Carton Egg Whites Macaron Shell Recipe

Sep 9

"Inspiration comes from desperation" - perfect quote for my development of this recipe. It came together by a complete accident at first, which promted to months and months of testing, experimenting, working toward making a full proof recipe for beautiful, perfect, and delicious macaron shells. This recipe is also optionally no-rest, meaning, you can pipe all of the macaron batter at once and immediately bake your first tray , while second one is resting/drying.

Ingredients

100 g carton egg whites, room temperature (leave out of fridge for 1 hour before use)
100 g granulated sugar
8 g egg white powder, for sugar/egg whites mixture
105 g powdered sugar
115 g almond flour (not almond meal)
4 g egg white powder, for almond flour/powdered sugar mixture

Tools and Equipment:

8x12" baking / COOKIE SHEET
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Heatproof container or measuring cup
Stand mixer with whisk attachment
Silicone spatula
Sifter
Piping bag with 0.5 cm round piping tip
Toothpick or scriber
Two baking sheets
Cooling rack
Clean, dry mixing bowls

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Add/weigh granulated sugar and 8 g egg white powder in heat proof container or measuring cup. Whisk until all combined. Line a baking pan with sheet of parchment paper and drizzle the sugar mixture over it, spreading evenly, making sure it’s not too thin – lift the edges of parchment paper on all sides evening out the sugar mixture edges to spread it evenly. Place on the middle rack of the oven and heat for 5 minutes.
Shake the carton with egg whites very well to mix in the proteins, and add the egg whites into a grease-free, clean, dry stand mixer bowl (wipe with vinegar or lemon juice soaked paper towel ahead of time). Mix on lowest speed until egg whites start forming bubbles, gradually increasing speed to medium-low; once your egg whites start foaming up – increase speed to medium and mix until they become frothy, forming soft peaks. * You may add desired food coloring gel or powder at this point.* By this time your sugar and egg white powder has warmed up in the oven. Remove it from the oven (do not turn off the oven), and transfer to the previously used for weighing cup or bowl (easiest is to lift the parchment paper from opposite ends, forming a funnel, and carefully pouring the sugar mixture into the cup/bowl). While still mixing on medium speed, start adding 1 tea spoon of the sugar/egg white powder mixture right on the liquid/foaming egg whites area between whisker and the bowl. Be careful not to throw the sugar mixture onto the whisker. Once all sugar is added, increase the mixing speed to medium-high and mix for approximately 3 minutes, then increase the mixer’s speed to highest and whip for 5-8 minutes until stiff peaks are achieved. It may take longer for your meringue to achieve stiff peaks - depending on the power of your mixer and how fresh your carton egg whites are.
While your meringue is getting to stiff peaks, sift together the 4 g of egg white powder, powdered sugar and almond flour into a separate clean/dry bowl, discarding any large pieces that do not freely pass the mesh sifter (shouldn’t be more than 1 tsp).
Once your meringue is ready – remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the almond /powdered sugar mixture all at once. Fold in the dry ingredients into the meringue with silicone spatula. Once no dry ingredients are visible, start the macaronage: the goal is to remove the air bubbles from the macaron batter without overmixing, by gently pressing and turning macaron batter to the side of your bowl. Every 1 turn - check for readiness: your batter is fully ready when it freely and slowly flows from your spatula as thick ribbon, and fully flattens in 30 seconds. Another test is to try “drawing” number 8 with the batter slowly flowing from your spatula onto the bowl without breaking. The batter should not be runny – if it is, you have over mixed it. NOTE: this macaron batter comes together fairly quickly.
Check that your oven is still at 350 F (any oven needs 10 to 20 minutes to come to the right temperature) and place an additional baking sheet on middle rack – baking on doubled baking sheets prevents uneven/ lopsided macarons. Add your macaron batter to piping bag fitted with 0.5 cm round piping tip. Pipe macarons onto a silicone macaron mat placed onto your second oven tray/sheet. I do not recommend using parchment paper as it does not holds the shapes of macarons, nor gives the flat unbroken bottoms; however, if you do not have the silicone baking mats yet – it’s ok to use parchment paper. Holding your piping bag perpendicular to the baking mat, slowly pipe the macaron batter into a one inch diameter disc, releasing with the “wiping” motion. Do not tap your baking sheet/tray with piped macaron shells on the counter; use a tooth pick or scriber to pop any air bubbles that might appear on the surface of piped macarons. There is no need to rest these macarons; however if resting is unavoidable - result will be identical. Place the baking pan with silicone mat piped macaron shells into the oven’s middle rack on top of the preheated separate baking sheet. Close the oven and immediately reduce the baking temperature to 320 F and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the baking tray around half way after first 10 minutes of baking. Macarons are fully baked when if lightly touched they do not feel wiggly, flimsy. Allow baked macarons to fully cool off before taking them off your macaron mats.
Pro-tip: if your oven is pretty hot/strong and your white macarons typically browns or discolor during the baking, place a domed aluminum foil over the white macarons after 10-15 minutes since the start of baking. You may also try baking the white macarons with the following setting: preheat the oven to 350 F, place piped white macaron shells into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 300 F, bake for 28-30 minutes, also covering with foil half way through baking.

Tips for Success:

Preheat Properly: Ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking the macarons. Use an oven thermometer to verify the correct temperature.
Prepare Ingredients: Let the egg whites come to room temperature before using them, as this helps in achieving a better meringue.
Sifting: Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar thoroughly to avoid any lumps in your macaron batter.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Meringue Issues: If your meringue doesn’t form stiff peaks, check that your bowl and whisk are completely grease-free and that the egg whites are at the right temperature.
Cracked Shells: Cracked macaron shells can be due to overmixing or baking at too high a temperature. Adjust mixing and baking temperatures as needed.
Uneven Tops: If your macarons have uneven tops, ensure that your piping technique is consistent and that air bubbles are properly removed before baking.

Variations:

Flavor Add-ins: Add flavor extracts or spices to the batter, such as vanilla, almond, or coffee, for different flavor profiles.
Colored Macarons: Use various food coloring gels to create vibrant, colorful macarons for different occasions.

Storing and Serving:

Storing: Store the baked macarons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.
Serving: Serve macarons at room temperature. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.

More Decorating Ideas:

Filling Options: Fill macarons with a variety of fillings like ganache, buttercream, or fruit preserves. Pipe a thin layer of filling between two macaron shells.
Decorative Toppings: Top macarons with edible glitter, sprinkles, or a drizzle of tempered chocolate for an extra touch of elegance.

Pairing Suggestions:

Beverages: Pair macarons with coffee, tea, or a glass of dessert wine. Their light and sweet flavor complements a range of beverages.
Desserts: Serve alongside fresh fruit or a scoop of sorbet to balance the sweetness of the macarons.

Fun Trivia about Macarons:

The macaron as we know it today has origins in Italy. It was brought to France by Catherine de Medici in the 16th century when she married Henry II of France. However, the classic French macaron, with its iconic filling, became popular in Paris in the early 20th century thanks to the famous Ladurée patisserie.

March 20th is celebrated as International Macaron Day. It’s a day when macaron lovers around the world indulge in these delightful treats, and many patisseries offer special deals or events in honor of the occasion.

Macaron vs. Macaroon:

It’s easy to confuse macaron with macaroon. Despite the similar names, they’re very different. Macarons are delicate almond meringue cookies, while macaroons are typically coconut-based and denser.