(NEW: Check out my “how to” videos and macaron help page with info about where I buy my supplies – ingredients and equipment!)
Right so I mentioned in Monday’s post about the Italian meringue method for macarons that I had been having issue with my French meringue macarons recently. Oh they look fine. They look gorgeous even – shiny smooth tops and delicate feet. Like these that I brought to my students at Le Dolci a few weeks ago:
Ahem. Yes. “Banana” macarons filled with banana buttercream and chocolate ganache. A play on the banana split, if you like…
I was SO pleased with how these came out…. So happy….
I even made mini banana splits with them:
Sadly, they were a hollow. Underneath the domed top the what-should-be-fluffy interior of chewy goodness had fallen to the bottom. So what you were eating was basically a puff of air.
I’d noticed this over the past couple of classes I had taught too. Then students from my classes started to email me with the same issues – pretty macs but hollow. I can only imagine that it must have something to do with the weather since it’s only been since January, with me not changing a single thing of my recipe or technique.
It started driving me mad. I needed to find a fix, both for my own peace of mind and so that I could pass it on to my students. Stuff like that just drives me crazy. Why, why why? After nearly a year of beautiful macarons with no hollow shells does this start to happen?
I figured I would make a couple of small changes to see if they make a difference. Firstly, I tried resting the macarons before I baked them. Though it is something many French meringue macaron recipes call for, it’s not something I have ever had the need to do. My macs have never suffered. I figured that if my batter was correct, they wouldn’t be going anywhere anyway (i.e. spreading). I also cut down the time I whip the egg whites, since it appeared the problem was too much air, I wouldn’t whip as much into them.
Result?
Those were enjoyed by my students at Le Dolci last weekend 🙂 Oh yeah. Not only were these perfectly formed and not hollow but EVERY SINGLE macaron shell came out beautifully. Normally I count on a certain area of each tray of macaron shells being cracked due to the oven hotspots. Not this time. Woot!
So, was it the resting that “calmed down” the air pockets? Was it the less beating of the egg white? In retrospect, I should have just done one of the two “fixes” because now I have no way of knowing which was the fix.
I decided to experiment again with a(nother) batch. Ahem. I am having a little bit of macaron fatigue to tell you the truth but once I am on a mission, I cannot be stopped. I am, after all, a Taurus.
So I made another batch of of raspberry macarons last weekend. Same deal – less egg white beating and resting them for 30 minutes before they are baked. Result?
Uh yeah. Pretty proud of these ones. Even more proud that I had saved one of the chocolate ones to do a “cross section” comparison of both (they look a little heavy but it’s because you can only really cut a macaron properly when it’s been in the fridge:
Look mum – no hollows!!!!
Here, for those of you who would like it, it my macaron recipe, adapted from my macaron cheerleader, Stella (aka Brave Tart) without whom my macarons would still be dire. Over the past nearly year, I have refined this recipe and method (teaching other people helps me see the recipe in different eyes too!)
A tried and true macaron recipe using the French meringue method.Basic macaron recipe (French meringue)
Ingredients
Instructions
In any case, I am not taking this for granted and it will be, as anything requiring practice, a work in progress. But this is what is working for me right now. If you’re in Toronto and would like to come to a class, check out my class schedule – I’ll get you on your way to making macarons like this 🙂
For more information of troubleshooting hollows, check out Stella’s fab post over on The Brave Tart.
Don’t forget to check out my “how to” videos and macaron help page with info about where I buy my supplies – ingredients and equipment!)
Thanks for these excellent tips, Mardi!! I have a feeling I’d love your hollow macarons, too 🙂
That’s the beauty of macarons – they taste pretty good even if they are hollow!
I’m not sure how to word it, you know when you use gel colouring you put two or three drops depending on the intensity of colour you want, how much powder do you use to get the real intense colouring without tipping the recipe measurements ? Like one teaspoon or just a few sprinkles ? Thanks 🙂 sorry I don’t know the right terminology for it
Hi. Would you mind sharing the recipe to make half the qty of the macarons?
Thanks.
You would halve the amount of ingredients to make half the quantity.
When cutting the recipe in half, would the beating times for the egg whites be halved as well?
No. You would proceed with the recipe as written.
Hi there, what you tell me about liquid egg whites?
Thank u.
Hi there, not all liquid egg whites whip up into fluffy meringue so look for packages where it says “great for baking”!
Very lovely. I haven’t yet worked up the courage to attack macarons again, but in the mean time I am reading up as much as I can on them. When I finally get brave again, I want to go into the battle fully armed 🙂
You know where to ask if you need help, right?
I’m not sure how to word it, you know when you use gel colouring you put two or three drops depending on the intensity of colour you want, how much powder do you use to get the real intense colouring without tipping the recipe measurements ? Like one teaspoon or just a few sprinkles ? Thanks 🙂 sorry I don’t know the right terminology for it
As it says in the recipe, about 2 teaspoons for that quantity of macarons.
Yay for you Mardi. I’m going to follow these tips too. Mine are hollow at times. Thanks for this fab tutorial. I love Brave Tarts blog, and you’ve really for the macaron fever going! Happy Macaron Day!! Thanks for bringing these to MacTweets.
Love baking with you ladies!
Absolutely stunning! Thanks for the tips! Mine have always been hollow, but I eat them anyway.
Oh my colleagues and friends all eat them hollow or not too!
They all look so pretty!!!
I haven’t experimented much with them but this makes me want to.
Well I still need to experiment more!
Glad that the resting and the less egg white beating is working. I love all the colours of your macs shown here.
Happy that your classes are going to well at Le Dolci too!
I hope this is a fix that will keep on working!
So many things to love about this post! How creative that you shaped your mac like a banana. Whimsical, yet appropriate. Totally awesome. Glad you fixed your problem. My macs sometimes come out hollow. Now I can take care to not over-beat egg whites, and allow more rest. Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas!
Thanks for your kind words, glad you enjoyed the post!
WOW! I love all those flavors of macs, absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you so much!
How do you get those really intense colours with powder colouring ?
I’m not sure what you mean. Powdered colouring is always much more vibrant than liquid (at least the liquid colours you buy at the supermarket!)
I’m not sure how to word it, you know when you use gel colouring you put two or three drops depending on the intensity of colour you want, how much powder do you use to get the real intense colouring without tipping the recipe measurements ? Like one teaspoon or just a few sprinkles ? Thanks 🙂 sorry I don’t know the right terminology for it
I’m not sure how to word it, you know when you use gel colouring you put two or three drops depending on the intensity of colour you want, how much powder do you use to get the real intense colouring without tipping the recipe measurements ? Like one teaspoon or just a few sprinkles ? Thanks 🙂 sorry I don’t know the right terminology for it
I tried the recipe this morning Mardi. I know how fiddly macarons can be, and how temperamental small changes can make them. I added some blood range flakes to mine, and while they rose beautifully with frills and all, after about 10 minutes they kind of began cracking. I have a feeling I under mixed the macronage, and will try the recipe again. They are cooling as I write and I hope I can salvage a few! Thanks for all your research…
Definitely undermixing can result in cracked tops. Or a hot spot in the oven?
Looking good. You are l lucky you get to enjoy Macaron day in Toronto next week!
Yes, pretty excited about that!
Ola again, I’m back and have to say that even though my macs don’t look good as the shells aren’t smooth, they are the best tasting ones I’ve ever made. Will keep trying. Thank you once again!!.
Hurrah Deeba! Go girl!
That cross section picture is mouth watering. Such beautiful macs. The raspberry ones especially. I too have suffered the dreaded hollow shell effect from time to time. I shall have to try your recipe soon.
