Cakes & biscuits
Vanilla macarons with buttercream
Pale almond shells sandwiched around a simple vanilla filling.
- Total time
- 900 min
- Servings / pieces
- 20
- Topic
- Cakes & biscuits
Macarons respond more sensitively to handling and oven heat than ordinary biscuits. Accurate scales and a clean, grease-free mixing bowl are useful. Whip the whites with sugar into a glossy meringue, then fold the almond batter until it flows slowly in a wide ribbon. Too little folding leaves pointed tops; too much makes the mixture runny. Bake a small trial tray if you are unfamiliar with your oven. The timings below are starting points rather than a promise that every kitchen will behave identically.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Sift
Sift almonds and 100 g icing sugar. Do not force coarse almond pieces through the sieve.
- 02
Whip
Start whisking whites and salt. Gradually add caster sugar and whip until glossy with stable peaks.
- 03
Fold
Fold in the almond mixture. Continue until a wide ribbon flows from the spatula and its trail gradually settles back into the batter.
- 04
Dry
Pipe 40 circles approximately three centimetres wide. Tap the tray lightly. Dry for 30–60 minutes until a gentle touch does not pick up batter.
- 05
Bake and fill
Bake at 150°C conventional for 14–18 minutes. Release when cold. Beat butter, remaining icing sugar, vanilla and milk; sandwich pairs and mature overnight in the refrigerator.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Oven and lining
Excessive heat browns or cracks the shells. Smooth paper and a level tray encourage even feet. Humid weather can lengthen drying substantially, so check the surface rather than automatically baking after thirty minutes.
Using the maturation period
Newly filled shells can seem brittle. Refrigerated resting lets moisture migrate from the buttercream into the almond shell. Allow a short time out of the refrigerator before eating so the butter filling softens. Draw circles on the reverse of the paper if needed to match sizes. Keep the markings away from the food-contact surface. Pop small bubbles after piping with a clean point, then allow the surface to dry before baking.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Why do shells stick to the paper?
They may still be warm or insufficiently baked inside. Let them cool fully before trying to release them.
Can I use almond butter?
No. This formula needs dry, finely ground almonds; almond butter changes the batter fundamentally.
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