French Macarons

If ever there were a treat to represent posh, the macaron would be it. I just obsess over them! Not only for their delicious taste and texture, but also for the array of gorgeous hues they are available in. I seriously can’t think of a prettier dessert to serve for a special occasion and since my baby girls Spring in Paris themed 1st Birthday is coming up in a months time, adding them to the menu seemed like a no-brainer.

As a result, I have been attempting to get on my French Macaron A-game, but let me tell you the process hasn’t been pretty…or edible for that matter. Let’s just say, I quickly discovered that these chic little cookie gems are a lot easier to eat than they are to make.

Honestly speaking, It would probably make more sense to just purchase the macarons for my daughter’s 1st bday, but since I love a good challenge, attempting to make them homemade seems much more satisfying. Luckily I can report that after three inedible attempts at homemade macarons, I was able to make a batch this past Monday that came out of the oven sporting feet and shiny caps. Oh If only you could have seen the excitement on my face!! Nowhere near perfection but a huge improvement from the first ones I made. I even took a photo via Instagram for you to see!

The recipe I used came from howtocookthat.net which seriously features the best tutorial I have ever come across. Instead of attempting to share the full recipe here, I highly recommend following the link to the site below, as it features an instructional video, trouble-shooting and US measurement conversions, perfect for the macaron challenged like myself.

Easy French Macarons

Here is the dairy free buttercream recipe that I used to fill my macarons as well as some additional troubleshooting tips based on my own experience making these. I went dairy free because as most of you know my baby has an allergy to it and I have since removed it from my diet. If you are not dairy free, you can always just use regular butter for this recipe.

Dairy Free Apricot Strawberry Buttercream

1 stick Vegan buttery sticks softened

2 tablespoons strawberry preserves

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

1/4 cup powder sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla.

Instructions

Place all ingredients into mixer and blend until incorporated.
Spoon into ziplock bag
Pipe between macaron shells, either a little..or a lot, based on your preference.

You can also add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter buttercream. I don’t care as much for overly sweet things and since the shells are already really sweet, I toned down the recipe.

Troubleshooting Tips

Whip the egg whites until stiff. Use parchment paper instead of a silicone mat.

Make sure you are properly folding your batter as opposed to stirring it.

For consistent round shells, be sure to use an piping tip.

Watch the temp of your oven. I have gas heat so turning mine down to 295 degrees Fahrenheit worked well for me.

Don’t place your macarons too close to the heat source of your oven. I doubled up my pans and placed them on a higher shelf for a better result.

I wish you luck at making homemade macarons. If they turn out the first time for you…well then I’m completely jealous! If not, try again. Third time was a charm for me and I have since been enjoying a few every morning this week with my favorite lavender rooibos tea. Perfection. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to test out this recipe a few more times before my baby’s 1st birthday. I know I could use the extra practice.

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More ‘Spring in Paris’ related ideas and inspiration on the way soon!! Happy Friday to you all!

xo