Yes though I don’t think it’s a permanent fix sadly. Anyway, with macarons it’s all about “what’s working for me now”!
Mardi, I’m so happy for this Mactweets post! Thank you for sharing this lovely trio of flavors with us! What a treat ;-)! I’m learning to use color this year, all exciting!
I’m having fun playing with colours too 🙂
Yay for figuring out why your shells were hollow! Those new macarons look absolutely beautiful
Thanks I just made a batch with freeze dried pineaple and the were a lil crispy and hollow too. Think the higher sugar content makes them crisp up a little.
Love the banana shaped macs. You are a dedicated mac maker and we admire your tenacity.
Tenacious. Now that’s one way of putting it 😉
Your macarons look beautiful! I still haven’t worked up the courage to try, but am collecting tips and recipes for the big day.
I have a question though – everywhere I look, it says they are best eaten the next day, but what’s the best way to store them before eating? I’ve heard varying opinions on cardboard box/plastic box/counter/fridge…
I keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Those banana ones look fantastic! Thanks for the informative post!
You are welcome!
You have my full respect and admiration, macarons are definitely the other side of the great divide where cooking meets science and therefore becomes terrifying! But the little banana split ones are so cute. 😉
Macarons are ALWAYS terrifying for me you know – I still hesitate to look in the oven when they are baking for fear of no feet!
Thank you!!! I too have been using the BraveTart recipe and getting beautiful, delicious macarons – with hollows!
Yesterday I tried your chocolate macaron recipe, reducing the time for beating the egg whites, and letting them rest. For the first time ever – no hollows! Jumping for joy over here!!! Chewy goodness!
By the way, do you use food coloring to get your chocolate macs so dark? I added Cocoa powder but they were light brown (looked pretty good with the dark ganache though!).
Thank again!
That is wonderful! Congrats! I used “chocolate” coloured powder this time but in the past have made a complex mix of colours to avoid the “grey” that cocoa will make them bake!
Hi,
may i know is hollow macarons same with air pocket ?
thanks
Indeed it is.
I too am learning, I keep experimenting, trying to keep mine from either inflating deflating or not cooking enough, or browning. I have made a few batches lately and oddly the best batch I made while it was raining out. They were a smidge more brown than I’d like, but I need to experiment more with temperature. I also made raspberry macs 🙂
I love all of your photos, they make me soooo hungry!
I can’t tell you how happy I am that you wrote this post! I have made hundreds of macarons using Bravetart’s recipe and had the same problem as you (although I have always had to rest them to get feet) Even though they look and taste wonderful, I too have had problems with hollow macarons and was suspecting the overbeating of the egg whites. I will follow your technique with the next batch and hopefully will be able to report that the hollow problem has been solved! Thank you!
When working the meringue in the mixer let it cool to 50 degrees c, that’s optimum working temperature. To get a good skin on th before they go in the oven trying sitting them beside, on top or even under your oven or by a window in direct sunlight. I make them for a business in a commercial kitchen and if it isn’t warm enough, say 25-30 degrees c, the skin will take close to an hour to form. To avoid browning in the oven cook them at 140-150 degrees c takes up to 30 min to cook but there should be any color.
Thanks but the above recipe is actually for French meringue.
I made these macarons tonight – my first time for French macs as I’ve only ever made Italian meringue. Macs are beautiful and sadly hollow. I will try again this weekend. I do like the recipe. It is much easier than cooking syrup! Thanks for your wonderful troubleshooting!
I’ve also been having trouble with hollows and lately, Stella has been recommending to pulse 1 tablespoon of neutral flavored oil (safflower,peanut or almond) in with the almond flour and icing sugar mixture. She says that helps to stabilize the macs. Haven’t tried this yet but just thought you might like to know!
I have a feeling that it might be the method of mixing the meringue with the dry ingredients-
I did not know that you had to mix them against the walls of the bowl to deflate the mixture-
I have always been just folding them towards the center, and my macarons are always hollow….
Nor did I tap the sheets to release the air bubbles!
~ happy bakingg! 🙂
I think I may have found a macaron saving sentence for a lot of us in mac rule #9!!
http://bravetart.com/blog/TheTenCommandments
“…Underbaking will result in dramatically hollow macarons. The meringue inside an underbaked macaron hasn’t fully set, so when it’s removed from the oven prematurely, the meringue collapses as it cools, leaving a hollow shell behind….”
Thanks for this. Stella’s method is actually the method I use, adapted to my oven.
If I wanna make non-chocolate shells can I just replace the 15g cocoa powder with almond flour?
No you just don’t add the cocoa powder.
I love the banana split macarons! Great idea. Wish you could send one via my computer for me to taste right now. 😉
Hi Mardi.. I’ve always wanted to make macarons.. They are soooooo beautiful, even though I’ve just try them once, years ago (forgot the taste exactly, since its hard to find them here in my city. I live in a very small city in Indonesia).
I want to try them next week, the question is can I reduce the sugar from 230gm to at least 190gm (which mixed with almond). Thanks a lot, hope you reply soon.
Unless you are going to adjust all the ingredients, I would not play with the quantities as significantly. Baking is a science – very precise!
I finally attempted my first batch of Macarons today! I have been intimidated by everything I have read. I would love to have a beautiful tray for the shower I am giving for my first grandchild. Unfortunately, I had trouble with cracking and hollows. I will attempt to make them again per your new recipe. I do have a question though, do you think that altitude could, In any way, affect the results of my Macarons? I live at 5700 feet and have found that it is necessary to make some adjustments when baking. I love your site and would very much appreciate any input. I hope that I am making such gorgeous Macarons as yours someday SOON! Thank you!
Hi there (no need to post comments twice – your first one simple went into the “moderation” panel.
Altitude can for sure have an effect on baking especially something as temperamental as macarons. I personally don’t have any experience baking at altitude but there are some tips here:
http://www.lespetitsmacarons.com/HighAltitude.html
Good luck!
Thank you so much! It is defintitely a challenge baking here sometimes….but I will give this a try!
I love this recipe and adore your creative macarons but despite a couple of attempts all of mine have had hollow shells. I’m not disheartened though as they still taste amazing. I’ve thought of a few things I could do differently after reading some of your other posts so if I have a successful batch I’ll be sure to share my success!
Thanks Mardi
Hi there Mardi,
I did tremendous research before attempting macarons, and even consulted with Stella a bit sending her pics of my gorgeous, hollow macs using your recipe and technique. There isn’t a lot anyone can tell me to adjust. The only thing I am not positive about is the way my meringue looks just prior to adding the dry ingredients. I feel based on many photos that my meringue seems drier than others – it’s surely stiff enough but it also is so dry that it breaks in chunks as though it were cut and reminds me a bit of the texture of the inside of a marshmallow. Despite following the timing to the second, could I be overmixing the meringue and still getting the macaronage stage correct = nice domes & feet but then go hollow inside? I’m so defeated…please help. I took pictures this time if there is a place I can send them to you.
I’d love to see your pictures and have more details:
mardi at eatlivetravelwrite.com
I have tried dozens of times (with different variations) and I think I have the same problem as Heather. Perfect tops and feat but hollow macarons. I’d love to hear your feedback as to how I can get the perfect meringue. Thanks!
Again, I’d need to see a photo. But in my experience, it’s practice. And luck 😉
Why do my macaroons not dry? I see tiny bubbles in the batter, some bubbles are on the top of the shell. I have tried not over folding and using day old egg whites. Any suggestions would be helpful.
It’s hard to know what’s gone wrong without a picture but it sound like you have underfolded the mix…
Hello Mardi
Compared to most other recipes I’ve seen, this recipe seems to have a very low proportion of almond to icing sugar, and a very high volume of egg whites to both. I notice also that you don’t use any stabiliser in the whites such as bicarbonate of soda.
