Dark Chocolate, Coconut and Chia Granola

It took me a few tries to perfect this recipe! I was hoping for something with a lot of chocolate flavor, some nice granola clumps, and good nutritional value.

It all started with my favorite granola - Bakery on Main's Bunches of Crunches. I had it for the first time after a race I ran in CT last year. Bakery on Main is a local CT company and there are usually samples of their products at the CT races. We picked up a few samples of their granola and I was just blown away by the flavor. It was also the first time I had seen chia seeds used in a granola recipe.

For a while I was buying bags of the coconut version on Amazon (although the dark chocolate sea salt was my favorite). At $4.50 - $5 for an 11 oz bag, it wasn't cheap, but I made the bag last as long as I could and considered it one of my few indulgences. However, lately it has been $8 for a bag and that's an expense I can't really justify. I decided instead I would try to make my own!

I read through a lot of recipes for chocolate coconut chia granola, and found that they all started with coconut oil. After that, there was a huge variation in the amount (and type of) of cocoa powder/chocolate, oats, sweetener, and chia.

My first version was okay - it smelled fantastic, but the chocolate flavor was pretty weak, and the coconut oil dominated too much. The chia seeds didn't stick to the granola itself, which was annoying.

In my second version I added an egg white (like Deb does from Smitten Kitchen) as well as adding additional cocoa powder, and that helped, but I still had chia seed fallout.

In my third version I think I got it right! I needed a second egg white to hold those chia seeds to the oats, and I added even more cocoa powder to really boost the chocolate flavor. This is a very lightly sweet granola - I eat mine with greek yogurt that has neen sweetened slightly with some protein powder, as well as ripe sweet berries. If you prefer a sweeter granola feel free to add more maple syrup or sugar. This recipe can also be doubled if you want more servings! I made it in small batches when I was recipe testing so I wouldn't waste too many ingredients if it didn't turn out well.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate, Coconut and Chia Granola
Yield: ~3 cups (12 1/4-cup servings)
Prep time: 10 minutes, Bake time: 30-34 minutes, Total time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil (28 grams)
1/4 cup cocoa powder (21 grams)
2 tbsp brown sugar (add more if you want a sweeter granola)
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey (add more if you want a sweeter granola)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp chia seeds (25 grams)
2 egg whites (~65 grams)
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal (rice krispies)
1/4 cup chopped almonds (28 grams)
1/4 cup shredded coconut (I use sweetened)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F and line a small baking sheet with foil, then lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large heat-safe bowl, microwave the coconut oil in 5-10 second bursts until it is melted but not hot. Stir in cocoa powder, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and chia seeds until it forms a thick paste. Add the egg whites and mix well until smooth.

Pour in the oats, rice cereal, almonds and coconut, and stir well until everything is evenly coated.

Dump onto the foil-lined sheet and press down so it is all in one even layer. If your baking sheet is large, try to keep it all on one side of the pan - if it is spread out too much, some might burn.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325 F, stirring every 10 minutes, until dried out and crispy.
If you like big clusters, then try to flip over portions at a time rather than stirring - it will keep the clusters intact.
If you prefer a loose granola, then stir well each time.
Let cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Pre-Baking

Post-Baking - nice big clumps

Greek yogurt with 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1 tsp chia seeds,
topped with chopped strawberries, fresh figs, and 1 serving of granola

Notes:
1. Like I mentioned above, if you would prefer a sweeter granola, feel free to add additional brown sugar or maple syrup/honey. It will change the nutritional information below.
2. I like using a cocoa powder that is a blend of unsweetened and Dutch processed, like Hershey's special dark or Saco. However, it will turn out great with whatever kind of cocoa powder you have on hand.
3. While I have not tried this recipe with liquid egg whites (in a carton), I don't see why it wouldn't work. Your mixture might be slightly more wet, since liquid egg whites tend to be loose and less "gel"-like than fresh egg whites.
4. I use sweetened shredded coconut, but feel free to use unsweetened if that is what you prefer, or flaked coconut to add additional texture.
5. I use almonds because they are pretty healthy when it comes to nuts (and inexpensive), but feel free to add your favorite! Pecans, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts would all work really well.
6. I use coconut oil because I wanted to boost the coconut flavor, and I have a giant jar of coconut oil that I had never used before. Feel free to use melted butter or oil instead.

