What macarons are made of
Just four ingredients in the caps — and endless flavours in the filling. Let’s look inside.
A macaron is two almond caps with a filling in between. It looks simple, but behind that simplicity lies a precise recipe and a lot of practice.
The caps
The caps need only four ingredients: almond flour, icing sugar, egg whites and sugar. The whites are whipped into a meringue and gently folded into the almond mixture — a step called macaronage. Fold too little and the surface is bumpy; too much and the batter spreads.
The “foot”
The lacy ring at the base of each cap is called the foot (pied in French). It forms in the oven as the batter rises. An even foot is the main sign of a well-made macaron.
The filling
This is where creativity begins: chocolate ganache, fruit curd, caramel, jam. We make every filling ourselves — from real berries, good chocolate and cream.
Time
The last secret ingredient is time. Assembled macarons rest in the fridge for about a day: the filling shares its moisture with the caps, making them tender inside while staying crisp outside.