It takes a bit of a leap of faith to give this one a try, but after a year of hit and miss – i.e. when they are good, they are very very good, but when they are bad, they are tragic…. Here goes!
I use gel colouring rather than powder, to achieve the desired shade intensity- what do you think is better? Does too much gel affect the consistency? I actually prefer them paler, but they always brown a little and deep colours hide this better. And what is the best method of ensuring white macarons? The ground almonds always tint the batter a natural beige/ yellow. Some people advise a tiny touch of blue, some have said try icing whitener. Any advice appreciated.
Happy baking,
Ellie
Hi Ellie,
I have never used gel colouring with this method (I have with the Italian method) – owder seems to work for me and they never go brown… For white macs, I use – white food colouring powder 😉
Good luck!
Hi (:
Will changing the proportions of the recipe make a difference to the timing of beating the egg whites or folding the mixture?
Thanks !
Sorry to add on, for example halving the entire recipe.
Halving the entire recipe will not make a difference to the beating times etc.. I would not recommend playing with the proportions though.
I may have missed it, but what brand of powder food color do you use? I have only paste and want to get some powder to try.
Hi Betty, I use Crystal Colors brand that I get from Golda’s Kitchen (www.goldaskitchen.com) but I think Wilton does powdered colours too…
Mardi, I am newly obsessed with macarons and finally tried your recipe after first trying The Brave Tart’s and another, and yours is the only one that gave me near-perfect (in my opinion, anyway) macarons. I can die happy now. Thank you thank you thank you. I’m so happy I stumbled on your blog.
Lisa
So happy to hear this!!
Tried making macarons for the first time today – hollow shells abounded! Having found this post, will try again soon… Love the idea of blitzing the freeze dried fruit to use in the shells too, though it’s ridiculously hard to find over here in the UK!
Hello Mardi thank you for this amazing recipe! I am from the US and am having trouble with converting the ingredients to cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, etc. can you by chance convert them?
Hi Lindsey, I do not recommend using volume measurements when baking, especially macarons. A digital scale is your best friend here!
I’ve never made Marcarons but now I have to give a go!
I love your tutorials and recipes. Question for you. Have you ever experimented with more natural sweeteners, such as honey or maple syrup. I’m trying to get away from refined sugars (such as the powdered sugar).
Thanks!
Hi Renee, I checked with Stella (bravetart.com) and unfortunately, invert sugars like honey and maple syrup don’t have the structure needed to form an egg foam. Sugar substitutes don’t either. Sugar crystals are the only way. You might have to limit yourself to one every now and then!
Hi. Thank you for this amazing post! I have quite a silly question for you. The recipe says it makes 40 macarons. Is that 40 sandwiched macarons or 40 seperate unfilled macarons. Thank you!!
It makes 80 shells (approximately) so 40 filled macarons.
Thank you so much for the reply! That’s awesome. I was planning to make a double batch but I guess I won’t have to. Thank you! Happy holidays!
Hi Mardi – thank you SO much for your post i’m so excited to try it out! I’ve been struggling a lot trying to crack macarons and whenever I try they come out too much like a meringue, chewy underneath but no shine or flatness on top 🙁 I will try your method this week and hope it works for me too! Thanks again for sharing!
Hi! I found out macarons only last year when I was in Paris. Than I decided to make some at home. But I did not know, how hard it will be. I tried the method with sugar syrup at first, but I did not have the thermometer, so it went wrong. Than I have found another receipt and I tried it 3x. First macarons were nice, they have feet, but also big hollows. Second batch was bad, the shells were cracked, but I think it was my mistake, because the mixture was not liquid enough. The third batch was the best, because macaroons were soft and tasteful inside, but there were still those hollows. So I knew, that there is something wrong and I need to find out what. I have found your post and receipt and since you were so successful with it, I decide to give it a try. Today was the day 😀 I made only 1/3 amount, because of my previous bad experiences. I made everything you made, I watched your videos too so I knew how everything should look like. I think everything was ok, the mixture seemed lava like, shells looked nice on the baking tin, but then they just did not develope the feet and were dry after 16 minutes in oven. I decided to bake the second batch only for 12 minutes, but they were unbaked. Can you please please please help me?. Is there something else I can do? I will have nightmares until I make nice macarons 😀 Could my problem be not well heating oven? Or what? Thank you soo much for any help. And please forgive me my english 🙂 M.
It’s hard for me to answer this without seeing pictures – next time send me a couple of pics, ok? Not sure what “dry” in the oven means? Sounds like your oven is either running too hot or that you have overmixed the batter?
Hi Mardi,
Your macs looks great! How much less did you beat the egg whites exactly? I’ve been having trouble with air pockets and hollows and have been inspired by your and Brave Tart’s methods.
Thanks,
Rebecca
Hi Mardi, I found the video tutorials which answered my question. Great videos!
Hi Mardi,
I had exactly the same problem with my macs. Everything was managed: ingredient proportions, , consistency, oven temperature but all rarely macs were not hollow. I’ve never skipped resting, it goes up to 2h sometimes so I figured out that stiff & dry meringue was the issue. Whipping egg whited to just the condition of “bird’s beak” solves the problem. Now they are as beautiful and right as these gorgeous little things supposed to 🙂
Interesting since I find many people don’t understand the “bec d’oiseau” and underbeat the meringue which leaves them overbeating the batter so they don’t get feet and the macs crack. Glad you’ve found a method that works for you – with macarons, it’s practice and patience and figuring out what works for you and your oven and your equipment.
Hi Mardi,
I myself have adapted the recipe from Stella and tweaked it here and there. The measurements and recipe is the same, I use the scale to weight everything,whipped the egg whites to dry, and like you I leave the pipped shells to rest but only for 10-15 minute ( I tried putting them in the oven straight away and that didn’t work) But I don’t pip all the batter at once since I didn’t want the other trays to dry for too long. I usually get 2 and a half tray from one recipe… the first couple of trays almost always turn out, sometimes I would get an entire tray of perfect macarons with the exceptions of sometimes cracks found in a few ( the ones that cracked are usually the ones in the center… does that mean that the middle ones didn’t get to dry enough?) but when it came time to bake the third tray, they always puff up and cracks like a turtle shell with no feet at all….
I thought it could be from the gel coloring I use but I’ve had success with and without the gel color, but it’s always the last tray that don’t turn out! I thought it had to do the the oven temperature so I even got a over thermometer….
What do you like cause it? Should I have rest them for a longer period of time? Please advise. Thank you in advance!
I believe you should leave the shells for longer than 10-15 minutes. 30 minutes is ideal, however I have had them resting for longer than that and they just get better (I mean, don’t rest them for 2 hours or anything but they will be ok for much longer than 15 minutes). I’d say your cracked ones in the centre are probably where there is a hot spot in the oven and by the 3rd tray the oven is running too hot (it will have been on for a while, so maybe let it cool down a bit before you bake). I see you have a bakery – are you using a professional oven? I have used a Blodgett oven before and had to adjust the temperature by as much as 25˚F because it ran way hotter than my home oven. Good luck!
Hafa Adai!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!! My first attempt was yesterday…not too bad for a beginner. I didn’t weight my stuff (lazy)…so mine came out pretty, but hollow and the feet were too long (high). I had to make them again cuz it was bothering me. Thus, I measured everything, but accidentally started my kitchenaid at the “stir” instead of the “2.” My oven temp was running about 5/6 degrees F. too high (used an oven thermometer). All in all, I am super pleased with the result. Mine came out a bit hollow, but not as bad as yesterday. Everything else was perfect! Next time I will keep my oven at 285 F….seems to be closer to 300F.