Nutritional Information (based on 12 servings, sweetened coconut, and the listed amounts of sweetener):
116 calories
6 grams fat
15.5 grams carbohydrates
3 grams fiber
3.8 grams sugar
3.4 grams protein

Baked Pasta with a Squash, Ricotta and Garlic Sauce

This delicious and cheesy pasta dish is comforting while still being healthy!

My husband came up with the idea to make a pasta sauce from butternut squash. He will come up with recipe ideas from time to time, and then I help him try to implement them. He thought of putting ricotta in the sauce (he really likes ricotta) and I suggested the roasted garlic. We went through a few iterations, and actually decreased the amount of pasta in the end, to make more room for delicious roasted vegetables.

Baked Pasta with a Squash, Ricotta and Garlic Sauce
Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:
Cheesy sauce:
1 medium butternut squash (or other winter squash), about 2 1/2 lbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 head of garlic
10 oz ricotta cheese (2/3 of a 15 oz container)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 - 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Veggies:
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 small head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
Olive oil
salt and pepper

Pasta:
8 oz short pasta (penne, rotini and cavatappi work well) - whole wheat is healthiest!
1 cup shredded cheese (use your favorite)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Peel the butternut squash and cut into rounds. Spread out in a single row on the baking sheet, spray well with cooking spray, and season with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and cinnamon. Bake squash for 30 minutes, flipping over every 10 minutes and re-spraying, or until soft and caramelized.

Roasted butternut squash

Gently remove the outer papery edges of the head of garlic. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top 1/2 inch or so, just to expose the individual cloves. Put on a piece of foil and drizzle with a little oil, then wrap up the foil so it is completely covered. Roast at 400 for around 45 minutes, or until soft and caramelized but not dried out. To save time you can put it on the same baking tray as the squash, and check on it after the squash has finished cooking. Let garlic cool, and then squeeze out the individual cloves.

Roasted and caramelized garlic

Put the squash, garlic, and ricotta in the bowl of a food processor. Add about 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth to start, as well as 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Process until very smooth. Add additional vegetable broth, if necessary, to make a sauce-like consistency. I try to make mine similar to a thick marinara, or almost like a can of pumpkin puree. Depending on the water content of your squash, you may need more or less liquid.

Once the sauce is made, you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

Line two baking sheets with foil, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spread out the onions and cauliflower on one tray, and the zucchini and broccoli on another tray. Drizzle the veggies with some olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until veggies are soft and caramelized. The zucchini might cook faster than everything else, so remove it before it falls apart if the rest of the veggies haven't cooked.

Reduce oven to 375 F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, stir well to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom, and cook according to instructions on the box. Check 1-2 minutes before the recommended time. Once the pasta has finished cooking, reserve some of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the squash ricotta sauce and all of the roasted veggies, and mix well. If the sauce is too thick to stir, add a few splashes of the pasta water.

Pre-baking

Spread out well in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. If the pasta looks a little dry, add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water (don't stir after you add it). Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Notes:
Feel free to use any vegetables that you love or that are in season! Sauteed greens would be great, as would some roasted eggplant or sauteed mushrooms.

The squash ricotta sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before mixing together the pasta.

You can make this entire dish in advance, and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day before cooking. Increase covered baking time to 30 minutes, and you may have to increase uncovered baking time to 20-25 minutes (keep an eye on it).

Store leftovers in the fridge - they reheat really well!

For anyone counting containers (21 day fix or 80 day obsession), this is:
1 yellow 
2 green 💚💚💙 
1 blue 

Just pair your favorite protein with it and you have a full meal!

Harvest Rice Bowl with Squash and Brussels Sprouts

Harvest Rice Bowl with Squash and Brussels Sprouts

This is my FAVORITE fall dish! It has all of the best parts of fall - delicious squash, caramelized brussels sprouts, apples, cranberries! As listed below, it makes a giant amount. Feel free to cut everything in half if you don't want as much food. Also feel free to switch out any of the ingredients. Want to use chopped figs or raisins instead of the craisins? Want to use pear instead of apple? Go for it!

