Maple Pecan French Macarons -

Maple Pecan French Macarons

Sweet maple and crunchy pecan come together in this delicate cookie for a real treat.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 50

Cook Time: 28

Resting Time: 30

Servings: people

Calories: 102kcal

Author: Candace Bourzac

Ingredients

125 grams almond flour
130 grams powdered sugar
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder
105 grams egg whites
75 grams granulated or castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Maple Buttercream

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon milk
pinch salt
2 tablespoons crushed pecans

Dark Chocolate Drizzle

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk or cream
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon crushed pecans

Instructions

Shells

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside. Weigh out the almond flour (125 grams), the powdered sugar (130 grams) and the granulated sugar (75 grams). I also set up the piping bag for when I'm done mixing the batter. I use a Wilton reusable bag and the Wilton 12 tip, which provides for greater control when piping the shells. Add the bag, with the tip, into a large cup, folding the tip up before adding it in, and fold the top down around the cup. This makes it much easier to add the batter to the bag.
Using a fine mesh sieve, sift almond flour and powdered sugar together in a large glass or metal bowl along with the tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Add the egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer, but it can be tough on your hands and arms. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are foamy and no longer liquid. The whisk should leave track marks in the foam. Turn the speed down and add the granulated sugar in three batches, waiting a few seconds in between each addition.
Once you've added in all of the sugar, turn the speed up to medium-high, which is between 4 and 5 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. You'll see the egg whites begin to build in volume and turn a glossy white color. The whisk will also start to leave track marks in the whites and will look thick. After a few minutes, you can stop the mixer and check for stiff peaks. If the meringue runs off the whisk, it's not ready. Keep going for another few minutes and then check for stiff peaks. If it's almost ready at this point, I'll turn the mixer up a little bit higher and let it run for 30 seconds before checking again. When the meringue is done, it will form a stiff peak when you pull the whisk out. It may have a slight curve to it, but it should not flop over. If it does, continue mixing the meringue in 30-second bursts at the higher speed and checking for stiff peaks.
Using a rubber spatula, add the meringue to the flour/sugar mixture in three batches. It won't mix together completely until you have added all of the meringue. Continue mixing until there are no dry ingredients. We are essentially deflating the meringue and making a cohesive batter. Once the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, use a circular motion with the spatula against the side of the bowl to continue mixing the batter. Do a few circles around the bowl, then bring the spatula through the batter. Do this process a few times, then check for the 'honey-like' stage. The batter should flow off the spatula like honey without breaking. You should be able to draw a figure eight with the batter that will sink into itself in 10 seconds when done. You don't want to overmix the batter, so check for doneness after every few passes.
Once the batter is done, add it to the piping bag. Take the cup over to the lined baking sheets. Take the bag out and, holding the top closed just above the batter, squeeze the batter down gently so it just starts coming out. Hold it a bit sideways until you get over the baking sheets. Holding the bag upright, pipe the shells onto the baking sheets. If you are using the silicone mats with the stencils, you can aim for the dot in the middle of the circle. Count to 4 while piping, then move on to the next circle. Continue this process until you have filled the sheet pans or run out of batter. If you don't have the preprinted circles, just start from the top, going across before moving down. Leave about 3 inches in between each piped circle to leave room for it to spread out.
Now that all the shells are piped, it's on to removing the air bubbles. Bang the trays firmly on your countertop a few times. This helps to dislodge the air bubbles in the shells. I also like to go through with a toothpick and pop any remaining air bubbles I find.
Let the shells rest so they form their skin. This should take from 30-40 minutes. In humid weather, this can take longer. If the weather is really dry, it could take less time. When the skin is formed, you'll be able to touch the tops of the macarons without getting any batter on your finger. Preheat the oven to 300 F about halfway into the shells resting.
Now that the shells have formed their skin, it's time to bake them. Bake the sheets individually in the oven on the middle rack at 300 F for 14 minutes. The tops will be matte and they will not jiggle on their feet when they are done. Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to continue cooling down. The shells must be completely cooled down before adding the filling.
When the shells are cooled, it's time to fill them. Match the shells by size. Flip one over of each pair.

Maple Buttercream

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter until it's smooth, about 30 seconds or so.
Add the 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. 1 tablespoon of milk, and a pinch of salt, and blend until smooth. Blend in the 2 tablespoons of crushed pecans. You may want to start slowly, as the powdered sugar tends to fly everywhere while it's being blended.
I like to use a Wilton 2A tip to fill these macarons to help prevent the crushed pecans from getting stuck. Add the tip to a pastry bag and fill with the maple pecan buttercream. Squeeze about a nickel-sized amount of filling onto each flipped-over shell. Gently sandwich the filled shell with its partner.

Chocolate Drizzle

Add the 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons milk into a small mixing bowl. Mix everything together until smooth.
Using a spoon or a small squeeze bottle with a tiny tip, drizzle the chocolate glaze over the macs if desired. I prefer the free-form look of using the spoon, but if you want more precision and cleaner lines, use the squeeze bottle. Add some crushed pecans to the chocolate. They will stick to the macarons as the chocolate dries.
After you've decorated your macarons, pop them in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors mature so you get that perfect chewy-yet-crispy texture.
Yay! You've completed a batch of macarons! Be proud of yourself. Not everyone is willing to try their hand at baking delicate cookies.

Notes

Beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form, then stop.
Be careful not to overmix the batter. Once it flows like honey and passes the figure eight test, stop mixing.
Store macarons in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week for maximum freshness.

The nutrition information listed is for comparison purposes only and may vary based on individual cooking styles and measurements. The nutritional information calculated uses a third-party algorithm. Please consult a health professional for any nutrition guidance.

Nutrition