# macaroon help



## iki (Aug 6, 2004)

hello,
I'm tring for a while to produce good french macaroons in the pastry shop i'm working.
the problem is that something on the way goes wrong and sometimes they exploed while they are in the oven and sometimes they turn out fine.
I would really love to get some tips from you about why this can happen and how to prevent this.
thanks a lot
iris


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## jock (Dec 4, 2001)

Welcome to Chef talk iki. 

Maybe if you post the recipe you are having trouble with and/or the process some of the fine bakers on this site can help you.

Jock


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## feliz (Sep 22, 2004)

Ive also been trying to make macaroons like the ones from Paris... the closest ones I've made were using the recipe of Pierre Herme in his chocolate dessert book... but i am also looking for lemon macaroons... can anyone help? how do you get the macaroons to have those "feet" at the bottom?


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

tell us exactly what you all are looking for. Macaroons are different all over. You all will have to post the formulas.
If your looking for that cracly look it's a matter of wet toweling them after you've sugared em. This gets the sugar cold melting before they go into the oven.


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## feliz (Sep 22, 2004)

Here is a picture of the macaroons I would love to make...

http://www.laduree.fr/boutiquemacarons_va.htm


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

The "feet" are a result of proper piping and drying out the piped cookie before baking it in a low oven. I rest mine at least 30 minutes to form a skin, and I bake at 325. For lemon macarons, I would use a nice tart lemon curd, nothing too sweet. In Paris they don't ususally flavour the cookie itself. Adding zest for example would alter the texture undesirably. What you can do however to increase the intensity and make the cookie more moist, is to brush the inside of the cookie with a flavoured syrup. I've had really good results with this technique.

Do post the proportions you're using. Good luck!


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

You see these macaroons in many different fashions. We usually color almond mac's and change up the fillings.
We use,off the top of my head,( home for lunch)And trying to scale down a 40 lbs. recipe.. 2 lbs. almond paste, 1 lbs. 6 oz. granulated sugar,3cups? and 8 egg whites.Mix paste with sugar and slowly incorp whites, scraping at least 3 times untill stiff paste.
We pipe this. The mixture is stiff. We pipe these with a large round tip making them spread almost to desired size. Break them off, sometimes creating a little hat. That's where my previous post comes in. Sprinkle with granulsted sugar. Then take a clean kitchen towel( wet down). Fold into thirds and hold as you would to shine shoes. Lift up and slap the macs with the towel. This will eliminate any hats and start a cold melt of the sugar. This gives the mixture(not over beaten) a chance to release air through the cracks and eliminates the foot. Our customers prefer the crackly kind over smooth which is a different formula and usually is lighter and you would follow Annekes method and proceedure.
Good luck
I know this probably doesn't help, sorry, in a rush.
Jeff


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## feliz (Sep 22, 2004)

Here are the proportions Im using... but I prefer to make plain ones... the recipe I am quoting is from Pierre Herme

1 1/3 c finely ground almonds
2 c plsu 2 T icing sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 c egg whites

bake at 180 celcius for 10 to 12 minutes... 

the macaroons turn out ok but could be much shinier on top... and they could rise a bit more - do you think I am not whisking the egg whites enough? should I use cream of tartar? i usually do half a recipe only...

Would you mind sharing your recipe with me?

thanks!


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Feliz
early am (huge weekend) I check for smallet recipes but Anneke gives you great advise. This is not so much a baking process, but a drying process. Sort of like meringue


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## feliz (Sep 22, 2004)

Hi! Trying to make macaroons again this morning - I am waiting 30 minutes before putting them inside the over... it's taking forever and the suspense is killing me (will they rise? will they crack? will they be smooth??!?!?!?)... Would Anneke mind sharing the proper proportions to use just in case the ones I made this morning flop?

Many thanks!!


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

400 g TPT (equal amounts ground almonds and confect. sugar)
200 gr sugar with 60 ml water for the syrup (cook to 126-133)
150 g egg whites


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## schiznick (Feb 2, 2003)

This is a great recipe and will produce the shiny type of macaroon I think you are looking for. I like to sprinkle the tops of these with coconut or cocoa nibs before baking for a little more flavor. 

