Making French macarons involves a specific process. It’s not complex, and you can make flawless coffee and cream macarons when you follow these directions!
The process involves making a meringue, folding almond flour and powdered sugar, piping the batter into circles, and baking. Attention to detail is key to achieving the perfect texture and appearance.
First, you need almond flour. I highly recommend Blue Diamond Almond Flour. The local groceries have this now. Years ago, I started making macarons and couldn’t find almond flour in the local stores.
You can make your almond flour from blanched almonds and a food processor. You have to be careful not to process too much or you will have almond butter.
The egg whites to make macarons should not be ‘fresh’. They should be at least a week old. That is probably not an issue if you buy them at most stores! To whip up nicely, they should also be at room temperature.
Superfine sugar can be made by processing granulated sugar for a few seconds. Take it easy. If you process too long, you will have powdered sugar.
Not all recipes you find will call for it, but adding a pinch of cream of tartar to the recipe will help ‘stabilize’ the egg whites making them fluffier and ensuring success.
I used Juan Valdez Coffee for this. It is not powder. I struggled a little getting the pieces to break down in the sieve. My advice is to use powdered coffee and if you want a more intense coffee flavor, use espresso powder for a richer taste profile.
Coffee and Cream Macarons
Makes 28 (1-1/2 inch) cookies.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or ground blanched almonds)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 extra-large egg whites
- 1 pinch of cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
Cream Filling:
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
- 2 teaspoons strong cold black coffee
- 1 cup powdered sugar – sifted
Directions:
Process the almond flour, coffee powder, and powdered sugar in a food processor for 15 seconds.
Sift into a bowl. This may take a few minutes. If you’ve ground your almonds, a small amount of the almond flour may not sift through the sifter. Throw this away.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or have the non-stick silicone macaron pan ready.
Using a stand mixer, place the egg whites in the bowl and whip with the whisk attachment until the egg whites are opaque and foamy.
Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until the egg whites are white and hold a soft peak.
Gradually beat in the superfine sugar to make a firm, glossy meringue. This should take about a minute. Don’t overbeat.
Gently fold about a third of the sifted dry mixture into the beaten egg whites until the dry ingredients are combined. Repeat the process with another third of the dry ingredients and repeat once more until all the dry ingredients are folded into the egg mixture.
Once all the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, continue to cut and fold the mixture until it forms a shiny batter. You will know it is ready when it flows ribbon-like from the spatula. (The first time you experience this, you will be excited!)
Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Then, pipe 56 rounds onto the prepared baking sheets.
Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Using a toothpick, quickly pierce any bubbles to pop them.
Leave the piped macarons on the counter to dry for a half-hour.
Preheat The Oven and Bake the Macarons
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Let the oven heat for 30 minutes and allow the macarons to sit on the counter. The tops of the macarons will be dry.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. The bottoms should be dry. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes on a rack. (I slid the silicone pan off the cookie sheet and onto the cooling rack.) Then, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper or the silicone mat and let the cookies cool completely.
When the macarons come out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. You will know they are ready to be removed when they do not stick to the silicone mat or parchment paper. At that point, move the shells to a cooling rack.
Cream Filling Directions:
- 1/4 cup cream cheese – softened
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
- 2 teaspoons strong cold black coffee
- 1 cup powdered sugar – sifted
Mix the room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and coffee in a bowl.
Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a decorative tip.
Then, pipe the frosting onto half the cookies and top with another!
Refrigerate for 24 hours
It’s tempting to dive into your beautiful macarons right after filling, and no one would blame you for taking a sample to check for texture and flavors. But be warned: No matter what they taste like right off the tray, the flavor’s not complete until they are refrigerated for at least 24 hours. This is called maturing, another essential part of proper macaron making.
Maturing macarons in the fridge for 24 hours allows the shells to absorb the moisture in the filling. The shells will also relax and become chewier in the center as they sit. Both of these actions affect and improve the final flavor and texture of the macarons. Taste a freshly filled macaron to compare it to the finished cookie. You may be surprised at the difference.
Macaron Resting Period – Maturing
-
Your macarons should rest in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for at least 24 hours before serving or freezing for long-term storage. -
Allowing macarons to rest helps develop their flavor and texture. -
Resting in the refrigerator helps the macarons mature and achieve the perfect balance of flavors. -
Storing them in an airtight container prevents them from absorbing odors and maintains their freshness. -
The resting period also allows the macarons to soften slightly, creating a delightful melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Coffee and Cream Macarons
Ingredients
Coffee Macarons
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or ground blanched almonds)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 extra-large egg whites
- 1 pinch of cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
Cream Filling
- 1/4 cup cream cheese - room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 2 teaspoons strong cold black coffee
- 1 cup powdered sugar - sifted
Instructions
Directions:
Process the almond flour, coffee powder, and powdered sugar in a food processor for 15 seconds.
Sift into a bowl. This may take a few minutes. If you've ground your almonds, a small amount of the almond flour may not sift through the sifter. Throw this away.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or have the non-stick silicone macaron pan ready.
Using a stand mixer, place the egg whites in the bowl and whip with the whisk attachment until the egg whites are opaque and foamy.
Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until the egg whites are white and hold a soft peak.
Gradually beat in the superfine sugar to make a firm, glossy meringue. This should take about a minute. Don’t overbeat.
Gently fold about a third of the sifted dry mixture into the beaten egg whites until the dry ingredients are combined. Repeat the process with another third of the dry ingredients and repeat once more until all the dry ingredients are folded into the egg mixture.
Once all the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, continue to cut and fold the mixture until it forms a shiny batter. You will know it is ready when it flows ribbon-like from the spatula.
Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Then, pipe 56 rounds onto the prepared baking sheets.
Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Using a toothpick, quickly pierce any bubbles to pop them.
Leave the piped macarons on the counter to dry for a half-hour.
Preheat the oven to 325°.
Let the oven heat for 30 minutes and allow the macarons to sit on the counter. The tops of the macarons will be dry.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. The bottoms should be dry. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes on a rack. (I slid the silicone pan off the cookie sheet and onto the cooling rack.) Then, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper or the silicone mat and let the cookies cool completely.
When the macarons come out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. You will know they are ready to be removed when they do not stick to the silicone mat or parchment paper. At that point, move the shells to a cooling rack.
Cream Filling Directions:
- 1/4 cup cream cheese - softened
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 2 teaspoons strong cold black coffee
- 1 cup powdered sugar - sifted
Mix the room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and coffee in a bowl.
Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a decorative tip.
Then, pipe the frosting onto half the cookies and top with another!
Refrigerate for 24 hours
Be Social!
Yes, come join 52.8 k + followers on our Pinterest Boards, where we pin our favorite creative ideas and share ours!
Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, and Facebook so you won’t miss anything! I would love for you to share this post with your friends! They need amazing ideas, too! Pin it! It only takes a second! #Frenchmacarons #macarons #coffeeandcreamFrenchmacarons
