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Recipes

I Made Macarons Instead of Buying Them and Surprisingly Didn’t Set My Kitchen on Fire

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Emory chapter.

This past summer, a friend and I decided one day that we were going to try and make macarons, the expensive French dessert that makes dessert lovers go crazy. We bought the ingredients, found a seemingly reliable recipe, and proceeded to try and make them. We spent at least two hours working on these, and followed each step meticulously. We were disappointed to find that once we pulled them out of the oven, they were stuck to our sheets.

We realized after the fact that we needed to use parchment paper, and had used wax paper instead. After this failed attempt, we were more motivated than ever to accomplish this task. The second time around we used the correct paper and have successfully mastered the macarons.

Macarons

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time:1 hour 30 minutesCook time: 22 minutesTotal time:1 hour 52 minutesServings:24 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Ashley Laurens

    Whip the egg whites. Once they get foamy, you have to add the cream of tartar, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt.

  2. Ashley Laurens

    The egg white mixture has to be whipped for at least 8 minutes, until peaks form. This is one of the most important steps. At this point, the food coloring can be added, and add a lot if you want a vibrant color when they’re done.

  3. IMG 8527

    Sift and mix the dry ingredients. It is incredibly important to sift the dry ingredients, or else the macarons become lumpy and not airy.

  4. Combine egg whites and dry ingredients. This should not be over-mixed, the folds have to be counted. It is usually recommended to stay between 60-70 folds.

  5. Ashley Laurens

    Fill a piping bag (or ziplock bag) with this mixture and pipe even circles onto parchment paper. Obviously try to have an even number of circles.

  6. The macarons now have to rest. Eventually, their tops will get hard and won’t be sticky to the touch. After about 30 minutes they are ready for the oven.

  7. Ashley Laurens

    Macarons bake for about 20 minutes, any longer and they’ll burn. Only one sheet of them can bake at a time as well. Once that time is up, pull them out of the oven and let them rest.

  8. Ashley Laurens

    Follow the buttercream recipe listed below and fill your macarons.

  9. Ashley Laurens

    Put the sandwich together. It’s important to remember though that they are still delicate. You can very easily break them when trying to spread the filling evenly. Try spreading the buttercream or ganache over the entire bottom half by moving the top half in slow circular motions.

Buttercream Filling

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: minutesTotal time: 5 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together until desired consistency. Pipe or spread icing onto one half.

I have made macarons three times, with two successes. It’s rewarding at the end of all that hard work to taste that beauty. Would you be up to the challenge of creating these yourselves? I’d say if you’re adventurous, try it out. If not, and you don’t have a massive obsession with them, just stick to buying them. 

I am a Atlanta, Georgia resident attending Emory University. I am currently a Freshman planning toward the Goizueta Business School where I want to focus on Finance and Accounting. I am a 2015 graduate of The Atlanta Girls’ School off of Northside Parkway. There, I was yearbook editor, literary magazine editor, peer mentor, peer tutor, school ambassador, honor society and dean’s list member. I partook in dance (jazz, ballet, and tap) for 13 years, up until my senior year of high school. I have also been a pianist for the past 11 years. My pass-times include reading, writing, cooking, and different forms of artwork.