Harvest Rice Bowl with Squash and Brussels Sprouts

Yield: 10-12 side servings

Adapted slightly from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut or acorn squash (or 2 big sweet potatoes)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 lbs brussels sprouts

salt and pepper

1 1/3 cups brown rice

3-4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (white or yellow)

½ cup slivered almonds or pine nuts

½ cup dried cranberries

1 large (or 2 small) apple

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 clove garlic, minced (or ½ tsp crushed garlic)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Peel and dice the squash into ~1/2 inch cubes. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, cinnamon, chili powder, garlic powder, and lots of salt and pepper. Spread out onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring a few times throughout, until soft and caramelized.

Trim brussels sprouts, and then shred (cut each one in half, and then slice the halves). Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread out onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and slightly charred.

Meanwhile, cook brown rice according to package instructions. If you have it, replace some of the water with vegetable stock. (We cook brown rice in our Instant Pot and it turns out perfectly every time - for this recipe you would want 1 2/3 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth or water)

Dice the cheese. Core and dice the apple (you can leave the peel on). Toast the nuts until golden brown and fragrant (5-7 minutes at 350 F usually works well).

Mix up the dressing – it works well to add everything to a mason jar and then shake up really well. Just make sure the lid is screwed on tight. 

Using a GIANT bowl, add rice, squash, brussels, cheese, apple, nuts, and cranberries. Toss well. Drizzle over some of the dressing and toss until everything is coated. You probably won’t need all of the dressing, so don’t pour it all on at once. Store leftover dressing in the fridge – it is good on salad.

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

If you are bringing this somewhere, the rice, cranberries, brussels sprouts and butternut squash can all be made and mixed up in advance. I would then re-heat that portion, and then mix in the cheese, nuts, apple and dressing right before leaving. 

Individual Empanada Tartas

When I first posted my recipe for Empanada Tartas, I had no idea it would be so popular! Not only is it a delicious dish, but I think a lot of people watched the episode on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and wanted to know how to make the giant empanada.

We have made the Empanada Tartas for so many different occasions. It is the perfect weeknight dinner along with a salad or side dish. It is also great for a party.

This time, we wanted to try to make individual empanadas, and we were so pleased with how they turned out! You get the same delicious flavor, but all in a neat little package. I think these would work really well at a dinner party as an appetizer.

The beauty is that you can use whatever you want in the filling. You must use cream cheese - it adds the perfect tang and creaminess. Goat cheese would work equally well. After that, you can just stuff them with your favorite cooked vegetables. Just make sure not to use anything too wet since it would make the whole thing soggy. I really like putting a slice of roasted sweet potato or butternut squash on top of the cream cheese, and then piling whatever vegetables I have in my fridge on top. Onions, mushrooms and peppers are a great combo. In the pictures below, I sauteed some onions, brussels sprouts and corn. See the original post for more ideas and instructions.

Ingredients:
Dough:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar

Filling:
~4 tbsp cream cheese (whipped or brick-style) - goat cheese could also be substituted
~ 1 1/2 cups cooked vegetables (see above)

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl. Using your hands (or a pastry blender or two knives), work the butter into the flour until you have small pieces/ribbons of butter that are no larger than the size of a pea. Put the whole bowl in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to keep it cold.

In a small bowl, mix together the egg, water and vinegar.

Pull out your bowl from the fridge/freezer and add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Use a fork or spoon to gently mix together until there are no visibly wet areas. Use your hands to help form it into a ball. It will seem like there is too much flour - that is okay!

Lay out a piece of plastic wrap onto your counter and dump the contents of the bowl on it. Use the plastic wrap to help guide the dough into a disc - it helps to act as a shield so it won't stick to your hands, and will help some of the excess flour adhere to the dough. Wrap the disc well with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 1-1.5 hours.

At this point you can roast up some veggies, if you don't have them already. Make sure you let them cool completely before adding to the dough.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a large work surface. (I like to use this pastry mat, since it has measurements on it.) Once the dough has been chilled, set it out and divide it into 12 equal portions. I like to use a food scale to make sure they are all equal in size, but you can definitely estimate it. The easiest way to do it by hand is to divide it in half, divide each of those portions in half, and then divide each of those into 3. Making small divisions feels a lot easier.

Keeping the rest of the dough portions covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel, roll out each one until it is a 5 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. It doesn't have to be a perfect circle, but it does help if it is symmetrical since you will be folding it over.

Put ~1 tsp of cream cheese on one side of the dough, then top with ~1.5-2 tbsp of your veggies.

