baking, or they have not rested enough to form a skin.

Hopefully you won't have any of the above happen and you'll end up with perfectly baked Macarons!

Here's hoping. 😊
 
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