I must admit I surprised myself with the fact that I never get frustrated with macarons. I get a lot of different sizes and shapes, sometimes they crack, but most often succeed, sometimes their foamy foot is prettier, other times not so much. But for some reason, they’re fun to make. I love how you can play with colors (I want to experiment with natural ingredients to color their shells) and flavors.
If you don’t have almond flour available, pulverize blanched almonds together with powdered sugar. Sift to get rid of lumps. If you don’t have blanched almonds, soak them in boiling water for several minutes and skin them (the skin is removed very easily).
Mocha macarons
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 20 macarons 1x
Description
These mocha macarons are a delightful combination of rich coffee flavor and delicate almond shells, perfect for an elegant treat.
Ingredients
For macaron shells
- 3 oz (90 g) egg whites
- 1 oz (30 g) sugar
- 7 oz (200 g) powdered sugar
- 4 oz (110 g) almonds, blanched
- 2 tsp instant coffee
Filling
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 vanilla bean pod
- 7 tbsp (105 ml) brown sugar
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 3 1/2 tbsp (50 g) butter, softened
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) cornstarch
Instructions
- Leave egg whites at room temperature for several hours or overnight before using.
- If you don’t have almond flour, pulverize blanched almonds with powdered sugar and instant coffee, then sift to remove any lumps.
- Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat.
- Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites gently, ensuring not to deflate the mixture.
- Pipe the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, forming small circles.
- Let the piped batter sit at room temperature until a skin forms on the surface, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and bake the macarons for 12-15 minutes, until they are firm and can be lifted off the parchment paper easily.
- For the filling, heat the milk with the vanilla bean until it just begins to boil, then remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and gradually add the hot milk, whisking continuously.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Let the filling cool completely before using it to sandwich the macaron shells together.
Notes
- If you don’t have almond flour, you can make your own by pulverizing blanched almonds with powdered sugar.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature before baking to form a skin, which helps achieve the perfect texture.
- Store macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 15
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the egg whites need to sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight?
Both the article and the instructions stress this step: aged egg whites lose some moisture, which makes them whip into a more stable meringue. This is critical for getting the characteristic smooth-topped shell and the “foot” at the base of each macaron.
What is the skin that forms before baking, and why does it matter?
After piping, the macarons rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes until a dry skin forms on the surface. The notes explain this is what helps achieve the perfect texture — the skin directs the expanding batter downward during baking to create the frilly foot instead of cracking the top.
I don’t have almond flour — can I make my own for this recipe?
Yes. The article and instructions explain how: pulverize 4 oz of blanched almonds together with the 7 oz of powdered sugar and 2 tsp of instant coffee, then sift to remove any lumps. If your almonds aren’t blanched, soak them in boiling water for a few minutes and slip off the skins before grinding.
Approximately how many does this recipe make?
thank you!
Lovely recipe Tamara. I love the flavour of coffee and these mocha macarons look divine.