Carefully stretch the other side of the dough over it to close. Crimp the edges closed - you want to make sure it is sealed really well so nothing leaks out. Transfer to your parchment paper-lined baking tray, and repeat with the remaining 11 pieces of dough. Put 6 empanadas on each tray.

* If at any point the dough starts to feel too warm/soft, put it back in the fridge. The entire tray can even be kept in the fridge while you are working on them. You don't want the butter to melt out before baking, so keeping everything cold is essential.*

Brush the top of the empanadas with your egg wash. Bake until golden brown and flaky, for about 25 minutes. Make sure to switch positions of the baking trays halfway through. I like to swap from top to bottom racks, and to also rotate each pan 180 degrees.

Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

These are best right out of the oven. If you are reheating them I find it works best to microwave for a short amount of time, just to warm (15-45 seconds, depending on how many you are heating at once) and then put them in the oven or toaster oven to crisp up. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Disclosure - I have included affiliate links in this post. If you buy any of the products I recommend on Amazon, I get a tiny tiny percentage of the sale, but it's still the same price for you

Roasted Eggplant and Cauliflower Salad with Farro, Almonds and Goat Cheese

I keep buying eggplant at my local farmers market because it is only $1 for a giant eggplant. Then it sits in my refrigerator for a week while I try to come up with the next recipe to make with it. First, I made Smitten Kitchen's Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella. It was fantastic and I had it for lunch every day for well over a week.

I wanted to try something different this week, and I came across a recipe for Roasted Eggplant Salad with Smoked Almonds and Goat Cheese on The Kitchn. I thought it sounded really tasty, but I wanted to make some changes, highlighted below.

The dish turned out so well! It tastes incredible! It is the perfect combination of salty and sweet, creamy and crunchy, silky and chewy. I had made it up for my lunch for the week, but I kept on walking by and sneaking tastes. As soon as I made it I decided I needed to get another eggplant at the next farmers market, just to make it again. I have now made it two times in the past week, and it is my new favorite lunch.

• I thought that 1/3 cup of olive oil sounded high, and reduced it to 3 tablespoons while keeping everything else the same. 
• I didn't have any fresh garlic so I used jarred crushed garlic, around 1.5 tsp of it. 
• I took a trick from the recipe from last week, and I salted the chopped eggplant heavily and let it sit in a colander for 20-30 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Then, I rinsed and dried it well. This helps reduce some of the water content so it roasts more evenly. It is also probably why it took less time for mine to roast (noted below). 
• My gigantic eggplant was 1.5 lbs so I used 1/2 lb of cauliflower. I think the two vegetables work really well together once roasted, plus it was another thing I got at the farmers market! If you don't like cauliflower or would prefer to only use eggplant, then use 2 lbs of just eggplant and it will be just as delicious.
• I did not have smoked almonds so I used raw almonds that I then chopped and toasted in a 350 F oven for ~8 minutes
• I don't love parsley, and never have it on hand, so I omitted it. I did not miss it. 
• The green onions are not optional - they add such a nice flavor to the whole dish that I think you must include them. I mixed them into the dish instead of sprinkling on top, mostly because I misread the recipe, but I'm glad I did - you can taste them in every bite.
  Pro tip - after you use the green part, stick the white part (the root) in some water and they will continue to grow! 
  
• My lemon was giant (yes, also from the farmers market) so I only needed 1/2 of it to get 2 tbsp of juice
• If you don't have fresh lemon juice, you can use bottled lemon juice (this is what is pictured below)
• I roasted the eggplant for less time than suggested since I didn't want it to completely fall apart while mixing everything. I roasted the eggplant for 25 minutes, stirring it after the first 15 minutes. I roasted the cauliflower for 35 minutes, stirring after the first 15 minutes and again at the 25 minute mark. 
• I wanted to bulk this up a little to make it heartier as a meal. I cooked some pearled farro and mixed it in. Note that farro cooks differently if it is pearled, semi-pearled, or not pearled at all (I forget what it is actually called then). Mine is pearled and cooks in 15 minutes. I think it is easiest to cook farro just like pasta - to throw it in salted boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain. If you don't have farro, feel free to add in some brown rice or your favorite whole grain. 
• I really liked the creaminess from the goat cheese, so I mixed all of it in while the dish was still warm and it mostly melted. If you would prefer separate crumbles, then wait until everything has cooled to add, or crumble some on top while you are eating. 

