French Macarons - by InnPing Lim

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBfkedNDgEc

chocolate ganache filling.


My recipe is super simple ( for beginners like me!)

3 egg whites (Just leave the whole egg out in room temperature for 3 hrs before separating.)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar or caster sugar.
1-2 drips of food colouring (optional)

1 cup finely ground almond
1 2/3 cup confectioners/ powder/ icing sugar

For method, i cant really explain by words here cos i have watched tons of youtube tutorials to learn. But steps are:

1) Sieve icing sugar and almond flour and leave aside (Discard those that cannot go thru)
2) Line baking tray with parchment paper or silicon mat
2) Beat egg whites for 3 mins in low speed (Make sure bowl is CLEAN)
3) Add salt and beat
4) Start adding caster sugar and keep beating in mid speed (roughly add the in 3-4 batches)
5) Can add colouring during soft peck
6) Beat till stiff peck (when u turn bowl upside down, the egg wont move or drop!)
7) Sieve half of the almond+Icing sugar into the beaten eggs.
8) Start mixing using a FOLDING method.
9) After abt 15 folds, sieve remaining half in as well.
10) Continue folding till.... (Erm... Better watch some videos to learn)
11) Once done, pour batter into piping bag and pipe onto parchment paper or silicon mat
12) After finish piping, bring the tray up a little and bang a few times onto tabletop (I did it on the floor) to remove air bubbles n to create those nice little "feet"!
13) Pre-heat oven now at 150 degree C now.
14) On aircon and leave ur trays of nice pretty shells to "blow wind" in ur aircon room!
OK Ok... Actually the aim is to let the shells "dry up" on the surface and to create a thin crust before sending them into oven so...
14) If no air-con then just leave them alone in ur kitchen for abt 30-45 mins (depending on ur room humidity).
15) Once the batter doesnt stick tour finger when u lightly press them, it's time to send them to bake!
16) Bake for 15-30mins (depending on ur oven) in Middle rack till it's firm and doesnt stick to the paper when u remove them.
* I open and close my oven door a few times to keep checking. Therefore, Im not too sure of my total baking time as well!

Some personal tips:

1) beating egg white (must be room temperture) till stiff peaks
2) not to under or over mix the batter. (Use folding action!)
3) Bang the tray hard on table after piping batter for few times.
4) leave the macarons out (best in aircon room) till theres a thin crust.
5) bake at right temp with 1 tray at a time. I find mine best at 150°c in mid rack. ( I screw up thinking that i can take care of 2 trays baking at the same time)
6) keep a close look at all time while baking. (My 2nd batch didnt turn out as nice cos i was busy with my kids .)

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!