Unlocking the Secrets to Perfect French Macarons with Angel Bake
Crafting impeccable French macarons has often been seen as a formidable, intricate, and somewhat chaotic task. The vast digital expanse is brimming with countless recipes and a wealth of advice on mastering the art of macaron baking. However, achieving that elusive success can often feel like chasing a mirage, with varied outcomes despite following identical steps meticulously—believe us, we’ve been there! It can be downright exasperating!
So, how should a quintessential macaron be? Crisp and fragile, or soft and chewy?
The Anatomy of an Angel Bake Macaron
In this piece, we unravel the anatomy of an Angel Bake macaron for you.
Collaborating with culinary maestros, we’ve concocted and refined a distinctive baking mix, demystifying the art of French macaron baking. A flawless macaron boasts a sleek, uncrusty surface, a soft and chewy heart, void of any hollows, adorned with well-defined feet, and a smooth shell. Following our uncomplicated baking guide ensures creations that epitomize these characteristics! Say goodbye to sifting, intricate folding, hot syrup, messy egg whites, remnants, meticulous measurements, and, above all, any secret techniques or hacks!
We’ve also curated a concise guide and video tutorial elucidating the ease of baking French Macarons using our Single Step French Macaron Baking Mix.
The Anatomy of the Angel Bake French Macaron
Ready to Begin Your Macaron Journey?
Embark on your journey to craft impeccable macarons! For any queries or feedback, feel free to reach out to us at info@angelbk.com or drop a comment. We are here to assist you in every step of your macaron-baking adventure!
Are you excited to redefine your baking experience and delve into the world of effortless macaron baking? Visit www.angelbk.com to explore more about our revolutionary products and witness the magic of Angel Bake!
Question: How to cost-effectively implement a high volume French macaron production line while maintaining great product quality?
Pro bakers recognize that scaling a small operation isn’t always as straight forward as one would like. High volume manufacturing operations are built upon exacting, simple, repeatable procedures which aren’t reliant on personnel expertise and know-how. To maintain quality, much of the work is performed by machines, machines that are right for the job. When it comes to baking lots of macarons, consistent batter performance, and product look and feel are without saying very important.
We had learned of Bakon USA and their products years ago and wondered if we could do some experimentation with their one of a kind depositor- the Drop TT. Last week, we got a chance to try our Single Step French Macaron Mix with the Drop TT and below is a summary of half day’s worth of experimentation.
Getting ready to test high volume French macaron production at Bakon USA
The Drop TT is a tabletop depositor that can fill a large tray in about 20 seconds! And with its continuous automatic conveyor, all the user has to do is fill its tank with batter, select a program and push start! Feed it one tray after another and you’ll have thousands of shells piped in no time! So that is the theory…
Bakon USA Drop TT Depositor
The Drop TT has a 30 lbs bin and uses gravity and rotating screws to push the batter through six nozzles sitting below the bin. The size of macaron is determined by how long the screws are rotated. This is part of programming the machine, which also depends on the viscosity of the batter being pumped into the nozzles. For things to work consistently, the batter must have exactly the same characteristics every time. You can also program how many rows and the distance between the rows. We now need to make pounds of batter that is just right for this tech marvel.
Making 20-30 pounds of macaron batter using the traditional make-from-scratch approach would have taken us over an hour of measuring, sifting and folding. Using the Angel Bake single step macaron baking mix, we completed the job in 10 minutes with a pro Hobart mixer. The beauty of using a mix is that we have full control of moisture, mixer speed and mixing time and, as a result, we can deliver precisely the same batter every time! And as an added bonus, the kitchen was left squeaky clean. We didn’t have to crack any eggs (or keep a freezer full of egg whites) or sift and mix ponds of almond flour and sugar. Imagine having to make Italian meringue?
Mixing 10 pounds of French macaron batter
For our first batch, we used 4 KG (8.8 lbs) of the Angel Bake Single Step French Macaron Baking Mix along with 800 grams of 122 ºF water. Keeping with the instructions on the box, we started the Hobart at slow speed (setting one), ran for one minute and shifted to 2nd gear for 3.5 minutes. In no time, we had 10.5 lbs of batter. For our part, we watched the Hobart spin and took pictures.
