One step inside the alluring French bakery, Isabelle et Vincent and you’ll be quickly transported to Paris. One bite of one of their marvelous macarons and you’ll be a forever patron. Here, the eponymous baking team shares their popular recipe. Merci!
R E C I P E
Ingredients for the Shell (Makes approximately 24 shells for 12 macarons)
¾ cup fine almond flour
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
7 eggs egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp iodized salt
Directions:
-In a large bowl, sift together fine almond flour and powdered sugar; set aside.
-In a separate mixing bowl that attaches to a standing mixer, add the egg whites. To be sure the bowl is free of any residual oils, wipe the inside with a paper towel dipped in white distilled vinegar prior to adding egg whites.
-With whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on high speed until they start to become slightly foamy. Then steadily add granulated sugar and salt while the machine is still whisking. Keep whipping the egg whites until a nice stiff meringue is achieved. When the whisk attachment is removed and held upside down, the meringue should hold a nice stiff peak, like the top of a snow-capped mountain.
-Using a rubber spatula, begin the macaronage technique of incorporating the almond flour mixture and the stiff meringue.
-Add ⅓ of the meringue into the bowl with the almond flour and powdered sugar. Fold together with the rubber spatula, cutting into the center of the bowl, pulling the spatula towards you and then going around ¼ of the edge of the bowl. Every time you begin a fold, turn the bowl so that you address a different section of the mixture. Continue until a very thick paste is achieved.
-Add another ⅓ of the meringue and continue to fold until the mixture has loosened further, but is still showing streaks of the meringue.
-Add the final ⅓ of the meringue and fold until streaky. If you would like to add color, add desired amount of color and fold until all the batter is homogenous and flows like lava in the bowl.
-Gently scoop the batter into a piping bag that has a large round piping tip already in it.
-Pipe the batter to desired size onto parchment lined baking pans. Be sure to leave about 1 ½ inch space between cookie shells. When you have finished piping a tray, lightly tap the tray onto the counter 3 times before putting the tray out to dry. This tapping is necessary for the macaron to get its classic “foot” while baking.
-Leave the trays of piped macaron shells out at room temperature for at least one hour until the shell has dried and is no longer tacky to the touch. Drying time will differ greatly based on the humidity of the room.
-Bake the shells at 285°F for about 15-20 minutes or until you can peel the cookie off the parchment paper with ease. Cool completely before filling.
Ingredients for the Vanilla Buttercream (Makes 2 lbs)
1 ½ lbs butter, softened
2 ⅓ cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 eggs egg whites
½ tsp vanilla extract
⅛ tsp salt
¼ qt heavy cream
Directions:
-In a large mixing bowl that attaches to a stand mixer, cream softened butter, sifted powdered sugar and egg whites together with a paddle attachment until no lumps of butter remain.
-Add vanilla extract and salt.
-Gradually, while the mixer is still on, add the heavy cream.
-Once the cream is incorporated, continue to mix buttercream on medium-high speed
until white, thick, and full-bodied.
To Assemble:
-Once macaron shells have cooled completely, peel shells off the parchment and pair
them according to like-sizes.
-Place buttercream into a piping bag and pipe the desired amount of buttercream onto
one shell of each pairing.
-Sandwich the paired shells together, twisting slightly to disperse buttercream evenly
through the macaron.
-Store at room temperature before enjoying, or up to two days wrapped tightly with plastic
wrap in a refrigerator.