MY QUESTION: at the very top of this recipe it says bake for 12 minutes. HOWEVER, withing the instructions you advise to cook for 16 minutes……WHICH IS CORRECT? I cooked mine for 16 minutes so perhaps that’s the reason mine came out with a tiny bit of hollowness??
THANKS SO MUCH FOR RESPONDING!!!!
paulaq
1. You should definitely weigh your ingredients.
2. Yes you are right. It should say 16 minutes up there. Fixed. Longer and on a lower heat seems better for avoiding hollows.
OH, what’s the best way you have tried to store your macs?? I’ve read we can fill them then freeze them? Can I just freeze the unfilled macs…then should I thaw before filling and keep in fridge till ready to eat?
I’d like to freeze the filled macs then ship them…what do you think? Thanks a bunch!!
Apparently you can freeze the unfilled shells but I have never tried that. I am not sure about freezing the filled ones but I have heard of bakeries doing that. I normally fill mine the day after I make them and keep them in the fridge, bringing them to room temperature when I want to eat them.
You can freeze filled or unfilled shells with no ill effects. Honestly, most bakeries freeze them. I used to buy them in Seattle at a French bakery, and I got a few that were still a little solid in the middle. The only thing about freezing the shells unfilled, make sure they have plenty of room and nothing can smash them. Even in a large reach-in freezer on full size sheet pans, there are always a few casualties. Freezing them filled is safer.
Hi Mardi,
I finally decided to try your recipe today, you make it look so simple! I followed all your instructions but the egg whites never formed peaks! This is after the 2-2-2 and 1 minute process. I have a hand mixer and I might have been beating for atleast 20-30 minutes, but the egg whites still didnt stiffen. I decided to go ahead and use the mixture anyway to see what happens and the macarons are resting before baking at the moment.
It would be great if you can give me some tips,
Thanks,
Dhwani
It sounds to me like your egg whites might have been contaminated (residue of something oily in the bowl or some yolk)? I have never had a problem with pure egg whites not whipping up in that amount of time.
Thanks for that! I’ll keep that in mind for next time. These didn’t rise as much but the shell looked smooth and they even had feet!..I think I may need to bake them for longer though. I think I just need to get a hang of all my equipment and see what works for me. Thanks so much!
Hi Mardi,
I had another question, I realised after I finished baking that I had forgotten to add the granulated sugar to the recipe! Despite this, the macarons turned out quite sweet. Is there a way to not make them so sweet or does the amount of sugar play a significant role in the making of the macaron?
thank you again,
Dhwani
Dhwani, Re: the sugar, yes, they are SWEET. Which is why I make them small! 😉 The sugar (in the egg white) helps the whites whip into meringue which is perhaps why yours did not whip up as much as they should – but it still sounds like you had a contaminated mix if they didn’t whip up at all.
Mardi, I just have to tell you that I followed your recipe to the letter and made perfect macarons! I think all your hard work has paid off. I’ve made them before a few times but I’ve never had every tray come out with no cracks/hollows. I think I might have taken a teeny shortcut or two, but not this time. Thank you ever so much for this recipe. They’re divine.
That’s fantastic Lisa 🙂
My macarons recently have been really hollow and sticking to the silicone baking mat I use. It’s so bad that the top shell just comes right off, even when I let them cool completely. Any suggestions? 🙁
Should I stop using the silicone baking mat?
It sounds like they are not cooked enough (lower the temp and cool for longer perhaps) or that you need to let them sit on the trays until they are completely cool before you remove them.
Mardi,
Thanks for your revised recipe posted March 14. I made the chocolate ones with a salted caramel buttercream filling and they are awesome. However, I want to make some that are as dark chocolate colored as the ones in this post. In a previous post (Lunch Duty Macarons) you listed 25g of cocoa powder in your shell recipe. Do you recommend increasing the 15g in this version to 25 to get the darker color? Or did you add coloring to your batter to get the dark chocolate color?
Also, if I increase the cocoa powder amount, do I need to decrease the almond flour amount? (tant por tant?)
Thanks!
Hi Susan, I used a much darker colour (Very Dark Chocolate is the name of the powdered colour) for these ones, that’s all which is why the colour is darker with less of the cocoa powder. The recipe linked in the “lunch duty macarons” post is actually a completely different recipe.
Mardi,
I have now tried the Raspberry version of the macarons and am having an issue with wet insides. Do you find that the ground up freeze-dried berries add moisture to the recipe?
I’ve tried twice now and get beautiful macs that are wet inside. Baking at a lower temp (280 and 290 degrees F) and for longer time just makes the tops brown; still wet inside. I have tried lowering the tray in the oven and also baking on a single sheet (no stacked baking sheets). They all have beautiful thin shells and feet, but their “guts” come out when I try to peel them off the parchment, even after cooling.
When I check the macs in the oven after 18 minutes, I can feel the undersides through the parchment are still wet. This last batch I lowered oven temp, pulled the baking tray out from under and went another four minutes directly on the rack! Still wet.
I think I would eventually get to inside-doneness but the tops brown too much first.
Do you ever add egg white powder to the dry ingredients to counteract added moisture. Or should I bake at a higher temp, not lower?
Thanks for any help. I’m eating all my homework!
Susan, I didn’t realise you were experimenting with the freeze dried fruit powder as well as the cocoa – it does not add moisture but it does add sugar which makes them stickier.
How about you try with NO additional flavours (that’s how I practised for months) and bake them at 320F for 14-16 minutes? That way you can figure out the oven before you add other factors into the mix.
Hi Mardi,
I followed the recipe exactly this time and they turned out great! Some of them were hollow but most of them looked good. Thanks again!
Hurrah! Practice really does make perfect. And following the recipe helps too! 😉
Hi! I’ve never made macarons but I’m very interested in making some by following your recipe, thank you for sharing it with us. I have 3 questions and I hope to get answers from you:
-Is the recipe above your tweaked version already?
-If we’re not making chocolate macarons or raspberry flavor, what will be the substitute for cocoa or for the freeze dried raspberries?
-What do we do if we want other flavors, do we just omit the cocoa and just get the flavor from the filling?
Thank you. I hope to have sucess in my first attempt in making macarons.
1. Yes.
2. Nothing.
3. Omit the cocoa and the flavour mostly comes from the filling.
Good luck.
Hi Mardi, I keep coming back to your blog just admiring your macaron photos and re-reading your comments and tips. I’ll try making them soon. May I know if we have to add salt to the meringue like Stella of Brave Tart does? Do we have to double the pan before putting it in the oven? Do we put it in the lowest rack in the oven? Thank you.
I hope someone can help. I am trying to ship my macarons. When I make them, they come out perfect. But when they arrive after shipping, they have dark spots on them and seem to be falling apart. I have tried new packaging, but that didn’t seem to work. Any ideas?
Not sure I can be of any help here – I don’t ship my macarons. What method are you using (French/ Italian)? What are you packing them in? How long before you fill them? Maybe they need to sit for a day or so before you fill them so they are a little bit more stable when they ship? When you say “dark spots” what do you mean? And how are they falling apart?
Using french method. Using a form of blister packaging so each individual macaron is by itself. The dark spots on the shell almost look like the shell got wet, if that makes any sense. They come out perfect and when they get shipped that’s when the dark spots occur. The outside of the shell starts to crumble and they just don’t hold together. Could the filling be soaking through the shell?
Hi Dave! I don’t ship my macrons but have exactly same problem. In my case the spots were where filling soaked thru where those hollows/air bubbles were (the shell was thiner there). In short too much filling and hollow shells are what causes this.