With the help of our Bakon representative, we poured the batter into their Drop TT bin, called up the macaron program and lined up the trays. Ah, we did have to prime the pump by running in continuous mode for a few seconds. Once the nozzles were primed, we were ready to watch the show.
Drop TT at work
In no time we had five trays ready. The oven could only take four. So we stopped and off into a 280 ºF convection oven (fan speed was set to medium). With fingers crossed, we stared at the shells baking and watched as they slowly turned into perfect macarons! Here too, we didn’t drop the trays on the floor nor did we pop any air bubbles with toothpicks. We didn’t even wait for the shells to dry…
Baking French macarons 280 ºF. 15 minutes and medium fan speed
In half an hour, we had four trays done. With a larger oven, we could have done much more as we had more trays and batter in the Drop TT.
Having demonstrated success, we decided it was time to push the envelope. Could we whip up a monster 8KG batch? Why not try? Despite the Hobart suggesting max of 4KG, we went ahead and emptied two boxes of our Single Step Angel Bake French macaron mix into the mixer, 1600 grams of water and a pinch of the Angel Bake powdered food coloring for good luck.
20 lbs of Macaron mix ready to be mixed
You know the drill, mix at low speed for one minute and then medium for 3.5 minutes at medium speed. Below is a picture of the Hobart and as you can see the Hobart is full!
Made 20 lbs of macaron batter in 10 mins
The ribbon lava like flow was heartwarming!
Checking the consistency of the macaron batter
Let the Drop TT perform its magic… This is really fun to watch. We’ll post videos soon.
Drop TT depositing 6 macaron shells every 1-2 seconds – exactly the same size!
And the results? No trouble.
High vol. macaron production
Check to make sure macarons aren’t hollow…
Macarons turned out perfect in every way!
In closing, we’d like to thank the folks at Bakon USA for giving us time to experiment with their Drop TT depositor. We managed to confirm that the Angel Bake Single Step French macaron mix is a perfect match for the Bakon Drop TT. We demonstrated that we were able to deliver consistent batter characteristics in a high volume setting, deposit thousands of shells in little time and bake perfect macarons. We are confident that you can achieve the same results in no time as well. We are here to help and get you started. We leave you with half day’s worth of work…
Since the release of our Single Step French Macaron Baking mix, we’ve been wondering about the versatility of this new formulation. We’d performed much of our testing with 1.2-1.5 inch batter rounds and hadn’t ventured beyond. But what about larger sizes? Well, yesterday we set out to find out for ourselves..
Sizing French Macarons Shells
Very large macaron shell 5″. 3.5″ and the standard size of 1.75″. Made with the Single Step French Macaron Mix
To be brutally honest, we expected to struggle going beyond 2.5 inches! We expected surface cracking, mushrooming, no feet, and wrinkling, …. Our first attempt was 3″ diameter macaron. We prepared the batter per recipe direction, piped the rounds, a couple of taps and into a 280″F convection oven. Twenty two minutes later, we got exactly what we’d hoped for. We were delighted! Could we go beyond? What about 5″ shells? It turned out that the single step mix was so much more versatile than we’d thought possible. The 5″ macaron looked just as perfect as the 1.75″. No wrinkling, smooth surface, no cracks and very nice feet! This is when we knew we’d realized and delivered to our tag line “Perfectly simple, simply perfect!” The only catch here is, you need to increase bake duration when macarons are larger. We’d stopped at 25 minutes, but we could have gone 5 minutes longer for the 5″ shell.
And finally, what could one do with a couple of large macaron shells? Below is a rose raspberry flavored macaron with real raspberries. It will take more than one person to enjoy this one. Wish we could share..
Watch this video to learn how to bake perfect French macarons. Tips for success: measure water amount and temperature closely. Preheat oven well (set to 300 ºF and back off to 280 ºF after loading trays). That is all there is to it. So let’s bake some Macarons!
Chocolate Flavored French Macaron with Cocoa Swiss Buttercream Recipe
To make chocolate flavored French macarons, simply add a small amount of brown food coloring and chocolate extract (and/or cocoa powder) to the macaron mix, add water, whip as instructed, pipe and bake per instruction on the box.
Prepare three baking trays lined with Silicon Mat (we don’t recommend parchment paper).
Set oven to 280 ºF for convection bake settings or to 300 ºF for conventional bake.
