What better way to say I love you than with these adorable macarons! These are the perfect little desserts for special occasions like valentine's day!
Macarons are tricky to make but if you follow the step by step instructions you should have perfect macarons to share with your loved ones!
Ingredients for macaron shells
Measurements are in grams as it is the most accurate scale for making the perfect macarons!
57 grams egg whites (no need for aged egg whites)
70 grams ground almond
113 grams icing sugar
20g caster sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 drops of Americolour navy blue food colouring
Full Instructions
(Makes about 20 mini macaron whales)
Adapted from Bear Naked Food
1. Blend ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until combined. Leave it in the food processor - we will be sieving in the almond and icing sugar mixture later on.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the caster sugar and cream of tartar and set aside.
3. Using a mixer, whisk egg whites till foamy like in the pictures below.
4. At this stage, add in the mixture of caster sugar and cream of tartar and whisk egg whites until soft peaks. Add in the desired food gel paste colouring (in this case blue) and flavouring (vanilla extract) before you get stiff peaks.
5. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Colour should be uniform.
6. Sieve and fold in 1/3 of the almond and icing sugar mixture at a time into the egg whites (which are at stiff peaks at this point) until combined. When sieving, use a spoon and do not hit the sides of the bowl which may cause the meringue to deflate. If you prefer, you can sieve the mixture in step 1 and set aside before folding in instead but I find it faster to do it this way.
Be especially careful not to over mix at this step as it may cause the egg whites to deflate. Mixture will be thick and flowy.
Almond and icing sugar mixture should be sieved to give a smooth macaron shell
6. Prepare the baking trays with silicon mats and fill your piping bag with the meringue mixture. Pipe the whale shape by starting with a circle and add the tail. For the underside of the whale, pipe round circles to match the body.
7. Use a toothpick to smooth out the body of the whale to get rid of any air pockets or ridges. Before baking, let the macarons rest for 20 minutes to 30 minutes until the top of the macrons do not feel sticky (this may sometimes take up to 60 mins if it's humid). To speed up this process, place the macarons in front of a fan on medium speed.
8. Preheat the oven to 145- 150 degree Celsius.
**Depending on your oven, you may have to adjust the temperature accordingly. **
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes and cool them on a rack. Macarons are done when they are easily removed from the silicon mat after they have cooled.
9. Draw the eyes and mouth on with an edible marker and attach the fins with a little buttercream. The fins are mini hearts from our local baking shop (Poon Huat).
10. Sandwich a circle macaron with the full body macaron with your favourite filling (buttercream, nutella, jam) and its done! You have the perfect macarons to say "I whae-ly love you!" These macarons taste best after resting overnight so it's best to make them a day ahead if possible.
Happy baking!
If you've used our tips in designing your own creation, share it with us on Facebook or Instagram (@twinniefoods) with the hashtag #twinniefoods. We'd love to see it!
Storage
If you are baking the macaron shells before hand, store the shells in an air tight container (air-con room). Once filled, the macarons can be keep in a container for a few days but taste best after a day.
Full Instructions
I whaley love you macarons
(Makes about 20 mini macaron whales)
1.
Blend ground
almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until combined. Leave it in the food processor - we will be sieving in the almond and icing sugar mixture later on.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the caster sugar and cream of tartar and set
aside.
3.
Using a mixer, whisk egg whites till foamy.
4. At this stage, add in the mixture of caster sugar and cream of tartar
and whisk egg whites until soft peaks. Add in the desired food gel paste
colouring (in this case blue) and flavouring (vanilla extract) before
you get stiff peaks.
5. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Colour should be uniform after mixing.
6. Sieve and fold in 1/3 of the almond and icing sugar mixture at a time into the egg whites (which are at stiff peaks at this point) until combined. When sieving, use a spoon and do not hit the sides of the bowl which may cause the meringue to deflate. If you prefer, you can sieve the mixture in step 1 and set aside before folding in instead but I find it faster to do it this way.
Be especially careful not to over mix at this step as it may cause the egg whites to deflate. Mixture will be thick and flowy.
Be especially careful not to over mix at this step as it may cause the egg whites to deflate. Mixture will be thick and flowy.
7. Prepare the baking trays with silicon mat and fill your piping bag with
the meringue mixture. Pipe the whale shape by starting with a circle and add
the tail. For the underside of the whale, pipe round circles to match the
body.
8. Use a toothpick to smooth out the body of the whale to get rid of any
air pockets or ridges. Before baking, let the macarons rest for 20 minutes to
30 minutes until the top of the macron does not feel sticky to the touch (this
may sometimes take up to 60 mins). To speed up this process, place the macarons
in front of a fan on medium speed.
9. At this point, preheat the oven to 145- 150 degree Celsius.
**Depending on your oven, you may have to adjust the temperature
accordingly as some ovens are hotter than others. **
10. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes
and cool them on a rack. Macarons are done when they are easily removed from
the silicon mat after they have cooled.
11. Draw the eyes and mouth on
with an edible marker and attach the fins with a little buttercream. The fins
are mini hearts from our local baking shop (Poon Huat).
12. Sandwich a circle macaron
with the full body macaron with your favourite filling (buttercream, nutella,
jam) and its’ done! You have the perfect macarons to say "I whae-ly love
you!"
2) Macarons do not like humidity. Ensure you are making them on a nice cool and "dry day" (i.e. non-rainy days)
Special notes:1) This recipe does not call for aged egg whites (i.e. egg whites left on the counter to "dehydrate" to get stiffer meringue).
2) Macarons do not like humidity. Ensure you are making them on a nice cool and "dry day" (i.e. non-rainy days)
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