I found your blog via Brave Tart’s site. My macarons are currently resting but for the first time since I tried baking these things over a year ago, they look normal! I’ve tried so many times and they never look right! I can’t wait to see how they turn out 🙂
I do have one question, can I use pasteurized eggs from a carton for this recipe? Thanks.
Hi. I stumbled across your wonderful page and am so lucky. Amazing 🙂 I have attempted these tricky little buggers with failed attempts. But as my brother and future sister-n-law want them for their wedding reception, I have to conquer my fears. My question to you is I have to travel to their wedding and would like most if not all of my deserts to be completed beforehand as I will not have a place to bake once there. I am traveling the morning before the wedding as my daughter has to be there for rehearsal. Only a 3 hour drive. What is the best way to handle the macarons? Can I bake the shells at least before I leave, and fill there the day before? Of completely assemble before I leave? I’m in a bit of a panic. TIA
Hi there, I am so glad you were able to have success making macarons 🙂 Regarding your question, I would make the shells and travel with them in an airtight container, then fill them when you get there, refrigerate overnight and bring them out to room temperature on the day. Does that work?
Thanks Mardi ☺that’s what I thought would be best. Do you know exactly how many days before I can make the shells and have them still be good to serve? I’d be traveling In a Fri morning and the meddling is on that Sat afternoon. Thanks again.
Thanks Mardi…that’s what I thought would be best. Do you know exactly how many days before I can make the shells and have them still be good to serve? I’d be traveling In a Fri morning and the meddling is on that Sat afternoon. Thanks again.
Thanks Mardi…that’s what I thought would be best. Do you know exactly how many days before I can make the shells and have them still be good to serve? I’d be traveling In a Fri morning and the meddling is on that Sat afternoon. Thanks again.
Hi Mardi,
Thank you so much for this post. Thanks to you I’ve made my first successful batch of macaroons. Your step by step instructions were very much appreciated, and I’m sure, the key to my first successful batch!
Jennifer, I just saw your post and am so glad Stella and my instructions/ recipes were able to help you out making successful macarons! Practice really DOES make perfect!
I just stumbled upon your blog while trying to troubleshoot my hollow shells and when you said “I decided to experiment again with a(nother) batch. Ahem. I am having a little bit of macaron fatigue to tell you the truth but once I am on a mission, I cannot be stopped. I am, after all, a Taurus.” those words captured exactly how I’m feeling right now. I too am a Taurus and my husband just doesn’t understand why I would spend the past four days stressing and trying so hard at baking these finicky cookies. I’m going to use your advice tonight and even if they still don’t turn out I really want to thank you for writing up this blog.
Hi Mardi…i’m doing a small business on macarons selling, that is prepared and operates from my home only. Normally, i sell up to 50pcs per customer, so i managed to prepare it at least 3 days before i deliver the macs to them (refrigerate them after filling). But recently i received a massive order from a company, to deliver 1500 pieces macarons and i have about a month from now. What makes me worry is, how do i store them if i were about to start preparing it at least two weeks from the delivery date? Would it be fresh if i just prepare the shells first without filling, & start filling a day before deliver? I have a problem that most of my macarons have air pockets, even i have tapped the tray on counter. Eventhough the outside crust is nice and beautiful with piered feet, this issue had burdens me. I want to send you pictures of my macs, please let me your email, and i do appreciate if you could advice me how to avoid the air pockets and how fo i store 1500 pieces shells with fresh taste by delivery date?
Hi Natasha,
Sorry, I think this got caught in my spam filter 🙁 My email address is accessible on my “Contact me” page.
I think you should be able to make the shells and then freeze them beforehand then fill them the day before you want to use them. I have also heard of people freezing filled macs though I personally have no experience with that. Good luck – what a fab project!
Mardi
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’ve followed your recipe and was successful in eliminating hallows and the feet were beautiful. However, my macarons were always brown and lost the intended coloring. They started browning after about 10 mins of baking. I tried putting either an empty tray under the top heating element or tin foil tent right over the macarons. I only did this after the macarons have been in oven for 10 mins but they still came out brown and also undercooked. I tried other people baking suggestions like lower temperature with longer baking time or higher temperature with shorter baking time and also leaving oven door slightly ajar and still no success. The color of your macarons look perfect. Have you not experienced any ?browning? Did you bake with convection or conventional oven? Have you any suggestion?
I bake currently with a conventional (non convection) electric oven and have only experienced browning when the temperature is too high or the macarons are in a hot spot in the oven. I do find that leaving the door ajar and being vigilant (i.e. staying right by the oven and watching them constantly) is the only way to stop this happening.
Hi BB,
I found I had to put an oven thermometer in my oven, close to the glass so I could read it. With the oven dial set at 315 degrees Fahrenheit, the temp from the thermometer would range from 300 to as high as 345 degrees. To help maintain somewhat of a constant temperature and prevent browning, I place one oven rack on the very bottom then set a 1/2-inch pizza stone directly on top of that rack. Furthermore, I bake on silpat mats and stack the tray of piped macaron batter on top of an exact tray (double panning / nesting). All of this keeps my macs from browning too fast on the bottom. I used to place a foil on the top rack to prevent the macs from browning too much on top, but I found that I need the top heat to cook/set the macaron surfaces so they don’t cave in after removing from the oven. I also use a small wooden rice spoon to crack the oven door open a tiny bit as this helps moisture escape from the oven, cooking the macs faster so they don’t brown too much. With my particular recipe, and my oven set at about 310 to 315 (my oven gets temperamental and some days works better at 310, some days better at 315 when baking macs).
Of course, all of this goes back to how stable your meringue is and how little moisture is in the batter. I hope this helps!
I’m in Australia..
300F is… 150C…? Hoping my next batch are winners 🙂
Approximately 150˚F yes! Good luck!
Well I tried them…. So far my best attempt yet!
Though the ones in the middle of the tray are a bit sticky when I remove them ( does this just mean leave them in for a touch longer? Or leave them rest on a cool bench longer?)
Also they aren’t as high as I’d like ( is this just a bit over mixed/worked?? )
Also, they were pale pink in colour and did brown slightly in the oven… How can I avoid that!?!?
Has anyone tried jelly crystals for flavouring? Where do u find freeze dried raspberries? (They aren’t the same as simple “dried fruit” is it…?
Hi Mardi!
Must the shells be baked one tray at a time? If not, for 2 trays, what should the time and temperature be adjusted to?
Have you tried using liquid egg whites?
Am still getting hollows, but as sure as my friends are eating what I’ve made, I’ll keep trying 🙂
Thanks!
I bake my trays one at a time in a non-convection oven to ensure even heat. Yes I have had some success with liquid egg whites but not all brands (look for “perfect for meringues” written on the carton). Hollows are not the end of the world 🙂
Thank you so much for perfecting this recipe! I’ve finally managed to make a pretty perfect batch of macarons after a failed try with the Italian Meringue method. I did have a couple of hollow ones, but I’m chalking it up to slightly underbaking them – I still need to work on knowing when they’re done. They’re unbelievably delicious, so I hope this batch wasn’t a lucky fluke!
Followed this recipe and the macaroons turned out hollow and did not have feet. Any suggestions where I went wrong ?
It’s hard to know what exactly went wrong but no feet sounds like you overbeat the batter at the macaronnage stage (folding the dry into the wet ingredients) and the hollows sounds a little like the oven was too hot. If you’d like to send me pictures, you can find my email on my “Contact me” page.
I just did a post on my slightly adapted version of this recipe and the outcome! GO CHECK IT OUT! If you want of course (:
Thanks for sharing your recipe, Mardi.
