French Macarons - Italian Meringue method

Let's start with my favourite!


The macaron is a sweet almondy cookie, made only with four main ingredients. I've cross-referenced, and recipes everywhere are pretty much similar. Almond meal, egg whites, icing sugar and caster sugar. Seems easy but it is very technique sensitive. I haven't mastered the French meringue method, in fact, I've failed a couple of times, therefore I'm posting the recipe for the Italian - fool proof - way of making it.

The perfect macaron is usually characterised by the presence of 'feet' (you'll see what it is later), an egg shell-like semi crunchy outer layer, and a chewy inner bit. There should be no air pockets between the outer and inner parts, and the feet should not flare out too much.

Also, macarons are not to be confused with macaroons, which main ingredient is shredded coconut.

French Macarons
150 g icing sugar
150 g almond meal
150 g caster sugar
110 g egg whites (from about 3-4 eggs)
50 g water
Food colouring - powdered or gel preferably

1. Combine caster sugar and water in a pot to make a syrup. Heat until the syrup simmers and reaches 120C (you would need a thermometer for this).

2. Divide the egg whites into equal amounts. Half in a small bowl or glass, half in a mixing bowl for the meringue.

3. Beat the egg whites until you get soft peaks. Beat to firm peaks just before the final temperature of the sugar syrup, 120C is attained.

4. Set the beater to slow, and immediately but slowly pour the hot syrup into the bowl of beaten egg whites in a thin stream.

5. Increase the speed to maximum when all syrup is in and beat for several minutes.

6. Stop beating when a stiff, white and compact meringue with a satiny consistency is formed.

7. Sift dry ingredients into another mixing bowl. Pour the remaining egg whites and mix. Food colouring should be added at this stage.

8. Once evenly mixed, scoop the meringue from Step 6 into the mixture. Incorporate meringue quickly, do not be too gentle but at the same time do not over mix otherwise you will get a runny batter.

9. Final batter should be 'lava'-like and coats the back of your spatula thickly. Fill piping bag and pipe 2cm rounds onto baking paper.

10. Preheat oven to 150C. Allow piped rounds to rest for 20-30 minutes so it forms a shell and is not sticky to touch. So choose a less humid day to make your macarons!

11. Bake for 12-13 minutes. At 5 minutes, the ruffled 'feet' will start forming. Once out of the oven, let the macarons rest for 2 minutes before peeling them off the baking paper. They shouldn't stick too much. If they do, it probably means they're undercooked.

Raspberry cream cheese frosting

Raspberry jam:
2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Cook until reduced to a jam consistency

Cream cheese mixture:
250 g unsalted butter, softened
450 g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup raspberry jam
3-4 cups icing sugar

1. Cream butter and cheese
2. Add raspberry jam, mix well.
3. Add icing sugar to your liking.

To assemble the macaron
1. Arrange pairs or similar-sized macaron shells.
2. Pipe cream cheese frosting and top with a dollop of jam in the centre.
3. Sandwich it with its similar-sized partner... And voila!

Nobody likes under-filled macarons so be generous with your fillings!