Oreo Macarons
Measurements:
Macaron Shell
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 tbsp black cocoa powder
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
Buttercream Filling
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 & 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
I use the Italian meringue method over the French meringue method. Here is why:
Italian method has a more difficult process, though makes a more stable (less fragile) cookie.
French method makes it easier to get clumps and an over-mixed batter.
Difference?
Italian: Add a simple syrup into pre-whipped egg white & add meringue into pasty dry mixture.
French: Gradually add granulated sugar into egg white & add dry mix into meringue.
Measurements:
Macaron Shell
190 grams powdered sugar
180 grams almond flour
14 grams black cocoa powder
150 grams egg whites
190 grams granulated sugar
60 grams water
Buttercream Filling
226 grams butter (room temperature)
350 grams powdered sugar
45 grams heavy cream
10 grams vanilla extract
Why measure in grams?
If you ask any bakery how they measure, most will say they measure in grams. Measuring by weight is more reliable for desserts because some recipes don’t specify if you should pack your ingredients and do not take into account how different people measure their ingredients.
A common mistake people make in measuring ingredients is when measuring brown sugar. Brown sugar is clumpier than normal sugar because it is mixed with molasses. 100 grams of white sugar is equivalent to 100 grams of packed brown sugar—though most people don’t pack their brown sugar the same way, so you will most likely not get the same measurement unless using a scale.
It is vital to measure macaron shells by grams because even a small alter in measurement will cause your macarons to appear faulty. Macarons are very fragile and will react poorly to any recipe altercations.
Food scales are such an amazing and cheap investment to make for your kitchen because they will allow you to copy recipes perfectly because they are far more reliable and allow you to not use as many dishes! Click here to order a food scale!
Instructions:
Step 1
Measure all your ingredients (PLEASE DO THE MACARON SHELL IN GRAMS!)
Use a food processor/sifter to get the chunks out of the powdered sugar, almond flour, and black cocoa. Mix dry ingredients together.
Step 2
Separate your 150 grams of egg white into 2 equal portions (75 grams each).
Add one portion of egg whites into dry ingredient mixture and mix with a spatula. (If you want your cookie to be darker, add some black food coloring!)
Step 3
In a separate bowl (I recommend using a stand mixer), add 2 tsp of lemon juice onto a paper towel and clean the bowl well. (This gets rid of the fat residue left on the bowl, so your egg whites whip up.)
Add your other 75-gram portion of egg whites to this mixing bowl.
Step 4
In a small saucepan add your sugar and water. Mix together with a spoon.
Put on medium-low heat.
Step 5
When mixture reaches 190 degrees, begin whipping up your egg whites. If you don’t have a candy thermometer get a bowl of cold water and add a little bit of the sugar mixture to the cold water until it gets to a moldable consistency (almost like a cartoon looking rain drop).
Once the sugar & water mixture gets to 244 degrees or it gets to the raindrop stage, slowly pour the mixture into the egg whites (which should be whipped up to a stiff peak). This is now called meringue.
Note*
Make sure to begin pouring mixture as soon as it gets to the raindrop stage (or reached 244 degrees)! You do not want it to be too thick.
Also pour the mixture down the side of the bowl and not straight into the whisk. (If you pour it into the whisk the sugar will fly onto the sides of your bowl, and it will be difficult to remove!)
Step 6
Whisk the meringue on medium-high for 45 seconds.
Once the mixture gets to a stiff peak and is very fluffy, add vanilla (or any flavor extracts).
Step 7
Now that you have your pasty mixture and fluffy meringue mixture, add them together! Add a small portion (about a cup) of fluffy meringue to your pasty mixture to get it started. Use the folding technique and mix the remaining meringue with your macaronage.
Use the “figure 8 method” to confirm when your mixture is ready. The figure 8 method is when you are able to make a ‘8’ with your batter without it breaking. (I recommend to stop mixing a little before this because overmixing the batter is worse than undermixing)
Step 8
Get a piping bag and add a large circular or medium circular piping tip. (I strongly recommend getting piping bags and tips) (you can also use a Ziploc bag, but you will not get a perfect circular shape)
Add your batter into the piping bag. (Tip: put the piping bag with tip over a cup and pour the batter into the cup)
Step 9
Pipe out your macarons onto a tray lined with parchment paper.
To ensure that all your cookies are the same size, use a macaron silicon mat or use the counting method (count “1…2…3” when you pipe each shell to hopefully make all of them have the same amount of batter).
Step 10
Tap your tray on a counter 4-6 times, to remove any air bubbles. You can use a toothpick to pop any that rise to the top if you want (this helps the macaron “feet” to not spread outwards).
Carefully slide the parchment paper with the piped macarons onto the counter to be able to pipe the rest of your macarons. (If you have more than 2 trays you probably won’t have to do this) (This recipe uses 2 & 1/2 trays)
Step 11
Let the macaron shells sit uncovered for at least 30 minutes or until you can glide your finger lightly over the top without ruining it. (It may take a little longer to dry if your batter is over-mixed.)
Step 12
While macarons are drying, pre-heat your oven to (convection) 300 degrees Farenhiet.
After your macarons are dried, put them in the oven for 17 minutes.
Let the macarons sit on the tray for at least 5 minutes before removing. (I recommend to slide the whole parchment paper sheet onto the counter and let them cool a little as well). After the macaron shells are partially cooled, remove them carefully from the tray and match them up with parallel shells!
Step 13
Buttercream Filling: Whip butter for 3-4 minutes on high speed. Add powdered sugar until smooth. Add in heavy cream and whip on high speed for 2 minutes. Lastly, mix in vanilla extract.
Step 14
The cookies are best when eaten 12-24 hours after filling because the filling and shell will bind together. Eat fresh or store in fridge for up to 10 days or at room temperature for 8!