Roasted Eggplant and Cauliflower Salad with Farro, Almonds and Goat Cheese
Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs eggplant (2 small or 1 really big one)
Kosher salt
1/2 lb cauliflower
1/2 cup raw almonds (untoasted and unsalted)
1/2 cup pearled farro
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
4 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1.5-2 tsp of the jarred stuff)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions/green onions, green tops only
2 oz goat cheese

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 F. If you also have a toaster oven, preheat that to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets and one small baking sheet with foil.

Cut up the eggplant in a 1 inch dice. Add to a colander, either set in the sink or over a large bowl, and sprinkle with kosher salt generously in multiple layers. Let the eggplant drain a little while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. I like small pieces because you increase the surface area (more browning) and it is easier to eat.

Roughly chop the nuts. If you have a toaster oven, roast at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep a close eye on them since they can burn very quickly! If you don't have a toaster oven, then start off with your regular oven at 350 F and cook them in there. Once the nuts are done, set them aside to cool. If you used your regular oven, turn it up to 400 F.

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add your farro, and cook according to package instructions. If you are using pearled farro like I did, it should cook in about 15 minutes. Semi-pearled will take longer, and whole farro (not pearled at all) will take the longest. Once it has finished cooking, dump it into a separate colander to drain.

In a small bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

Rinse off the eggplant and then pat dry with paper towels. Add to a large bowl, and pour the marinade over it. Toss well, and then quickly transfer the coated eggplant to one of your prepared baking sheets. If you leave the eggplant in the marinade for too long, it will soak up all of it, leaving none for your cauliflower.

Next toss the cauliflower in the remaining marinade, and pour that on the second large baking sheet. Put both baking sheets in the oven. After 15 minutes, stir everything very well. Put the baking sheets back in for an additional 10 minutes. At this point, the eggplant should be done (golden brown and soft without being completely collapsed). Stir the cauliflower well and put in for an additional 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized.

Now it's time to mix everything together. Add your farro, eggplant and cauliflower to your large bowl (use the same one you tossed the veggies in before cooking). Pour the lemon juice and soy sauce over them, and toss gently. Add in the green onions, toasted almonds, and goat cheese and toss again to distribute all of the ingredients.

Either enjoy immediately, or let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator. This is best served warm, and reheats well in the microwave.

Wondering what the white stuff is on the fork?

That would be the last bit of goat cheese, scraped out of its package.

We really like goat cheese in my house

Tips and Tricks for Making Perfect Macarons

I love baking macarons


They are so beautiful, so delicious, and honestly, impress anyone you share them with. They require some precision and patience, but really aren't the most difficult thing to bake. I am not a pastry chef and I'm certainly not an expert, but by following the advice and tips below, I have had success every single time I've made macarons. I wanted to share all of my tips in case they would be helpful for anyone else! This is very long (I'm sorry), but bear with me and I think you will be able to make your own beautiful macarons. 

Ingredients

You must use a kitchen scale! All of the measurements are extremely precise, and this is really the only way to accurately measure your ingredients. They aren’t that expensive to buy, and will make your life so much easier. A lot of recipes put ingredients with both volumetric and weight measurements, so you can use it for many other recipes.

Almond Meal

I've found that buying almond meal in bulk is the cheapest way to do it. This will be your most expensive ingredient, but if you get a lot of it, each batch of macarons will be incredibly inexpensive to make. I found a 3 lb bag of the good stuff (Bob's Red Mill) for only $13. If you do buy in bulk, keep a portion of it in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. The high fat content can cause it to go rancid if you leave it out. Let it come to room temperature before using it - it works well to pull it out at the same time you pull out your egg whites (see below). 

I have seen recipes that claim otherwise, but I have had the best success with blanched almonds that are super fine or finely ground. Blanched almonds have had their skins removed. You will get a much prettier, much smoother macaron with these tips (and you will save time sifting). 

Egg Whites

Always use fresh – do not use egg whites from a carton, they just won’t beat up properly.

Eggs separate best when they are cold, so separate the whites straight from the fridge. Then you need to let the egg whites 'age' for a bit. You can sit them at room temperature for 24-48 hours, or in the fridge for longer than 48 hours. If you do put them fridge, let them come to room temperature before using.

