Nearly Losing My Mind Over Macarons

[Norcalbaker59]

Okay, new issue here. I am trying to use ground up, freeze dried fruit in my batter, but these macs always brown badly. Is it the fruit causing it? I have tried everything and they brown no matter what. Since I'm attempting raspberry, I am tinting them with pink to enhance the fruit's color, and they brown like crazy. Today I tried blueberry, and they look like mud with some blue in it.

When you say both batches were overly brown, the first thing that comes to mind is what brand of food dye are you using?

Wilton dye is not heatproof. It will always fade and produce overly brown macaron. Wilton produces lousy cake color too. The only Wilton gel color I ever use is the pastel pack, and only in cake. And the only time I use it is when I need a faded cake color for a baby shower.

AmeriColor is the dye of choice for most pastry chefs because it holds its color and doesn’t cause the macs to brown.


The second question is what type of dye? Are you using a gel or a powder? Usually when you need a really rich color like red, a powder works best. Add about powder to the sugar syrup if you use the Italian method. You have to play with the amount to figure out how much you need to get the Intensity of the color you want. I use the Italian method; with the French method I suppose you can experiment by mixing powder color in with the dry ingredients.

Are you grinding up the freeze dried raspberries into a very fine powder then sifting it? You want to get the seeds out. I buy the ones from Trader Joe’s. There’s the only ones I’ve ever used. I’ve never tried blueberries so I can’t give you any advice on those.

AmeriColor Corp. – The World's Finest Food Color

www.americolorcorp.com

 

[HotStrawberry]

When you say both batches were overly brown, the first thing that comes to mind is what brand of food dye are you using?

Wilton dye is not heatproof. It will always fade and produce overly brown macaron. Wilton produces lousy cake color too. The only Wilton gel color I ever use is the pastel pack, and only in cake. And the only time I use it is when I need a faded cake color for a baby shower.

AmeriColor is the dye of choice for most pastry chefs because it holds its color and doesn’t cause the macs to brown.


The second question is what type of dye? Are you using a gel or a powder? Usually when you need a really rich color like red, a powder works best. Add about powder to the sugar syrup if you use the Italian method. You have to play with the amount to figure out how much you need to get the Intensity of the color you want. I use the Italian method; with the French method I suppose you can experiment by mixing powder color in with the dry ingredients.

Are you grinding up the freeze dried raspberries into a very fine powder then sifting it? You want to get the seeds out. I buy the ones from Trader Joe’s. There’s the only ones I’ve ever used. I’ve never tried blueberries so I can’t give you any advice on those.

AmeriColor Corp. – The World's Finest Food Color

www.americolorcorp.com

I use gel food dye always, but I do have some powdered coming in the mail on Saturday. I also use the Trader Joe's freeze dried fruits. I've made pastel blue and yellow and they have come out fine with no browning, that's why I thought it was the addition of the dried fruit that was throwing it off. I'll try again when my powders come, and maybe leave the fruit out of the batter and put it in the filling only. We'll see!!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I use gel food dye always, but I do have some powdered coming in the mail on Saturday. I also use the Trader Joe's freeze dried fruits. I've made pastel blue and yellow and they have come out fine with no browning, that's why I thought it was the addition of the dried fruit that was throwing it off. I'll try again when my powders come, and maybe leave the fruit out of the batter and put it in the filling only. We'll see!!

What brand of food dye? I would really recommend Americolor. The Wilton brand is not heat proof, so it will cause over-browning, especially with some colors.

You should be able to use the powder in this shell no problem. Try with the powdered color and see how it turns out. Let me know.

 

[HotStrawberry]

What brand of food dye? I would really recommend Americolor. The Wilton brand is not heat proof, so it will cause over-browning, especially with some colors.

You should be able to use the powder in this shell no problem. Try with the powdered color and see how it turns out. Let me know.

I use Sunny Side Up brand, I get it from Hobby Lobby. I was using it for Royal Icing and it works fine for that. I'm excited about the powders, I ordered from The Sugar Art, so fingers crossed! I'll post after I try them.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I use Sunny Side Up brand, I get it from Hobby Lobby. I was using it for Royal Icing and it works fine for that. I'm excited about the powders, I ordered from The Sugar Art, so fingers crossed! I'll post after I try them.