I tried making macarons once and it was such a disaster that I never
tried again.
Looking at yours, I’m so excited to try again.
The banana-chocolate ones are a-do-ra-ble!
Hi Mardi!
I just wanted to say how helpful your instructions are! I made my first attempt at making these last night and while they came out pretty, they indeed had hollow shells. I’m not too disappointed for my first attempt and will try again soon as I am obsessed with mastering these beautiful treats. For my next attempt I’m going to cut down a tad on the beating of the egg whites and take the temp. down a bit since I had it at 325 instead of 300. Do you have any suggestions for a simple filling? I experimented a little with the first batch but my buttercream didn’t quite turn out perfect.
Thanks!
I like to use a simple chocolate ganache or even a cream cheese frosting! Or even Nutella! Congrats on getting a pretty batch, even if they were hollow. Sometimes filling them and putting them in the fridge overnight helps with them settling so they look less hollow, if you see what I mean. But yes, cutting back on the egg white beating can help and so can slowly baking them at a lower temperature. Good luck and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have other questions!
Do you have a recipe for the raspberry filling you used for the raspberry macarons? It doesn’t look like jam to me but I could be wrong.
It’s actually a chocolate ganache. The raspberry is the flavour of the shells.
Hi!
just wanted to stand in the line and thank you for all the effort you’ve made to explain every step; I can imagine it was fun, but on the other hand I think I know how much time and work it took, so again – I’m very grateful :o)
psss…BTW the hollow … I’ve seen on TV that once the macs were piped, the chef shook the tray a little and knocked into the bottom of it (he also dropped the tray on the table, gently of course :o) ), to get rid of the air bubbles, and then he let it rest for about 30mins
do you bake in a regular oven or commercial oven? i bake at home but i have a convection bake setting, should i be using that?
I bake in a regular home oven and I used the convection setting where I can. That said, when I was working on perfecting this recipe, I was using a regular electric oven, no convection at all.
I tried less egg beating, but still get hollow macarons. Could you tell me at what speed and for how long should I beat the eggs? I’m using Kitchen Aid. Thanks!
The speed and time of the egg white beating is in the recipe above 🙂
I tried this recipe and it came out quite well, no hollows! But some of my macarons did have cracks in them on the tops (about half). They looked perfectly fine minus the cracks though. What went wrong? Should I have let them set for longer than just 30 min because of humidity?
WAIT
Upon further evaluation (they were too hot to really look at before), they were not cracked, but the ‘feet’ have spread across the top instead of around the bottom edge. It spreads around the bottom edge about halfway around and then lifts up. It’s very strange. Here is a quick picture (http://tinypic.com/r/1ooh89/8 and http://tinypic.com/r/1ooh89/8). ANy help would be much appreciated and thanks for the help on the hollows!
From the looks of your photos your oven is too hot (those are cracks actually from what I see and the tops of the macarons are just starting to brown). I’d try lowering the temp )to maybe 300˚F) and baking them for longer. A longer rest might help too!
Okay! It was at 300 degrees but it is also brand-spaken new. Should I lower it to around 290? I also have convection, but didn’t use it. Should I? Thank you so very much!
Did you bake one tray at a time on the middle shelf? That’s how I bake them. If it was already at 300, I would try 285 (some ovens I use I have to bake that low as well because they run hot). I would definitely rest them longer.
Hi! May I know what oven mode you use for this recipe? Fan mode or the top and bottom heat oven mode? Thanks!
I bake this recipe on both regular (non convection/ fan) and convection depending on the oven I am using! I would say if you have convection (fan) use it – it’s the most even heat.
Thanks for the reply! For convection do I have to lower the temperature to 280F? Because convection oven require a lower heat and I’m not sure the 300F you stated is in convectional or convection mode.
Thanks!
It all depends on the oven. I would say try at 285˚F convection at first…
HI! I just made my 2nd batch and they do not rise, they are flat as a pancake! what am I doing wrong or not doing! HELP!!!
Hello Marilyn, It’s very difficult for me to say what went wrong – please go to my “Contact Me” page and email me, preferably with photos so I can see what they look like. It could be a number of things – over beaten mixture, oven too hot, oven too cold, uneven heat etc… but with no description of what you did or a photo of what they look like it’s hard for me to say where you went wrong.
Hello! I made your macarons today using your recipe and I liked the way they came out 🙂 the only thing was that they were a bit tacky/really chewy…Do you have any ideas why this happened?
Hi Faizah, Glad they came out well. Where were they tacky/ chewy? Did you fill them the same day as you made the shells? Not sure I can help you out without more details!
Hi! I’ve tried baking macarons and most of the time I’ve gotten the foot but I never ever managed to get this layer that forms at the bottom of the macarons. It’s not exactly hollow(thick shell with foot but no bottom) but I just have to add a lot more fillings to make it look like a normal macaron. Any help on this?
Are you baking on parchment or on silicone? Sometimes I have better luck with parchment. Also, try baking them for less time and letting them sit on the tray for a long time before you remove them.
Hi! I’m having good and bad luck with my macarons. I do get hollows in my macs, sometimes they’re small and sometimes they’re larger. The one thing I recently noticed was that when I add pulverized freeze-dried fruit (blueberries) powder to my macaron mixture, the hollows disappear. They also tend to brown faster (probably the added sugar from the berries). I’m wondering what (aside from sugar) the fruit is adding to my mixture. There’s added moisture (after sitting in the spice grinder for a bit, the powder sticks together), but I’m wondering if there’s anything else that the fruit powder is adding that’s making the hollows disappear. I’d like to replicate the same texture I get with the fruit shells in my unflavored shells. Do you have any thoughts/ideas? I’ve gotten to the point that the recipe I use and my method are largely successful. It’s the hollows that I’m trying to get rid of (they’re not so bad when the shells mature with the filling). Thanks so much!
Hi Desiree, Sounds like you are mastering the macaron! Honestly I don’t know what the fruit powder adds that takes away the hollows but I do know they are “chewier” (so with more “cookie” part under the shell) when I use them too. Which recipe are you using? Unless it’s mine, I can’t really comment much – each recipe and set of ingredients works so differently…
Thanks so much for your reply! I’m using Kathryn Gordon’s french meringue recipe from her book Les Petits Macarons. I think you may’ve used this recipe previously based on what I’ve read on your blog. I tried another recipe that looked better (no hollows), but I really like the flavor of KG’s recipe. I did make changes though–I don’t use her baking method (changing the oven temp partway through baking) because my oven doesn’t respond to quick changes like that. And I also don’t rest my macs–they were exploding when I rested them. So I’m of the opinion that all the ‘rules’ for making macs completely depend on the interaction of the recipe, process, and equipment. Some rules can be thrown out for some recipes, while others can’t. I’m wondering if the addition of a moist sugar like demerara would help my regular ones. Though it would probably affect the taste too. Heck, some days I just think it’s my piping technique that needs improvement.
Actually I think it’s Katheryn’s recipe that works with less hollows – it’s definitely got a sturdier texture on the inside than many macarons recipe (especially French meringue). But the baking method and the resting are key, I found, so not sure how it all works. The macaron gods definitely need to be smiling on you, that’s for sure (I still cross my fingers when I make them!). I don’t think demerara sugar would work so well (would change the meringue entirely) but if you try, I’d love to know what happens! My rule is find a recipe and stick to that one (ingredients and method) and make it work for you!
I was thinking of just adding maybe a 1/2 Tbsp or so of the demerara (I added about 1 Tbsp of the dried berry powder). I’ll let you know how it all turns out. Looks like I have a lot more experimenting ahead of me: I still want to perform a bunch of tests to find out when the hollows are forming (a la Brave Tart).