Do not get any traces of fat in your egg whites. Even a drop of egg yolk can prevent the whites from beating properly. I like to put a little vinegar on a paper towel and wipe down everything that comes in contact with the egg whites – the mixing bowl, the whisk attachment, the container the egg whites go into age. The vinegar won’t affect the taste or smell of the macarons.

Some recipes use cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. I have never found this to be necessary, so I don't use it if a recipe calls for it. The red white and blue macaron recipe below calls for cream of tartar, and mine turned out perfectly without it.  

Colors

Do not use liquid food color – it will completely change the consistency of your batter. If you are going to add color, make sure to add powdered or gel/paste food color.

I have tried both Wilton and AmeriColor gel/paste food color, and I prefer AmeriColor. It is a little more expensive, but there are many features that I prefer. It comes in a squeeze bottle, so you don’t have to dip in dozens of toothpicks. This also allows you to be more accurate – once you figure out the correct number of drops to get your desired color, you can repeat that in the future. AmeriColor has given me more vibrant colors, and the colors don’t change after they have baked. (If you overbake your macarons, they will turn brown regardless of whose colors you are using.)

 

Wilton - even a TON of drops didn't make a very vibrant color, 

and the color faded after baking

Another side by side of before and after baking (Wilton)

AmeriColor - it took a lot, but I finally achieved a vibrant color

The color didn't change very much after baking

You will have the best chance of getting the color you want if you add the food color to your egg whites. It takes more mixing than you would think to get the color incorporated evenly, and you don’t want to overmix your batter in the process. I usually add a drop or two at a time, then beat the egg whites well to get the color mixed in while also trying to maintain the consistency.

This is just a recommendation, but I would suggest making separate batches if you want more than one color. If you have multiple bowls and whisk attachments for your stand mixer (or hand mixer) then you would be fine splitting your egg whites in half. Otherwise, I feel that the second half of the batch suffers.

Method

I have only done the ‘French’ method, versus the ‘Italian’ method. This means I beat my egg whites with granulated sugar, and then fold in the powdered sugar and almond meal. The other method involves a sugar syrup that is beaten into the egg whites. Many have had success with each method, so I’m not saying one is better than the other. The French method is the one that I have used, and I have had success every time.

Sifting

Sift 2-3 times. I know this sounds crazy, and I know it takes forever, but it is essential to a smooth macaron. First sift the almonds on their own (at least 2 times). Then you will want to sift the almonds and powdered sugar together, so they get mixed well prior to adding to the egg whites.

You want to use a sieve with fine pores. I made some recent batches with a larger sieve because I was lazy, and I could tell right away that the batter wasn’t as smooth. They turned out just fine, but I think I will go back to a fine sieve in the future for a better appearance.

These were my first two batches, back when I was being really careful about sifting

The piped macarons look smooth and shiny

By now I had become lazier, and I think that the macarons look less smooth

I tried to take some pictures of my two sieves, so you can see what two sizes I'm referring to. The pictures aren't fantastic, but you can see the one with the long handle has tiny diamond-shaped holes, while the holes in the free-standing sieve are bigger. You can use the bigger sieve for your final sift, when combining the almond meal with the powdered sugar. However, I recommend using the smaller sieve for the first two sifting steps. 

Small sieve on the left, larger sieve on the right

Close-up of the pore size

Mixing

I was most nervous about this part when I first made macarons. I had worked so hard to get fluffy egg whites and didn’t want to completely deflate them. Well it turns out that you do need to deflate them quite a bit! It is easiest if you use some kind of flexible spatula, I like the silicone style. Dump all of your dry mixture on top of your fluffy egg whites, and then push your mixture firmly from the middle out to the sides of the bowl. Turn the bowl a quarter turn after each push. Once everything is combined, keep folding your mixture until you can lift it up and a ribbon of batter drips off the end. It is okay if the ribbon is only for a couple of seconds before it breaks. Another way to test consistency is to make sure the ribbon that dripped off disappears into the batter within 20 seconds, but doesn’t immediately. It is okay to be a little under-mixed, since putting it into the piping bag and squeezing with your hand will continue mixing it a bit.

