Ultimate Almond Macarons
Almond macarons may be a basic flavor, but the intense almond ganache filling is anything but! In an ode to almonds, we’re making almond macaron shells and filling them with a soft nutty, yet fruity, almond ganache flavored with some homemade almond praline paste.
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Ultimate Almond Macarons
Years and years ago, when I first launched Bakes & Blunders, I asked my audience (mostly friends and family at that point) what flavors and bakes they’d like to see. One of those early suggestions was anything almond.
Over the years, I’ve done a white almond cake, cherry almond tart, and almond pecan spice muffins. These recipes have all embraced the flavor of almonds, but nothing quite compares to the subtle intensity (now that’s an oxymoron) of these almond macarons.
Top Tips for Macarons
- Pulse your dry ingredients in a food processor and sift out any large chunks.
- Whip your meringue to stiff peaks. It’s best to whip at a medium speed for longer. Keep an eye on it!
- Fold/ macaronage just until the batter flows like lava. It is best to slightly under mix if you are in doubt.
- If you don’t have a macaron template yet, grab a free one from the Resource Library so that you pipe evenly sized shells.
- Use a toothpick to smooth any nipples and remove any air bubbles on your piped macarons.
- Bake one pan at a time and adjust the temperature and baking time if necessary.
Plain Macaron Shells
After I made these shells, my son wanted to know the flavor so he could decide whether to eat the few wonky shells. “Almond” was not a satisfactory response, but when I told him they were just “plain” macarons, he dove right in.
Calling any macaron shell “plain” is a disservice, in my humble opinion. But yes, these macaron shells are the basic, unflavored shells that you’ll find in many macaron recipes. Luckily, their light almond flavor is exactly what we want to pair with the intense almond ganache.
Macaron Resources
- 5 Steps to Prep for Perfect Macarons
- All About Meringue: Covering the Basics
- Fun Ways to Fill Macarons
- Macawrong Brownies or Mookies to use up any wonky shells
- 4 Yolk Challah (delicious ways to use up extra yolks)
- Basic Tools You Need to Make Macarons
- Macaron Templates + Macaron Prep Checklist (available to subscribers only)
- Easy Ways to Decorate Macarons
Related Reading: Almond Joy Macarons
Almond Praline Paste
Once I decided on making an almond ganache, I started brainstorming. Yes, I could have done a plain white ganache and used only almond extract to flavor it, but that just didn’t vibe with me. Instead, I looked to my strawberry, pistachio, and rose tartlets for inspiration and decided to make an almond praline.
Making almond praline paste is surprisingly easy. A quick dry caramel tossed with almond and then processed into a smooth paste. I used my mini food processor because it’s just a tiny amount of praline. This took me about 5- 10 minutes, with several breaks so I didn’t overheat my food processor.
Intense Almond Ganache
This ganache has a lot going on. The white chocolate and cream are the basic components of the ganache. Butter makes it thick and sturdy, corn syrup adds shine and elasticity, and almond extract intensifies the flavor. The almond praline paste adds flavor and texture creating a delicious almond ganache.
Using an immersion blender is supes important for this ganache. Not only does it ensure a smooth, emulsified ganache, it also breaks up any leftover chunks of praline. The finished ganache is quite thick, but it pipes like a dream.
Enjoy!
If you enjoy the nutty, fruity flavor of almonds, these intense almond macarons are sure to become a new favorite. Using a homemade almond praline paste to flavor the filling is super easy, but incredibly delicious.
Making macarons is no easy feat though. For more tips, tricks, and recipes, be sure to watch the macaron playlist on the Bakes & Blunders YouTube channel.
Almond Macarons
Ingredients
Almond Ganache
- 50 g sugar
- 50 g slivered almonds
- 170 g white chocolate chopped
- 60 g heavy cream
- 50 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Macaron Shells
- 135 g powdered sugar
- 135 g almond flour
- 130 g sugar
- 130 g egg whites (about 4 eggs) room temperature
- 1/32 tsp Emerald Master Elite powder color smidgen
- 1/16 tsp Black Master Elite powder color pinch
Instructions
Almond Ganache
- Before making the caramel, make sure your work area is prepared. Have a silicone mat on a baking sheet on the counter ready for you to pour the molten caramel on top.
- Place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the edges of the sugar start to melt, use a spatula to gently pull in the edges of the sugar so that it melts and caramelizes evenly. Continue to cook and stir until you have a rich golden shade.
- Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the almonds so they are coated with the caramel. Pour the nuts and caramel mixture onto the silicone baking mat. Let it cool completely.
- Transfer the hardened almond praline chunks to a food processor. Blend until you have a paste. This will take 5- 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down as needed. You can go for a slightly chunkier consistency if you want. Set aside.
- Place the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Set aside.
- Place the cream in a small bowl and microwave in 10 seconds intervals until hot. Pour over the warm chocolate and stir until smooth. A few small lumps are fine. If the mixture is too cool or chunky, microwave in 5- 10 second intervals, stirring after each, until the ganache is smooth and warm.
- Add the praline paste to the ganache and use an immersion blender to combine. Then add the butter, corn syrup and almond extract. Use the immersion blender to combine. The mixture should be smooth, thick, and glossy.
- Press cling wrap onto the surface of the ganache. Let it sit at room temperature until it has cooled and has a peanut butter consistency. If you will not be using the ganache the same day, after an hour on the counter, you can cover the bowl and place in the fridge. Let the ganache sit on the counter for several hours to soften before using.
Macaron Shells
- Prepare 2 baking sheets with silicone mats, teflon, or templates and parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a round piping tip. Set aside. Preheat oven to 290°F.
- Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and sift into a bowl. Discard any large chunks. Whisk the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Combine egg whites and powdered color. Set aside.
- In a clean stand mixer bowl, combine the sugar mixture and the egg whites. Whisk to combine and place bowl over a double boiler. Heat, whisking regularly, until the sugar dissolves, about 90 seconds. Remove the bowl from the double boiler and carefully dry off the bottom.
- Place the bowl in the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Gradually increase the speed to medium (KitchenAid speed 6) and whip for 5 minutes. Decrease the speed slightly (KitchenAid speed 4) and whip until you have stiff peaks, about 1- 5 minutes longer. Check regularly so that you don't overwhip the meringue.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and begin folding the ingredients together. Once everything is combined, continue folding until the batter flows slowly like lava.
- Pipe macaron shells onto prepared baking sheets. Let the macarons dry until you can lightly brush the tops with your finger (30 mins for me). Bake for 20- 22 minutes, rotating halfway through. Gently poke shell, if it is firm, remove from the oven to cool. If they wiggle, add another minute or two.
- Let the macaron shells cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Assemble
- Pair up the macaron shells. Fill a piping bag with ganache and pipe a dollop onto one shell, then top with the other shell. Repeat with the remaining macaron shells.
- Place in an air tight container in the fridge overnight to let them mature. Remove 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I was able to pipe 60 shells, which made 30 macarons. You could have a few more or a few less depending on how large you pipe your shells.
- For maximum color intensity, mix the egg whites and color powder about an hour before beginning the recipe.
- You will have enough ganache for all of the macarons and may have a tiny bit leftover.
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
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