# Problems with macarons



## tempting (May 9, 2012)

Within the Same oven load and even on each tray I have some macarons that come out perfect and some look like the have melted and the top becomes crinkled .Oven temp 150 bake time 16min also using icing mixture but had same problem with pure icing sugar can you help thanks


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

I am missing the titile "Chef" before my name but I will respond to this. If you mean 150 degrees "F", that is too low. I bake mine at 315 "F" for 16-18 minutes. How long do you let it dry b4 baking ? mine at least 40 mins. If some of them are coming out perfect and some are not, it could be your oven. Are you doing the Italian meringue method ? or French ? I do the French meringue method and it is just as good. Some people claim the Italian Merinuge is fool proof, but I do not like adding water to my meringue although the heat takes care of that.

How many attempts have you had that were good ? For me probably about 8 times... Then it hit me, since then I have not failed. But I do not bake them when it is raining. These I made recently:


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## chefpeterson (Nov 1, 2012)

I know were a couple months from this thread, but I have a question about your baking times....

I've made hundreds of macarons in the past couple weeks at 300F for almost 25 mins and they still aren't done.  Has anyone had a problem with this before?  I've tried to raise the temp, but they get way too uneven and brown. Thanks


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

If it gets brown,  even a little bit around the edges,  then that is over baked.. I bake mine at 315 for 13-14 mins.  no longer.  It does not need to get brown.  As long as you see feet and has risen,  then you are done.  W/ macarons,  there is really nothing in it that needs to cook.  Unlike other cookies since it has no baking powder or regular flour.  The inside is suppose to be gooey and looks "uncooked".  what it is about your macarons that tells you it is not  done ?


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## chefpeterson (Nov 1, 2012)

Well and maybe that's where I'm off, they do look uncooked on the inside gooey even.  The feet rise nicely after about 15 mins, but they stick to the parchment/silpat (tried both) and the tops come clean off.  I know the trick of sliding the parchment across the pan to release the bottom better, which only works after that 25 mins.


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## chefpeterson (Nov 1, 2012)

Your macarons are BEAUTIFUL by the way!


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

thank U chef peterson,

I use both, silpat and parchment.  Let it cool completely b4 you remove them.  Yes,  it will stick to silpat and that is normal,  but remove it very carefully like you are peeling it off the silpat by bending the silpat down wards NOT pulling the cookie off the silpat.  As for parchment,  they will just slide off easily when totally cooled.

keep doing it.  Good luck.


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## eclair4me (Dec 1, 2012)

I use Italian meringue and bake at 325F for 12 minutes. The key is to use double sheet pans.


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

Double pans is always needed because you can only fit like 20 piped circles.


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## tine (Feb 14, 2013)

Dont you use a scraper to take the shells off?


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## pk0523 (Mar 20, 2014)

Hi Prettycake! Your macarons looks so perfect! I was wondering, do you also put flavor on the shell or just the filling? I was trying to make red velvet, i tried to put cocoa powder but my macaron came out sticky and too chewy  i asked someone and she said that baking with cocoa powder or baking chocolate macaron is the hardest. Any tips? Im doin italian method by the way.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Lots of good info here...check out black dogs "tutorial" near the end of the thread.

His is based on the Italian method.

Very approachable.....
[thread="79549"]French Macarons Driving Me Insane Please Help [/thread]
mimi


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## jadepearl (Jan 15, 2014)

I too set my oven at 150 degrees C and use parchment paper. It works for me.


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## bigbadpastry (Jun 17, 2013)

I made some today for the first time in awhile, I baked them at 285f, they came out perfect after about 8 or 9 minutes. I didn't double pan, and used only parchment. They are also pretty small, about nickle size.  What fun!  I forgot how fun they are to make.  (when they come out right)  They came right off the parchment too!  Happy day!


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## jadepearl (Jan 15, 2014)

Its a great feeling when these babies comes out looking so good and so right


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## bigbadpastry (Jun 17, 2013)

...and soooooo sad when/if they don't/img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif


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## ingyh (May 25, 2014)

I use the French method. I also add icing sugar and almond meal to the mix. Another important point to ensure the mixture sets in the oven correctly is in the final mixing by hand when adding the icing sugar, The mixture should be shiny and drop and flow from the spoon. If you don't achieve this the macaroon will not form with a foot and be shiny after baking. If adding colours this should be added during the 2nd stage of mixing. Easy recipe

Macorons

Makes 80 

300 gm Egg white 
Pinch of cream of tartar
300 gm Caster sugar
375gm icing sugar
375gm almond meal
Plus 75 gm icing sugar 

Whisk egg white and cream of tartar until 3/4 whipped(rising up the bowl) on 3rd speed
Add caster sugar in 3 lots. Mix for 2 mins after each addition on 2 nd speed
Add colours at this stage
Add almond meal and 375 gm of icing sugar on 1 st speed until combined
Add final icing sugar by hand, mix until shiny and drops and flows from spoon

Pipe 4cm discs on silicon paper or grease proof paper and leave to set for 30-40 mins

Bake in 160c or 320F oven for12-15 mins 

Allow to cool before decorating.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Every item I have baked for the last twenty years has been double panned(resting on sheet pan)  My logic is heat in many ovens comes from  a bottom source, therefore bottom of pan will get the hottest. By double panning It generates more of any even heat  top, mid and bottom.


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