Add cocoa powder and 2 oz warm water (122 ºF) to Macaron mix. Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then medium speed for 3 minutes. If using electric hand mixer, whip the mixture in a deep bowl for 3.5 minutes using the slowest settings.
Place a round pastry tip in a disposable pastry bag, cut the tip. Place it in a tall plastic jar or a glass, and fold over the edge. Pour batter into the pastry bag.
Using guides on your silicon mat, pipe the batter in 1 – 1.25 inch circles. Tap each tray on a hard surface a few times to remove any air bubbles and flatten cookie surface. Cookies will expand to 1.75 inches when you tap the tray (they will fill the silicon mat guide when flattened).
If oven is set to “bake”, let cookies rest for at least 15 minutes or until the surface is dry to touch. Bake for 15 minutes.
If using “convection bake” settings, there is no need to dry the batter as the hot air movement created by the convection fan dries the surface very quickly before batter starts to rise. Bake for 20 minutes.
While shells are baking, whip up the buttercream:
Add 2 oz hot water (160 ºF- same temp as when making tea or coffee) to the mix.
Whisk at high speed for 3-4 minutes until meringue is stiff.
Add brown food coloring, cocoa, and or chocolate flavoring (optional).
Gradually whip in 1.25 sticks of soft unsalted butter. Avoid using cold butter. Whip until the mixture is silky and smooth.
Remove trays from oven. Let shells cool down completely before removing them from trays.
Garnish with buttercream and assemble. Again, make sure shells are cool.
Flavoring note: Some bakers prefer coloring the shells and simply flavor the buttercream only. Feel free to experiment. Chocolate and lavender or chocolate and mint are great combinations. For instance chocolate shells with a mint flavored buttercream would make a great combination.
When adding dry content to the macaron mix (such as cocoa in this recipe), it is a good idea to remove the same amount of mix so the to total dry content remains the same.
First time bakers please watch our video instructions.
Common mistakes
Inaccurate water measurement.
Greasy bowl or tools.
Depositing shells too close to one another or directly on a tray without cookie sheets or silicone tray liner.
What is the baking process? Each carton contains a package of our single step macaron baking mix as well as a tasty Swiss buttercream fillingmix. All you need is a stand or handheld electric mixer. Simply add water, mix, pipe and bake to make the macaron cookie shells. The buttercream is almost as simple: add hot water, whip to make stiff meringue, fold in room temp unsalted butter and whip. Food coloring and flavoring can be added at any time.
Baking instructions for the shells:
Empty cookie mix into mixer bowl & add food coloring.
Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) water at 122°F (include any flavoring).
Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then 3 minutes at medium speed.
Pipe in 1 inch rounds. Recommend using silicone tray liner.
Tap tray to flatten (this step is optional)
Let rounds rest for 15 minutes, bake at 300°F for 15-16 minutes.
Let cookies rest and cool down completely before handling.
What is in the box? Buttercream mix and Macaron Baking mix.Your macaron shells will be cream in color. A variety of color and flavor variations are possible. We recommend the Angel Bake powdered food coloring set for best results.
How many cookies can I bake? Twenty four 1.75-2 inch macrons. Addition of food coloring and flavoring is not necessary. Product tastes and looks great as is.
Is the product certified and tested to be gluten free? Yes.Our factory maintains a gluten free process and production samples are tested by an independent lab. We’ve avoided using chemical preservatives, fillers, anti clumping agents, flavorings or coloring. This mix contains less sugar than most recipes call for, hence it is less crusty/brittle and definitely not as sweet as traditional recipes.
What equipment do I need?Stand mixer (recommended) with whisk attachment to make the buttercream, paddle attachment for the shells, pastry bag with a ¼ inch tip, two baking trays lined with double layered baking sheets or silicon mat. Hand mixer instruction are on the box as well.
What is meant by “firm” peaks? Meringue can be whipped to a soft, firm or stiff consistency. When soft, meringue barely holds its shape when whisk is lifted, a firm peak holds it’s shape but curls down when whisk is held upwards. Stiff Meringue holds shape and doesn’t curl when whisk is lifted.
How do I measure water precisely? Use a digital scale. 60 grams or 2 ounces.