Piping

I trace circles onto parchment paper and then turn it over when piping, so I don’t get any pencil on the macarons themselves. I use a round cutter that is 1 ½ inches in diameter (from the Ateco round cutter set). Leave around 1 inch between circles in case of spreading. Always trace a few extra circles. Even though the recipe says it makes 30 sandwiches (60 macarons), you might make yours slightly smaller or bigger. You don’t want to be scrambling around while holding the dripping piping bag in your hand!

I have always used a disposable piping bag fitted with a Wilton 12 tip. This is just over ¼ inch (5/16 to be exact). If you are splitting up your batch, a 12-inch piping bag works really well (25-30 macarons, or 10-15 macaron sandwiches). I would recommend a larger piping bag for a full batch so you don’t have any batter that squeezes out the top.

The easiest way to fill a piping bag without getting it all over everything is to put it in a tall glass or vase. Fold over the top edges so they remain clean, and then transfer your mixture into the piping bag. Then you can un-fold the top edges and roll them down so you have all of the batter trapped inside.

This is not an example of making macarons!

I was making two-toned frosting for cupcakes

However, it does show how to use a tall glass for a piping bag

I do not like using a coupler – this is really useful when you need to switch tips for the same batch of frosting, but if you are using the same tip throughout you just end up having a lot in the bag that you can’t use. If you just snip off the end of your piping bag you can easily slide your tip in without a problem.

If you want to make a few colors at the same time, I recommend getting a few of the same size piping tip. Otherwise you will have to quickly remove the tip from one bag before moving onto the next.

When piping, hold your piping bag completely vertical in both hands. I like putting my dominant hand toward the top, to control the flow, with my non-dominant hand toward the bottom to help steady. Put the tip about a half inch above the parchment paper, directly in the center of your traced circle. Squeeze gently and with constant pressure until you have just barely filled the circle. The batter will come up the side of the tip while you are doing that. Some recommend a fancy wrist flick while finishing piping to give you a smooth top, but that has never worked for me. Just follow the tips in the next section and you can fix any bumps in the top. 

Before the oven

As soon as you pipe out the macarons, you want to gently tap the baking sheet on a flat surface to get any air bubbles out. Be very careful – you don’t want to drop the sheet!

Use a dry small paintbrush (like one you would use for watercolors) to very gently smooth out any imperfections. I always end up with a little ‘nipple’ at the top. I tried a few different techniques to try to get rid of it, and the paintbrush works wonders. I tried using a damp fingertip, but the extra water messed up the texture (see below). I’ve also tried using a toothpick, but it would stick to the batter and honestly make it look worse than it started. Using a paintbrush helps gently coax the batter into the shape you want. This way you can get rid of any bumps on the top, as well as smooth out any air bubbles that rise to the top. 

See the off-color spots on the blue macarons?

That is where I used a wet fingertip to smooth down the tips

Don't do that!

If you want to top with any edible decorations, now is the time to do it! The macarons will start to dry quickly (this is a very good thing), so the window of time to get anything to stick to them is small. You can add sprinkles, a sprinkle of cinnamon, edible flowers. Just make sure that you don’t add anything too heavy that will interfere with the bake.

This is important - let the macarons dry out a bit before baking them. I mentioned a few times that they will dry quickly, but this all depends on the weather. This will take anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes. They will be ready to bake when they are no longer shiny and they do not feel sticky when you touch them very lightly. If you skip this step, you might not get the pretty 'feet' at the bottom that are what give the macaron their signature look. 

Baking

I have found that the baking temperature and time actually depend on how runny your batter is. In my latest batch, I had split everything in half to make two different colors. My first half of the batch was slightly thicker, and did not spread at all once they were piped. These did very well in a 300 F oven and were perfectly baked after 16 minutes. They also peeled off of the parchment paper perfectly. My second half of the batch was a little runnier – they spread a little after piped (completely normal). They started to brown before they were cooked completely through, and I think would have benefitted from a slightly cooler oven with a longer baking time.

You don’t want to underbake your macarons. If they are gooey when they come out, that ends up collapsing after they cool, and you end up with macarons that are hollow in the center. Make sure that if you touch them gently (very very gently), they do not jiggle at all or move away from the ‘foot.’

Bake only one sheet at a time. They have a relatively quick baking time, so the other sheet of macarons can wait until the first one is done.