It’s the starch in the berries. I use the French meringue method. Try mixing tapioca starch with the granulated sugar before you add the sugar to the egg whites. I use 4 oz. of aged whites to 0.5 oz. (about 5 tsp.) tapioca starch (6+ oz. of whites sit on my counter for 3 to 5 days then measured to 4 oz.)
That’s a very interesting idea! The recipe I use also calls for powdered egg white and cream of tartar. I’m open to adding another element if it results in a perfect macaron. I’ll add this to my planned battery of adjustments and test batches. Thanks!
Hi everyone, I was thinking of giving this recipe a try after several past failures.
Does anyone know if Sugarflair gel colours work well for macarons? I have quite a lot of colours of that brand and just one awful Americolour one.
Thanks, cheers.
I think if they are water-based as opposed to oil, they should be fine!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I spent an entire weekend failing at macarons using a MUCH more complicated recipe. This was SO much easier and they were perfect!
You are so welcome – glad it helped!
I tried this recipe exactly and am still having trouble 🙁 the bottoms of my macarons were sticking to the tray even after letting them completely cool. I used non-stick parchment paper. I then tried baking them 30sec-1min longer and it helped but they are completely hallow! Any advice?
Honestly it sounds like they are underbaked. Perhaps increase the temperature and bake them longer? What temp are you baking at?
Hi, I’ve been baking at 285 F and I get the ruffles and it looks fine when I take it out of the oven.
I’ve been having the hollow problem with UNCOOKED BATTER INSIDE! So it will not fall off of the silicone mat nor the baking wax paper. Maybe my baking temp is too low.
Will the higher temperature help?
I would try baking at 300˚F.
Hi Mardi,
Just checking…: on one page you say to whip the eggs on each speed for 3mins and on the next page (and videos) you says 2mins on each speed. Just checking which one you’d say is best.
My macs have come out hollow and sticky. I think it’s mostly because I used a converter app to change the recipe from Fahrenheit to Celsius and it said 140 (I’ve read through the comments and you say 150) which could be why they are sticky.. Slightly undercooked.
I’m trying again today for my sons birthday party this weekend… Hope you see this soon
Hi Mardi,
Just checking…: on one page you say to whip the eggs on each speed for 3mins and on the next page (and videos) you says 2mins on each speed. Just checking which one you’d say is best.
My macs have come out hollow and sticky. I think it’s mostly because I used a converter app to change the recipe from Fahrenheit to Celsius and it said 140 (I’ve read through the comments and you say 150) which could be why they are sticky.. Slightly undercooked.
Hello,
300F is around 150C. The recipe on this page (where you have commented) is the recipe to follow that worked better to eliminate hollow shells. The videos also have the correct whipping times as does my Macaron resource page (here). I did edit old pages to reflect this change (see the bottom of this post) but really, I don’t find there’s much of a consistent fix for hollows. The stickiness you are finding is because the oven temp is perhaps too low and they simply are not cooked. good luck!
Hi Mardi, I was wondering if I can do this with just a hand whisk or have you tried it using just a whisk because I don’t have a KitchenAid stand mixer
I don’t know about a hand whisk but I do know you can use a hand beater (electric) – obviously the whipping time will be much longer since they are not as powerful but it absolutely can be done!
Thanks for the reply, I’ll definitely give it a go with a hand whisk with your recipe, I am worried about how you change the speed on the KitchenAid mixer and I won’t be able to do that with a hand whisk lol. But all in all thanks for all your posts about macarons, they’re a great resource
Hi Mardi!
Would this recipe work using liquid pasteurized eggs whites? Would I need to make changes?
Thanks a lot ?
Yes I have definitely had some success with liquid egg whites (not all brands) and in classes I have taken that’s all I have seen used.
Hi. I love your post. How do you get your cookie thick and interior fluffy. Mine comes out thin. I’m thinking its BC my batter has too much meringue.? Do you do deflate the batter and bang the pan? Do you have a recipe for a smaller batch? Thanks for your help!
Hi there, have you watched the videos (linked in the post)? The deflating of the meringue is demonstrated there. All the instructions (including banging the pan) are in the recipe. For a smaller batch you would divide the recipe to make the desired amount. Thanks.
Am using this recipe to make chocolate macaroons. Currently at the resting stage and they are the most promising looking batch I’ve ever made. If it works out- I’ll blog and link 🙂
Great – I can’t wait to hear how your macarOns turn out 🙂
Took a class in Paris and had flawless Italian Meringue method macarons. Did the recipe for Christmas and flawless again. Did them this week and totally hollow. Tried yours today. Loved the feet and the shape of mine, but definitely a little hollow. Will try again as am teaching a class and I think this method is easier/less equipment needed for beginners who don’t even know about a kitchen scale. One question? I did the chocolate and they are pale. Did you add brown food coloring to your chocolate ones. I notice you mention it at the end of the recipe, but assumed the cocoa would color them more than they did.
Cocoa will not colour the shells much and in fact will bake grey-ish so you definitely need to use some food colouring to get that rich chocolately colour! Good luck! I do find the hollows are worse in the winter. I think it’s something to do with the big temperature drop when you take them out of the oven – the fluffy interior collapses and makes them hollow. I have heard of people letting them cool slowly in the oven with the door open but I never have time for that…
This recipe comes through every time. Thank you so much!
Good to know!
hi if i don’t want to make macarons with cocoa powder or raspberries can i just leave it out?
Of course!
Hi Mardi, do I still stick to the 2-2-2-1 beating time for the egg whites if I were to cut the whole recipe by half?
Do not have sufficient baking trays for 80 shells, hahah.
Yes, egg white beating time is same!
I made macaroons for the first time – was so nervous but it came out beautiful . My family and friends thought it was store bought and it was all thanks to you-Thank you so much!!! 🙂
You are so welcome! Glad my macaron recipe worked out for you!
When you say you beat the egg whites less, did you judge this mostly by the amount of time you were beating them, or by the consistency? In your recipe it says “very stiff.” Is that different from how you were doing it before?
Jill it’s actually three minutes less than the original recipe. Still very stiff but not beaten quite as long!
Hi! Do you happen to have a picture of what the egg white look like when you are done beating them? 🙂 You can send them to my email if you cannot attach photos/links. Thanks!
Hi Bianca, there are videos linked at the top of the post!
I just made macarons for the first time a couple days ago, using a recipe found on another blog. They taste good but the texture is wrong and they are hollow. Imagine my disappointment when I returned to that blog and skimmed the comments (yeah, after the fact – lesson learned) and saw a comment from the blog author, replying to someone who said they had trouble with it, admitting her recipe was not reliable and she herself only had minimal success with it and had not made it again. Sigh. So I started googling for some answers for the hollow shells and for a better recipe, and landed here. I will be sure to try your recipe next time, it looks far more informative and trustworthy than the other one I tried!
Thanks for your note! Please do let me know how you get on and if you have any questions!
Hi
I made macaron around 2years
My macrons have good feet but have
Many bubble in it
Until find you recipe
Now I have a promblem that with you recipe my macarons haven’t feet
definitely a little hollow
I Rest the tray of macaron shells for 30 minutes before baking. But still have little sticky and wet
Possible with I must rest more than 30 minutes
Sounds like you definitely need to rest them a little more and perhaps you are overbeating them (if you beat too much air out, they will not have feet).
I was making macarons for the last week, everyday.. finally I got beautiful shape – looked like pro! But unfortunately all hollow inside. I red if you overbeat egg whites, thats what happens. But eggs had very stiff peaks.. maybe to beat less until only hard peaks?? Also batter was in right consistency. I used hair dryer to dry macarons, because we have lots of humidity in the house. Maybe I over dried?
