A gorgeous, colourful French macaroon (macaron) recipe

It's Week Nine of my ten-week Dr Oetker #EvenBetterBaking series, in collaboration the gorgeous Stacey Solomon and this week, I have a simple, but beautifully bright macaroon (or, if you prefer the French spelling, macaron) recipe.

You might have tried making macaroons yourself in the past and found them a bit fiddly. Never fear! This video explains how easy it can be.

Here's how to make these colourful macaroons at home.

Ingredients

For the macaroons:

• 125 g (4.4 oz) Ground Almonds
• 225 g (7.93 oz) Icing Sugar
• Dr. Oetker Free Range Egg White Powder Sachets x 4 or 4 Egg Whites
• Dr. Oetker Cream of Tartar Sachet
• 25 g (0.88 oz) Caster Sugar
• 2-3 drops Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract
• 2-3 drops Dr. Oetker food gel

For the filling:

• 100 g (3.52 oz) Icing Sugar plus extra for dusting
• 100 g (3.52 oz) Unsalted Butter
• 2-3 drops Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract
• 2-3 drops of Dr. Oetker food gel

For the Decoration:

• Dr. Oetker Silver Shimmer Spray
• Dr. Oetker Wafer Daisies
• Dr. Oetker Neon Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, Gas Mark 4, 350F). Sift the ground almonds and the icing sugar together onto a piece of baking parchment then sift again.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer (it can be done by hand too), whisk the egg whites or make up the Egg White Powder according to pack instructions. Add the Cream of Tartar and whisk to soft peaks. Reduce the speed and gradually add the caster sugar, then return to a high speed and whisk until the meringue mixture is firm.
3. Remove the bowl from the machine and add the Vanilla Extract and a few drops of Gel Food Colour if desired. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the dry ingredients. The mixture should be smooth and shiny.
4. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½ inch) nozzle, pipe the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. The macaroons should be approx. 2cm (¾ inch) in diameter, with 2.5cm (1 inch) between each one. Tap the tray from underneath to flatten the mixture slightly.
5. Leave the macaroons for 15 minutes to form a skin and then bake in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes, with the oven door open slightly to let the steam escape. They should rise from the bases a little and be crisp and firm on the top.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately run a little cold water between the baking parchment and the baking tray. This will make it easier to remove them from the paper. Allow 2-3 minutes for them to cool before lifting them off the baking parchment.
7. Leave until completely cool, then sandwich together with the filling. Make sure you use a good amount of filling, as it is always desirable to see a little of it.
8. For the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of Vanilla Extract to taste. To colour the buttercream, add a few drops of your desired Gel Food Colour to the mixture and gently fold in until even colour is achieved.
9. To finish the macaroons, roll the edges in Neon Sugar and spray with Shimmer Spray. Alternatively, leave the macaroons open and dip the iced side in Neon Sugar and top with a Wafer Daisy. Spray lightly with Shimmer Spray to finish.

Enjoy these fun, colourful macaroons! Which colours are your favourites?

If you enjoyed this recipe, try these lemon and rose fondant fancies next.

To keep up to date with all the latest Even Better Baking news, follow @droetkerbakes on Twitter,DrOetkerBaking on YouTube or like www.facebook.com/DrOetkerBaking.

Here's that recipe again in printable format:

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Colourful macarons

Beautifully bright macarons - and they're easy to make!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Desserts and sweet treats

Cuisine: French

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: dessert, macarons, treats

Servings: 40

Author: Emily Leary & Dr. Oetker

Ingredients

For the Macaron

• 125 g (4.41 oz) Ground Almonds
• 225 g (7.94 oz) Icing Sugar
• Dr. Oetker Free Range Egg White Powder Sachets x 4 or 4 Egg Whites
• Dr. Oetker Cream of Tartar Sachet
• 25 g (0.88 oz) Caster Sugar
• 2-3 drops (2 drops) Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract
• 2-3 drops (2 drops) of Dr. Oetker food gel

For the filling:

• 100 g (3.53 oz) Icing Sugar plus extra for dusting
• 100 g (3.53 oz) Unsalted Butter
• 2-3 drops (2 drops) Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract
• 2-3 drops (2 drops) of Dr. Oetker food gel

For the decorations:

• Dr. Oetker Silver Shimmer Spray
• Dr. Oetker Wafer Daisies
• Dr. Oetker Neon Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan, Gas Mark 4, 350F). Sift the ground almonds and the icing sugar together onto a piece of baking parchment then sift again.
• Using a freestanding electric mixer (it can be done by hand too), whisk the egg whites or make up the Egg White Powder according to pack instructions. Add the Cream of Tartar and whisk to soft peaks. Reduce the speed and gradually add the caster sugar, then return to a high speed and whisk until the meringue mixture is firm.
• Remove the bowl from the machine and add the Vanilla Extract and a few drops of Gel Food Colour if desired. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the dry ingredients. The mixture should be smooth and shiny.
• Using a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½ inch) nozzle, pipe the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. The macarons should be approx. 2cm (¾ inch) in diameter, with 2.5cm (1 inch) between each one. Tap the tray from underneath to flatten the mixture slightly.
• Leave the macarons for 15 minutes to form a skin and then bake in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes, with the oven door open slightly to let the steam escape. They should rise from the bases a little and be crisp and firm on the top.
• Remove from the oven and immediately run a little cold water between the baking parchment and the baking tray. This will make it easier to remove them from the paper. Allow 2-3 minutes for them to cool before lifting them off the baking parchment.
• Leave until completely cool, then sandwich together with the filling. Make sure you use a good amount of filling, as it is always desirable to see a little of it.
• For the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of Vanilla Extract to taste. To colour the buttercream, add a few drops of your desired Gel Food Colour to the mixture and gently fold in until even colour is achieved.
• To finish the macarons, roll the edges in Neon Sugar and spray with Shimmer Spray. Alternatively, leave the macarons open and dip the iced side in Neon Sugar and top with a Wafer Daisy. Spray lightly with Shimmer Spray to finish.

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I can't wait to see your posts!

This is a commissioned post for Dr. Oetker. Recipe & photography courtesy of Dr. Oetker.

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