This is an underbaked macaron - the center collapsed slightly leaving a hole

This is very important – cool COMPLETELY before even attempting to get the macarons off the pan. If you take them off too soon they will stick. Once cooled, they should peel off easily. Don’t worry if there is a little residue left on the parchment, or if the bottoms are a little wrinkled. You won’t see anything once they are filled.

Filling

This is the main way you are going to add flavor to your macarons. The most popular fillings are jam (or curd), buttercream and ganache. When choosing a filling, think about how long it will be until you serve them. The softer and wetter the filling, the quicker the macarons will need to be served before they become soft and soggy. Ganache lasts the longest, and I know from experience that macarons filled with ganache can be refrigerated or frozen with no negative effects.

The macarons themselves are pretty sweet, so I like using a filling that is a little bitter or tart. Cream cheese frosting or buttercream adds a nice tang, lemon curd gives a tart pop, and a bittersweet chocolate ganache provides an intensity to a dessert that could otherwise be one-note sweet. You can always do a combination – one day I would love to pipe a ring of buttercream around the outside and fill in the center with lemon curd.

To get pretty sandwiches, line up your macarons in size order before filling. Choose two that are of similar size to go together. You will have a range in size, even if you use a guide while piping. Depending on whether you were at the beginning or end of your batch (or if you made multiple batches), some will spread more than others. It works best if you decide in advance which two are going together.

Choose the macaron that is flatter to be on the bottom, otherwise it will roll all over the place while you are trying to fill it.

* If you are putting together macarons of different colors, or have another reason why you can’t match the size, make sure to put the filling on the smaller of the two. This will prevent filling from coming out the sides and making everything messy.

I recommend a layer of filling that is roughly equal to the height of one macaron cookie. Add your filling to the bottom cookie (either pipe or spoon it), gently place the other cookie on top, and then give a slight twist to the two macarons (in opposite directions). The twist allows you to adhere the macarons to each other and the filling without having to push and risk damage.

If you want to pipe your filling using a star tip, I recommend Wilton 21.

Buttercream piped with Wilton 21 (star tip)

If you are using a ganache that is still a little warm (and hasn’t thickened up completely), make sure to just put it on the center of the macaron since it will squeeze out to the sides. If you are using a filling that is already in its final state, then make sure to put it all the way to the edges.

Transportation and Storage

Now that you’ve made some beautiful macarons, you want to bring them somewhere to share (and show off a little). They are incredibly fragile, so you need to be careful otherwise you will end up with a lot of broken shells. Think about when you go to a fancy pastry shop – they have fancy little boxes for macarons with them all on their sides. This is because the top/bottom of the macaron are the most delicate, but the sides are a little sturdier.

via

If you will be consuming the macarons soon, you should keep them in the refrigerator. This is especially helpful when you have filled them with something on the softer side, like jam, curd or buttercream. Allow them to sit out for a few minutes to come to room temperature before eating.

Most macarons will freeze beautifully. The shells will always freeze perfectly, you just need to make sure the filling does as well. I have had great success freezing macarons filled with ganache. Just let them thaw before eating.

Recipes I have had success with

https://bakingamoment.com/red-white-and-blue-cherry-cheesecake-macarons/ (didn’t add cherries to mine)

https://theculinarychronicles.com/2011/04/15/vanilla-bean-macarons-with-dulce-de-leche-buttercream/ (didn’t use vanilla bean or the buttercream, but I’m sure they would have been delicious)

https://theculinarychronicles.com/2016/03/20/chocolate-and-peanut-butter-macarons-happy-macaron-day/ (didn’t use the peanut butter buttercream, used the ganache below)

Fillings

https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/ (Used the ganache from this recipe, with bittersweet chocolate)
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/how-to-make-lemon-curd/

Tools

Some of these I own, some of them are just examples of what I think I would be very useful

Decorating kit with tips and bags (I own)

100 pack of 12-inch bags

12 pack of 16-inch bags

Round cutter (around 1 ½ inches) - this is the set I have

Wilton 12 tip (part of my kit)

Wilton 21 tip (part of my kit)

AmeriColor gel food color kit - I own and recommend

Watercolor brushes - this is overkill, but an example of what you can look for

Parchment paper

Kitchen scale - I own and recommend


Disclosure - I have included affiliate links in this post. If you buy any of the products I recommend on Amazon, I get a tiny tiny percentage of the sale, but it's still the same price for you