Macarons
Macarons parisiens
Paris almond meringue shells with smooth tops and frilled feet, sandwiched with dark chocolate ganache. A project: weigh everything and expect a practice batch.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Macarons parisiens.
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 1 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 35 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Macarons are two almond meringue shells sandwiching a filling, here a dark chocolate ganache. This uses the French meringue method: egg whites whipped with sugar, then folded with sifted ground almonds and icing sugar until the batter flows like slow lava. That folding, called macaronage, is the skill. Under-fold and the shells are lumpy and crack; over-fold and they spread flat with no feet. Piped rounds rest until a skin forms, then bake low so they rise on a frilled foot without browning. Weigh everything. Expect the first batch to teach you about your oven. Filled shells need a day in the fridge before they are at their best.
What you'll need
7 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Shells
- Ganache
Ingredients
Shells
- Almond, finely ground blanched almonds (almond flour)100 g
- Icing sugar100 g
- Egg white, from about 3 eggs, kept 1 to 2 days in the fridge, at room temperature80 g
- Sugar, caster80 g
Ganache
- Dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa, finely chopped100 g
- Cream, double or whipping100 ml
- Butter, soft15 g
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Make the ganache first. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait a minute, then stir from the centre until smooth. Stir in the butter. Press cling film onto the surface and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until thick enough to pipe.
10 min
Step 2
Line two baking trays with baking paper. Sift the ground almonds and icing sugar together twice, pressing them through the sieve. Throw away up to a tablespoon of coarse bits that will not pass.
8 min
Step 3
Whisk the egg whites to a loose foam, then add the caster sugar a spoon at a time and keep whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy and holds a straight peak. Add gel food colouring now, if you want it.
8 min
Step 4
Fold in the almond mixture in two additions. Then work the batter by pressing it against the side of the bowl with the spatula and scooping it back to the middle, checking every few strokes. Stop when it falls from the spatula in a thick ribbon that sinks back into the surface in 10 to 20 seconds.
6 min
Tip: Test a dot on the paper. If a peak stays, fold a few more strokes. If it spreads wide and thin, it has gone too far.
Step 5
Pipe 3.5 cm rounds through a plain 1 cm nozzle, holding the bag upright, 3 cm apart. Rap each tray firmly on the counter four times to knock out air and pop any surface bubbles with a cocktail stick. Leave for 30 to 60 minutes, until the tops feel dry and no longer stick to a fingertip. Meanwhile heat the oven to 150°C.
50 min
Step 6
Bake one tray at a time on the middle shelf for 14 to 16 minutes, until the feet have formed and the tops do not slide when nudged. Cool completely on the paper before peeling them off.
32 min150°C
Tip: Ovens vary more than recipes admit. If the shells brown, drop 10°C next time; if they stick, give them 2 minutes more.
Step 7
Pair the shells by size. Pipe a generous dot of ganache onto half of them and sandwich with the rest. Keep them in a sealed box in the fridge for 24 hours, then bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before eating.
15 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 77 kcal
- Protein
- 1.5 g
- Carbs
- 8.6 g
- Fat
- 4.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.5 g
- Fibre
- 0.5 g
- Sugar
- 7.6 g
- Sodium
- 7 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Tree nuts
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Chocolate ganache → Thick raspberry jam, or a ring of ganache with jam in the middle
Jam alone softens the shells quickly; eat them within a day.
Tips
- Use an oven thermometer. Most home ovens run 10 to 20°C off the dial, and macarons notice.
- Humid days make the skin slow to form and the shells more likely to crack. Pick a dry day for your first batch.
- The whites left over from crème brûlée are exactly right for this. Weigh them rather than counting.
History & culture
In Paris they are a pâtisserie luxury, bought by the box in a dozen colours, given as presents and eaten in two bites. The pastel tower at weddings is a newer habit. Around France older, plainer macarons survive, such as the plain almond biscuits of Nancy, Amiens and Saint-Émilion, eaten single and unfilled.
Almond macaroons reached France from Italy, and the story goes that Catherine de' Medici's cooks brought them in the 16th century, which is hard to prove. The Paris sandwich of two shells and a filling is usually credited to the Ladurée tea room in the early 20th century, though other bakers claimed it. Pierre Hermé made new flavours a fashion in the 1990s.
Traditional — Most Paris pâtissiers use the Italian meringue method, whisking a hot sugar syrup into the whites. It is more stable and copes better with humid days, but it needs a thermometer and a stand mixer. The French meringue method here is the usual home route.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Macarons take?
2 hr 35 min all in — 1 hr prep, 35 min cook, 1 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 25 macarons. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Tree nuts, Eggs, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Gluten-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Kitchen scale, Mixing bowl, Saucepan, Baking tray, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
How much sugar?
80 g (caster) of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Chocolate ganache → Thick raspberry jam, or a ring of ganache with jam in the middle. Jam alone softens the shells quickly; eat them within a day.
Any tips from this recipe?
Use an oven thermometer. Most home ovens run 10 to 20°C off the dial, and macarons notice. Humid days make the skin slow to form and the shells more likely to crack. Pick a dry day for your first batch. The whites left over from crème brûlée are exactly right for this. Weigh them rather than counting.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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