Multi-colored Macaron Shells
This recipe will explain how to make multi-colored macaron shells from one batch of macarons. The filling is a simple vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 100 grams egg whites
- 100 grams white granulated sugar
- 105 grams almond flour
- 105 grams powdered sugar
- Food coloring I used the following colors: teal, violet, and pink with a touch of red
Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted 240 grams, 8.4 oz
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened 85 grams, 3 oz
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 -1 tbsp milk as necessary
Instructions
Macaron Shells
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Before you start, get all of your ingredients ready. Prepare a large piping bag, fitted with a large round tip. Set aside.
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Also set aside as many piping bags as the number of colors you’d like to color your shells. I used 3 different colors.
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.
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Measure out all of the ingredients.
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Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together. Set aside.
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Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heat proof bowl or in a double boiler. Over a pan of simmering water, whisk the whites and sugar until frothy and sugar completely melted. It will take a couple minutes. You can test by touching the mixture between your fingers, and if you feel any sugar granules just keep whisking mixture over the water bath.
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Make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the simmering water.
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Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.
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With the whisk attachment, start whisking the mixture on low for about 30 seconds, then gradually start increasing speed to medium. Whisk on medium for one to two minutes, until mixture is white and starting to become fluffy. Raise speed to medium-high and finish whipping for a few more minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Best way to check this is to keep your eye on the whites. Once they get glossy and you start seeing streaks formed by the whisk, it might be time to stop.
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Pour the powdered sugar and almond flour into stiff whites.
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Start folding gently forming a letter J with a spatula.
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Fold just until you don’t see any streaks of dry ingredients any longer. Once that happens, you can split the batter between the number of bowls correspondent to the colors you want to use in your batter.
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I split my batter into 3 different bowls.
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Work quickly, with each color, one at a time, folding the batter until ready, then transferring it to a piping bag. Move on to the next color and do this until the entire batter is ready.
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It’s time to stop folding when the batter is glossy and has a thick and flowing consistency. There are several ways to test this.
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First, pick up some batter with the spatula and try to draw a figure 8 with the batter that is dripping off the spatula. If you can form several 8 figures without the batter breaking up, that’s one indication that it might be ready.
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There's another test you can do. I call it the Teaspoon test.
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Grab a teaspoon of batter and spoon onto the parchment paper or silicon mat. Wait a minute to see how it behaves.
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If the batter stays stiff, forming a point and doesn’t spread out a bit, start folding a little bit more, about 3 folds.
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Test again.
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Once the batter spreads out a bit and starts to look glossy and smooth on top, on the parchment paper, transfer the mixture to the piping bag.
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You don’t want your batter to be too runny either. So be careful not to overmix. It’s always best to undermix and test several times until the proper consistency has been achieved.
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Transfer each color to one piping bag. Then cut the tip of each piping bag. And place them inside of a large piping bag fitted with a round tip.
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Applying equal pressure around the whole piping bag, start piping the macarons onto the baking sheet.
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Once you’ve piped as many circles as you could, bang the trays against the counter a few times each. This will release air bubbles that are in the batter and prevent the macaron shells from cracking.
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Let the trays sit for a while so the shells will dry out a little bit. I usually leave about 20-40 minutes, depending on how humid the day is. You’ll know they’re ready when you gently touch the surface of a macaron and it seems dry.
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Pre-heat the oven to 325F.
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Bake one tray at a time.
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Bake for 5 minutes, and rotate the tray.
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I bake each tray for a total of 15-20 minutes.
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When baked, the macarons will have a deeper color and formed feet. If you try to move a macaron, it shouldn’t feel jiggly. If the macaron is still jiggly, keep baking.
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Remove from the oven and bake the other tray.
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Let the macarons cool down before proceeding with the filling.
Vanilla Buttercream
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Cream the butter at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer for about 1 minute. With the mixer off, add all of the powdered sugar.
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On low speed, beat the sugar and butter together. Once they are incorporated, turn speed to medium and cream for 1-2 minutes until very fluffy.
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Add the vanilla beat for another 30-45 seconds.
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If necessary, add the milk. Only add 1/2 tablespoon of milk at first. Sometimes you may find that the consistency of the buttercream is already perfect and doesn't need any more liquid. If the buttercream seems too stiff, add a bit more of milk as necessary. If the buttercream seems too runny, add more sifted powdered sugar until you obtain a firm, but smooth and creamy consistency.
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STORAGE: Store the buttercream in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To assemble
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Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice.
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Pipe a dollop of buttercream in the middle of the bottom shells.
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Place top shell on top.
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Let macarons mature in the fridge overnight before serving.
Storage
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Macarons will store really well in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
Food coloring: Make sure to use gel food coloring. If you are a beginner macaron baker, I recommend going easy on the food coloring, as it can alter your batter a lot, and it can take extra mixing time, especially if you continue to add the food coloring as you do the macaronage.
Scale: Please use a scale when measuring the ingredients for accuracy. Macaron amount: it will vary greatly depending on how big you pipe the shells, and on how runny or thick the batter is.
Baking time/temperature: Baking time and temperature will vary according to your own oven. I recommend experimenting with your oven to find out the best time, temperature, position of the baking tray.
Oven thermometer: Make sure to have an oven thermometer to bake macarons. It’s one of the most important things about making macarons. Home ovens aren’t accurate at all at telling the temperature, and even a slight 5 degree difference can make or break your whole batch.
Tray rotation: Lots of bakers don’t have to rotate the trays 180 degrees in the oven every 5 minutes, but I do have to with my oven, or I will get lopsided macarons. Please adjust this according to your oven.