How do I measure water temp and why does it need to be at 122°F? The best way to measure the water temp is to use a digital meat thermometer. Measure temp while the water is being heated. Stop at around 122. The Angel Bake Macaron mix uses an “all in” mix approach. As such, it contains egg whites and the best temp to hydrate powdered egg whites is 122°F
Oven baking considerations: Heat oven to 330 and back down to 300 after loading in trays.
Why did my shells crack or mushroom? Batter was too moist and the surface hadn’t dried enough to be baked in a conventional oven. This will not happen with convection oven as the circulating air will quickly dry out the surface.
Shelf life? The mix has a two year shelf life from the date of manufacturing. Baked shells can be kept in a refrigerator for 10 days without changing taste and texture. Shells can be frozen for several months. Enjoy your macarons at room temp. This can take 1-2 hours.
Do I need to add any flavoring? The shells taste great without flavoring. In general, buttercream flavoring filling is adequate.
Can I bake multiple trays at once? Yes, two trays center and top shelf. Swap tray positions partway through is a good idea.
First time bakers please watch our video instructions.
Common mistakes
Inaccurate water measurement.
Greasy bowl or tools.
Depositing shells too close to one another or directly on a tray without cookie sheets or silicone tray liner.
What is the baking process? Each package contains a package of our single step macaron baking mix as well as a tasty Swiss buttercream fillingmix. All you need is a stand or handheld electric mixer. Simply add water, mix, pipe and bake to make the macaron cookie shells. The buttercream is almost as simple: add hot water, whip to make stiff meringue, fold in room temp unsalted butter and whip. Food coloring and flavoring can be added at any time.
Baking instructions for the shells:
Empty cookie mix into mixer bowl & add food coloring.
Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) water at 122°F (include any flavoring).
Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then 3 minutes at medium speed.
Pipe in 1 inch rounds. Recommend using silicone tray liner.
Tap tray to flatten (this step is optional)
Let rounds rest for 15 minutes, bake at 300°F for 15-16 minutes.
Let cookies rest and cool down completely before handling.
What is in the box? Buttercream mix and Macaron Baking mix.Your macaron shells will be cream in color. A variety of color and flavor variations are possible. We recommend the Angel Bake powdered food coloring set for best results.
How many cookies can I bake? Twenty four 1.75-2 inch macrons. Addition of food coloring and flavoring is not necessary. Product tastes and looks great as is.
Is the product certified and tested to be gluten free? Yes.Our factory maintains a gluten free process and production samples are tested by an independent lab. We’ve avoided using chemical preservatives, fillers, anti clumping agents, flavorings or coloring. This mix contains less sugar than most recipes call for, hence it is less crusty/brittle and definitely not as sweet as traditional recipes.
What equipment do I need?Stand mixer (recommended) with whisk attachment to make the buttercream, paddle attachment for the shells, pastry bag with a ¼ inch tip, two baking trays lined with double layered baking sheets or silicon mat. Hand mixer instruction are on the box as well.
What is meant by “firm” peaks? Meringue can be whipped to a soft, firm or stiff consistency. When soft, meringue barely holds its shape when whisk is lifted, a firm peak holds it’s shape but curls down when whisk is held upwards. Stiff Meringue holds shape and doesn’t curl when whisk is lifted.
How do I measure water precisely? Use a digital scale. 60 grams or 2 ounces.
How do I measure water temp and why does it need to be at 122°F? The best way to measure the water temp is to use a digital meat thermometer. Measure temp while the water is being heated. Stop at around 122. The Angel Bake Macaron mix uses an “all in” mix approach. As such, it contains egg whites and the best temp to hydrate powdered egg whites is 122°F
Oven baking considerations: Heat oven to 330 and back down to 300 after loading in trays.
Why did my shells crack or mushroom? Batter was too moist and the surface hadn’t dried enough to be baked in a conventional oven. This will not happen with convection oven as the circulating air will quickly dry out the surface.
Shelf life? The mix has a two year shelf life from the date of manufacturing. Baked shells can be kept in a refrigerator for 10 days without changing taste and texture. Shells can be frozen for several months. Enjoy your macarons at room temp. This can take 1-2 hours.
Do I need to add any flavoring? The shells taste great without flavoring. In general, buttercream flavoring filling is adequate.
Can I bake multiple trays at once? Yes, two trays center and top shelf. Swap tray positions partway through is a good idea.
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