VANILLA BEAN MACARONS

Ingredients

• 170 gground almonds
• 300 gpowdered sugar
• 180 g, at room temperatureegg whites
• 160 gsugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp)vanilla bean paste

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the trays

   Heat the oven to 150°C and position a rack in the centre. Draw circles about 4 cm (1.5 inches) across on parchment, leaving about 2 cm (¾ inch) between them.

2. 2

   Sift the dry mix

   Combine the ground almonds and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Sift the mixture twice to remove large lumps and aerate it, then set aside.

3. 3

   Whip the meringue

   Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, raise the speed to high and whip until the meringue begins to firm. If using gel colouring, add a few drops at a time; mix in the vanilla bean paste, then continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

4. 4

   Fold in half

   Take the bowl off the mixer. Add half of the almond and powdered sugar mixture, folding gently until combined and the meringue has deflated slightly.

5. 5

   Finish the batter

   Add the remaining dry mixture and fold lightly. Continue with turns, scooping from the bottom and spreading the batter against the side of the bowl, turning the bowl as you go. Check often: the batter should flow like lava from the spatula and fall in an unbroken figure eight. If unsure, stop while it is slightly under-mixed; piping will mix it a little more.

6. 6

   Pipe the shells

   Fit a pastry bag with a medium round tip. Put the macaron template on a baking sheet and cover it with another sheet of parchment. Hold the bag at a 90-degree angle and pipe rounds to the size of the circles, finishing each with a small wrist flick. Remove the template.

7. 7

   Tap the trays

   Hold the baking sheet with both hands and tap it firmly and evenly against the work surface several times. This helps release air bubbles, smooth the tops and spread the rounds slightly.

8. 8

   Pipe remaining batter

   Repeat the piping and tapping process with the rest of the batter, using additional baking sheets as needed.

9. 9

   Let shells dry

   Leave the piped macarons at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until a skin forms and a light touch does not make the batter stick to your finger. The drying time will vary with humidity.

10. 10

    Heat a spare tray

    About 15 minutes before baking, put an empty baking sheet in the oven to heat. Bake one tray of macarons at a time, setting each tray on top of the hot spare sheet.

11. 11

    Bake and check

    Bake for about 18 minutes, rotating the tray once and checking from 15 minutes. The shells should have ruffled feet and no browning. Press a shell lightly: if its foot gives way, bake it longer; if stable, test whether it peels cleanly from the parchment. If it is stable but still sticks, bake for about another minute and check again.

12. 12

    Cool the shells

    Take the tray out and leave the shells on it for 10 minutes. Peel them from the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining trays, using the same preheated spare sheet.

13. 13

    Release stuck shells

    If the shells do not peel away cleanly, put them on the parchment in the freezer for 5–10 minutes, then peel them off.

14. 14

    Store airtight

    Once fully cool, keep the macarons in an airtight container until ready to use.

What are vanilla bean macarons?

Macarons are French-style meringue sandwich cookies made with ground almonds and sugar. These are the plain vanilla bean shells; the method focuses on smooth tops, ruffled feet and a tender, chewy middle.

The recipe relies on a carefully whipped meringue and a batter folded to the right flow. Vanilla bean paste gives the shells their flavour, while the almond-and-sugar mixture forms their delicate structure.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 95 calories, 2g protein, 17g carbs, 3g fat.

The sugar and powdered sugar supply most of the carbohydrates, while ground almonds contribute most of the fat and some protein; egg whites add further protein. Pair a couple of shells with fresh fruit and plain yoghurt for a more balanced snack.

The almond and sugar mixture

Fine texture: sift the ground almonds with the powdered sugar twice, as the method directs. This helps limit lumps that could leave the shells rough or uneven.

Keep the proportions: the listed quantities are important to the balance between the dry mixture and meringue. Avoid adding extra dry ingredients while folding.

Whipping the meringue

Foamy whites: begin at medium speed and add the sugar gradually once the egg whites are foamy. This gives the sugar time to incorporate as the meringue builds.

Stiff peaks: whip until the meringue holds firm peaks before folding in the dry ingredients. If using food colouring, add it a few drops at a time so you can control the shade.

Getting the batter right

Gentle first fold: incorporate the dry mixture in two additions, folding the first half just until combined. This starts deflating the meringue without knocking out too much air at once.

Controlled turns: for the final mixing, scoop from the bottom and spread the batter against the bowl, turning the bowl between strokes. Stop when it flows like lava and falls from the spatula in an unbroken figure eight; overmixing can leave it too loose.

Piping and drying

Straight piping: hold the bag upright at a right angle to the tray and pipe rounds to match the template. A small flick at the end helps minimise points on the tops.

A formed skin: after tapping the trays, let the shells dry until the surface is no longer sticky to a light touch. Humidity affects how long this takes, so use the skin rather than the clock as your cue.

Baking and checking doneness

Double sheet: the method places each macaron tray on a preheated spare baking sheet to help the shells bake evenly. Bake one tray at a time and rotate it once during baking.

Doneness cues: check from 15 minutes, looking for formed feet without browning. A stable foot and a shell that releases cleanly from the parchment indicate that it is ready; give it another minute if it is stable but still sticks.

Serving and filling

These instructions make the shells, not a filling, so let them cool completely before adding one of your choice. A vanilla buttercream or ganache would pair well, but use a separate filling recipe and assemble only when ready to serve.

For a simple dessert plate, serve a few macarons with fresh berries or alongside tea or coffee. Their sweetness and delicate texture work well with something fresh or unsweetened.

Recipe notes & tips

• Weigh the egg whites rather than relying on the number of eggs, since the recipe specifies 180 g.
• Make sure the mixer bowl and whisk are clean before whipping the egg whites.
• Use the figure-eight test as your main guide to batter consistency rather than mixing for a fixed time.
• Tap each tray firmly to help remove air bubbles and smooth piped peaks.
• Keep the trays at room temperature while the shells form a skin, and adjust the drying time to the room’s humidity.
• Cool the shells fully before filling or storing them to help prevent condensation.

Variations

• Creme egg style: tint the shells grey-blue and splatter baked shells with diluted black gel colouring, then use a Creme egg ganache filling.
• Hot cross bun style: tint the shells brown and pair them with spiced German buttercream.
• Coconut style: tint the shells yellow and use coconut Swiss meringue buttercream.
• Chocolate style: add 20 g dark Dutch-process or black cocoa to the powdered sugar mixture and pair with peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream.
• Peeps style: tint the shells bright pink, dust with pink sanding sugar after piping and fill with vanilla bean marshmallow.
• Cross decoration: pipe a thick paste of sifted powdered sugar and milk onto half the cooled shells before filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overmixing the batter: stop when it falls in an unbroken figure eight, as extra folding can make it too runny.
• Under-whipped meringue: continue until stiff peaks form before adding the dry mixture.
• Skipping the skin: wait until a shell forms and no longer sticks to a light touch before baking.
• Crowding the tray: pipe with space between rounds and bake one sheet at a time as directed.
• Browning the shells: check from 15 minutes and use the feet and release test to judge doneness.
• Peeling too soon: cool the shells on the tray for 10 minutes first; if they still stick, freeze them on the parchment for 5–10 minutes.

How to store

Store fully cooled, unfilled shells in an airtight container. The recipe does not specify a storage duration; keep them sealed and handle gently, as the shells are delicate. No reheating is needed.

Frequently asked questions