Sizing French Macaron Shells

Sizing French Macaron Shells

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..

Decorating a 3.5″ Macaron

Chocolate Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Chocolate Flavored French Macaron Recipe

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.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  • Watch related video here
  • 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.

 

Rose Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Rose Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Rose Flavored French Macaron Recipe:

To make rose flavored French macarons, simply add a small amount of red food coloring and Rose extract to the prepared meringue, fold in the almond flour, pipe and bake as usual.  You can optionally only add food coloring and add Rose extract flavoring to the buttercream.

Watch this video.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  • Watch related video here
  • 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 rose extract, pink food coloring 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.

Rose flavored buttercream:

Make the buttercream mix following this recipe.  You may add red food coloring and rose extract to the buttercream for more intense flavor.

Raspberry Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Raspberry Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Raspberry Flavored French Macaron Recipe:

Our Raspberry flavored French Macaron Recipe has by far been the most popular flavor amongst our costumers.  To make it, simply mix red food coloring with a dash of black food coloring and add it the macaron mix.  Add raspberry extract, mix pipe and bake.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  • Watch related video here
  • 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 coloring powder and 1/4 cup (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.  

Raspberry flavored buttercream:

Make the buttercream mix following this recipe.  Add red food coloring and raspberry extract to the buttercream.

 

 

Peppermint French Macaron and Chocolate Genache Filling Recipe

Peppermint French Macaron and Chocolate Genache Filling Recipe

Peppermint French Macaron and Chocolate Ganache filling Recipe

To make this delightful and refreshing peppermint macarons add Peppermint extract along with a dash of green food coloring to the macaron mix, add water, mix, pipe and bake as instructed.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
  • Dark chocolate  – 5 oz. (150g)
  • Heavy cream    – 1/2 cup (110ml)
  • Light corn syrup or honey  – 2 Tablespoon (30ml)
  • Unsalted butter, cubed and at room temp – 2 Tablespoon (30g)
Directions:
  • Watch related video here
  • 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 green food coloring and 1/4 cup (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 1/4 cup (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.  

Ganache preparation:
  • Melt chocolate over a water-bath and warm up heavy cream with corn syrup.
  • Combine both mixtures and stir until completely smooth.
  • Add the cubed butter and continue stirring until smooth.
  • Chill ganache for 15-20 minutes in a refrigerator until ganache texture is similar to buttercream.
  • Fill the macarons with ganache.  Refrigerate for a day before serving.

Ganache can also be mixed with buttercream (2 parts buttercream to 1 part ganache).