I think a lot of us are slightly scared to make macarons because there’s the rumor that they’re difficult or finicky. The key to making good macarons is to simply pay attention to the process. The main things to focus on are finely sifted almond flour and confectioner’s sugar, beating the egg whites to the right consistency, then mixing the batter just enough once you add the almond flour. It’s true that both overmixing and undermixing can threaten the outcome of macarons, so all you have to do is picture lava flowing down a volcano and fold your macaron batter until it matches that. Hold your spatula above the batter and make sure you can form a figure-8 with the batter. Once it’s there, stop mixing, but don’t stop until you reach that point. The other important part is to make sure you let the piped macarons set at room temperature for at least 45 minutes before baking. This helps them keep their shape in the oven. Since macarons are so fun to get creative with, I decided to use one of my favorite flavors – chai – and flavor the macarons with that! 

 This recipe makes 25 macarons

  Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups (190g) Confectioner’s Sugar

½ Tsp (3g) Salt

1 Cup (112g) Almond Flour

1 Tbs Chai Spice Mix (See Below)

3 Large Room Temperature Egg Whites (90g)

¼ Cup (50g) Granulated Sugar

Another ½ Tsp (3g) Salt 

1 Tsp (4g) Vanilla Extract

   For the Filling:

1 Stick (1/2 Cup, 8Tbs, 113g) Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature 

1/8 (1g) Tsp Salt

2 Tsp (8g)Vanilla Extract

1 ½ Cups (190g) Confectioner’s Sugar

Chai Mixture: All Ground Spices:

1 Tsp (3g) Cardamom

1 Tsp (3g) Allspice

1 Tsp (3g) Nutmeg

1 Tsp (3g) Cloves

2 Tsp (5g) Cinnamon

3 Tsp (8g) Ginger

Keep this mixture on hand and use for anything you like!

Directions:

1.     Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2.     Place the confectioner’s sugar, first ½ tsp salt and almond flour through a fine mesh sieve to ensure its extremely fine without any lumps of any size. 

3.     Add the chai spice mixture to the bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and other ½ tsp salt in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer until soft foamy peaks form. 

4.     While mixing on medium speed, slowly but constantly pour in the granulated sugar, then mix on high speed until stiff glossy white peaks form. 

5.     Add the vanilla and mix until combined, then pour 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the egg whites and gently fold with a silicone or rubber spatula until combined, then do again 2 more times. Once the last of the almond flour is in the bowl, gently fold until the mixture has a thick lava-like consistency. You should be able to hold the spatula above the mixture and form a figure-8 with the batter. Do not over-mix but be sure to mix enough to where it gets to this consistency. 

6.     Transfer the batter to a piping bag with a ½ inch round tip and pipe 1.5-inch circles on the parchment/silicone, leaving an inch of space around each one because they will spread. Tap the sheet on the counter a couple times to release any air bubbles.

7.     Allow the piped batter to sit at room temperature for a minimum of 45 minutes, until you can gently touch the tops of the macarons and no batter sticks to your fingers. Once this time is almost up, preheat your oven to 300 Degrees F (150 C). 

8.     Bake the macarons for around 17 minutes, until the tops are pale and set, and they seem to have risen and developed the bases (feet). Do not open the oven while they are baking. 

9.     Allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the sheet before removing from the sheet and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

10.  To make the filling, cream the butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer for 3-4 minutes, until paler in color and very light. 

11.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined, then add the confectioner’s sugar ½ cup at a time, fully mixing each addition before adding the next until you’ve added all of it. 

12.  To assemble the macarons, invert half of the bakes macarons and pipe a small amount of the frosting onto each one, then take the other half of the macarons and place them on top of the frosted ones to complete! 

-Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.