I also used different recipe, maybe its the ratio of ingredients?? ( 117g icing sugar, 65g ground almonds, 2 egg whites and 53g of granulated sugar). Would appreciate any answer because im ready to give up…
Sorry, I’m not able to troubleshoot unless you’ve followed my recipe exactly. These ratios of ingredients sound a little different than my recipe…
Thanks for the answer. Will try your recipe and will give a feedback! 🙂
The first thanks alot for your answer
I saw your video’s again and again during the week
And I tried to do everything exactly as it the first my macaron are similar to yours but when I put Oven it haven’t made feet and still is not smooth and polished. May I have your E-mail address until I’ll send the Photo Macaron Maybe you’ve been understood what can I do for better .
Thank you.
Hi there, my email address is listed on my “Contact me” page.
Hello. I see on this recipe, you let the macarons sit for 30min, but you have a step by step of mac’s on your blog as well where you do not rest? What is your preference?
Also, I am constantly getting hollow mac’s and found your site so I am testing our your recipe. My mac’s now looked over baked as I kept putting them in for 2 minutes until I could get the mac off the parchment, they were always sticking. They were in the oven 300F for about 24 min, have browned and seemed to develop what I call a ‘mushroom’ appearance as the feet look inset from the top shell. Any help would be great. Thank you
Yes, best to let them rest for 30 minutes before you bake. Feel free to contact me via email (see contact page) with specific questions, I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you are saying about the mushroom appearance.
Hi! just a basic question, I haven’t made your macarons yet, and I saw in the recipe you said they would be best 24 hours after filling, but I was wondering how long they would last in an airtight container? with or without being filled, and how they hold up in terms of taste? I wanted to make them for a bake sale but I don’t have time to do it the day before, so anything you could tell me would be awesome, thanks!
They can store in an airtight container at room temp UNFILLED for about a week. Filled, in the fridge, for a day or so but best to fill them the day before you want to eat them, bring them to room temp about 20 minutes before serving.
Thank you for the recipe.. they turned out really well!
Good to know, thanks!
Hi! I loved your 2-2-2-1 beating time. My macarons dried perfectly! But… when I put them into the oven, the feet started quite nice and the it spread out way too much and they ended yo hollow, what can I do?
It’s hard to know what might have gone wrong without seeing a photo. You can contact me at mardimichels at gmail dot com with a photo and I will see if I can help.
Hi Mardi, your macarons look amazing. I was a little bit confused in the step where you beat egg whites and sugar, you start with 2 mins on low speed then after 2 mins on medium speed and then 2 mins on high speed?
What were you confused about?
I was just wondering if i start beating egg whites and sugar on low for 2 mins then on med for 2 mins and then on high for 2 mins?
Per the recipe, yes!
Hi there! How many does this recipe make? I’m going to try them today! =) I use another recipe and like you I’ve stuck with it for 3 years and all of a sudden it’s made hallows! So I want to try yours. Thank you! =$
Hi there! As per the recipe it makes approximately 40 macarons (80 shells). Good luck!
Oh thank you so much! I’m so glad you replied back! =)
Of course!
Update!!! Your recipe worked out GREAT! They’re perfect! =) <3 I was a little doubtful at first in some of the steps, but praise the lord they came out perfect, and delicious! Thank you so much! =)
That’s amazing! Well done! I do find it a very reliable recipe 🙂
Wish I could post a picture so people can see how wonderful they came out! =)
If you are on social media, you can tag me (@eatlivtravwrite on Twitter or Instagram) 🙂
Yay! I sure will! =)
Thanks so much for the tips! I’ve been using the Italian method, they’re always so beautiful but hollow! I just tried your recipe ( some are actually still in the oven). I have nipples on them, and still hollow. I think the key may be pressing the air out while folding. I folded 50 times and it still felt quite airy. I’ll try again with fingers crossed!
Thank you for the tips and the recipe. I had 9 dozen macs to make and in the past, making macs have been hit or miss for me. I stumbled across your blog and recipe and tried it. The first batch, came out beautiful, although they were a bit darker than I wanted them to be. Then, sadly, the 8 dozen after this first one were all duds. I’m not sure what I did wrong. All in all, I honestly think it’s my oven. It’s a large capacity professional oven (I can bake 16- 9″ round cakes at the same time in that thing!). I know I have a few hot spots in the oven and made sure to avoid them, turned the pans half way through, etc. I don’t know. I think I’ll give up on macs for a while. It’s so frustrating, especially when you have an order to push out and just can’t seem to get them right. I appreciate your input on your solution. In the recipe above, are the times and speeds listed for whipping the eggs already reflect you cutting back on the time you previously used? Thank you!
This is the up-to-date recipe that I use, yes. The recipe has been developed for home ovens, for a professional oven I would definitely lower the temperature.
Hi Mardi, I have a question, do you think that using Silpats instead of parchment paper could increase the possibility of hollow shells?
I always use Silpats and always have hollows no matter what I do. I think that parchment paper doesn’t keep macaron round form.
Can you help me please?
Thanks!
I prefer to use parchment paper always as it’s more consistent and reliable (lots of different types of Silpat out there – differing thickness and quality). I don’t think it has anything to do with hollows, though…
Hi! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’ve made it 6 times and all was good. A little nipples here and there, esp when doing fruit-based flavors.
I have a couple of questions:
Would the nipples be from undermixing? I noticed the fruit batches were sticker and took more folds with spatula to get the “figure 8s.”
I saw in the comments that the recipe could be divided, so I was wondering if you have successfully doubled it?
For vanilla, should I used powdered vanilla? Or can I use extract or actual vanilla bean?
Thank you again for the recipe!
❤️
Glad the recipe is working for you. Yes the tips are from the batter being too stiff. Adding freeze-dried fruit makes the batter a different consistency (not sure what you mean by the “figure 8s” though). Of course you can double the recipe but you will need a large mixing bowl. Not sure where you’d be using vanilla but in the shells I’d use the powder.
Hello! I was wondering if I am able to use this recipe without the cocoa powder or freeze dried raspberries? i am looking for a standard mac recipe, and I have been having problems with hollow shells across all different recipes i’ve tried (at least 3 or 4). Just looking for some tips or advice! I don’t think it’s under or over mixing as I always have feet on my macs and no cracking. I also always let them rest. Not sure what else to do! I’d love your expertise 🙂
Hi – the macaron help page linked in the post at the top (and also in a tab at the top of the site) has the standard recipe with is the same as this one just without the cocoa powder/ freeze dried fruit powder. Check out this page for more info: https://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/macarons/
Man, I totally thought this would finally be it for me. But no luck. 🙁
Gorgeous cookies, but completely hollow. 🙁
Did everything exactly as written, weighed all ingredients, 300° oven checked with second thermometer, rested and had a skin.
Ah I’m sorry. I still sometimes get hollows using this method too these days. Macarons sure are frustrating!
Just made my macrons but alas they spread and I was left with a shell and all the rest stuck to the mat, could you tell me why this happened, I cooked them on an oven setting of 130c fan oven thanks
Hi there, I do recommend parchment and a higher temperature in the recipe.
Omg I’m drooling seeing that macaron, looks perfect for a saturday afternoon with Netflix !
I am foing to give macaroons a go. however I cant seem to find a ganache filling recipe on your website!
Hi there,
There are a few…
https://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2012/10/macarons-with-passionfruit-chocolate-ganache/
https://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2015/06/teatime-in-paris-review-salted-caramel-ganache-recipe/
https://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2014/05/chocolate-macarons-a-lancienne-with-chocolate-ginger-ganache/