250g almond flour
400g powdered sugar
10g fresh egg whites
200g fresh egg whites
80g granulated sugar


Sift almond flour and powdered sugar. Put the 10g egg whites in the bowl but do not mix in yet. Whip 200g egg whites with sugar for 10 minutes. Fold whipped whites into dry mix, then keep folding until the mixture looks shiny when it runs off the spatula. Pipe onto silpat lined baking sheets. Slide pan onto another sheet pan and bake at 320*F about 10 minutes or until they feel firm and do not dent in when you touch the tops. If you are baking in a convection oven, you may want to decrease the heat to 300*F high fan to prevent cracking. (This will occur because your oven is too hot) Good luck.


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## feliz (Sep 22, 2004)

thanks for the recipe but what do you do with the 10g of eggwhites?


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## schiznick (Feb 2, 2003)

Put the 10g of egg whites on top of the sifted flour/p. sugar mixture before folding in the whipped whites. It helps to bind the mixture together. (or so was explained to me)
Good luck.


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## eclectician (Dec 26, 2004)

So what exactly is proper piping technique for macaroons? Do you pipe a circle, or do you hold the tip in one place and let it spread? 

Also, do the macs usually stick to the baking sheet when they're done?

Sorry for asking these beginner's questions, I don't normally do pastry, but am kind of trying it at home.
Many thanks!


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## flavio (May 30, 2004)

Hi;
Nobody told to the people that are having problems to use double or triple sheet pans. This will prevent the heat to reach the botton too soon because this will let the macaroons crack on the top.

The properly pipping technique is the one when you hold the pipping bag perpendicular to the silpat and or paper. You'll pipe a smooth circle and will let it spread itself.

As soon as you finish the baking process and take out of the oven, run some water between the sheet pan and the silpat or paper until the steam stop. Let it cold a little and then pull the macaroons out.

Good luck.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I use a large tube and pipe and spread. Then sugar them and pat them with a wet towel. Yes, they will stick when right out of the oven but should release when cooled HNY


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## flo (Jan 4, 2005)

I am also on the search for macaroon recipes other than for chocolate.

On the Laduree website (the famous Parisian macaroon shop), I saw that Phillipe Andreu, Laduree's pastry chef, has published 20 of his recipes, including some for macaroons in the book: Laduree Instants Gourmands. Unfortunately, I cannot find a copy in English or French to purchase on any websites. It appears to be published only in French (which I can manage with some effort). *Anyone have a clue where to buy a French language recipe book? * I'll be happy to share what I find with you all, if I can track the book down.

Thanks.


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## wizcat3 (Jun 4, 2003)

Try Kitchen Arts and Letters in NYC. 212 867 5550 W


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## angel72702 (Jan 31, 2005)

The recipe posted by schiznick on 10/06/04 is PERFECT! I too had visited Paris and was trying to recreate the little macaroons I had tasted at Herme and others. This is it! They came out beautifully and they tasted just like Paris. I did not flavor the macaroons themselves, but colored them pink and brushed the bottoms with some rose syrup before making the little sandwiches. I used a rose flavored buttercream for the filling, and they look just like the ones pictured on the Laduree site. If you are looking for the Laduree or Herme macaroons, this is the recipe you want. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 

P.S. the double sheet pan is essential and I turned my oven down to 300*F and cooked them for about 17 mins to prevent cracking.


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## moiselle (Feb 12, 2005)

Please help!

I've been longing for the same macaroons from Paris. Ever since I had my first one, I tried to get my hands on them any way I can.

I 'attempted' to make the same french macaroons using Schiznick's recipe, and failed miserably. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I'm not a cook at all, so please bear with me ...  I know it's not the recipe since angel72702 successfully made them perfect. So I know it's me. 

I would expect the consistency to be somewhat firm or stiff, and be able to hold it's shape after being piped out. But mine was just too watery to hold any shape at all. 

I used precise weight scale for the dry ingridients and 5 egg whites to get to 200g that the recipe calls for. Could it be how i fold the egg whites with the dry ingridients?  


Any feedback would be deeply appreciated!!


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## strawberrycrisp (Nov 14, 2006)

1) You should hold the tip steadily in place without spiralling. The batter will flow out of the pastry bag without much squeezing. 

2) Freezing the macarons would make the job easier. 

Hope this helps!


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