I’ve never tried The food color at hobby lobby. although I used to get a lot of packaging stuff from there. Yeah it’s tough when you don’t have a restaurant supply store close by to get supplies. Having to mail order makes everything so much more expensive. Powdered color is really good. I think you’ll be really pleasantly surprised. You’ll have to play around with it to see what the right amount is though.

 

[Lachimolala]

Hi all, I need alittle help and advise as well with my macarons. I recently bought a new oven to bake my mac. To my horror...I couldn't overcome the lopsided problem. It was so disheartening because I tried to test baked so many batches...French, Swiss recipes.. changing racks, high rack, low racks...adjusting temperature between 135 deg to 150 deg. Got 2 oven thermometers, the temperature on my oven is turned to 150 deg, and my thermometer would show...100-110 deg. Its quite maddening. Out of 10 trays of macs I baked...only 1 tray worth of macs would looks normal. And if I pipped 15 shells on a tray, mostly would be lopsided. If I pipe 10 shells, 7 would looks good. I am really sad with the results. But my passion for baking macs is strong...after 3-5 days of rest...I would want to bake them again. Can someone help me, troubleshoot?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi all, I need alittle help and advise as well with my macarons. I recently bought a new oven to bake my mac. To my horror...I couldn't overcome the lopsided problem. It was so disheartening because I tried to test baked so many batches...French, Swiss recipes.. changing racks, high rack, low racks...adjusting temperature between 135 deg to 150 deg. Got 2 oven thermometers, the temperature on my oven is turned to 150 deg, and my thermometer would show...100-110 deg. Its quite maddening. Out of 10 trays of macs I baked...only 1 tray worth of macs would looks normal. And if I pipped 15 shells on a tray, mostly would be lopsided. If I pipe 10 shells, 7 would looks good. I am really sad with the results. But my passion for baking macs is strong...after 3-5 days of rest...I would want to bake them again. Can someone help me, troubleshoot?

You need a properly functioning oven. 212°F - 230°F (100°C - 110°C) is just too low a temperature to bake macarons. You need to have the oven calibrated. I don’t how the ovens are in the UK, but most US ovens can be calibrated with a simple adjustment of an screw on older ovens or the pressing of buttons on newer models. Look at your owner’s manual. If instructions aren’t in there, so to the manufacture’s website and contact them.

Aside from the cold oven, is it fan assisted? If you have a fan blowing air on the macarons, a too cold oven so the batter isn’t baking and rising, then the air will just dry out the batter on the tray. Then dried out batter is just going to bake in place.

 

[Lachimolala]

You need a properly functioning oven. 212°F - 230°F (100°C - 110°C) is just too low a temperature to bake macarons. You need to have the oven calibrated. I don’t how the ovens are in the UK, but most US ovens can be calibrated with a simple adjustment of an screw on older ovens or the pressing of buttons on newer models. Look at your owner’s manual. If instructions aren’t in there, so to the manufacture’s website and contact them.

Aside from the cold oven, is it fan assisted? If you have a fan blowing air on the macarons, a too cold oven so the batter isn’t baking and rising, then the air will just dry out the batter on the tray. Then dried out batter is just going to bake in place.

Thank you for providing your insights here. I will check my oven manual and see if I can do something about my oven temperature.

I tested out fan mode and without fan mode...I Don't have much consistent results either. Maybe I need alot more practice with my technique too I saw the posting here on firm peak and stiff peaks. That is so helpful. At times, I thought as long as the meringues isn't falling out of the bowl, and it's stiff peak. But not really from what I read here. Thank you once again. I hope I didn't buy a bad oven...

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thank you for providing your insights here. I will check my oven manual and see if I can do something about my oven temperature.

I tested out fan mode and without fan mode...I Don't have much consistent results either. Maybe I need alot more practice with my technique too I saw the posting here on firm peak and stiff peaks. That is so helpful. At times, I thought as long as the meringues isn't falling out of the bowl, and it's stiff peak. But not really from what I read here. Thank you once again. I hope I didn't buy a bad oven...

definitely contact the manufacture about the oven. It shouldn’t be running 40°C - 50°C below the set temperature.

And since you know that it is adjust the setting and keep checking the thermometer to see where you need the setting to reach 300°F (150°C).

instead of bouncing around from recipe to recipe you should pick one and stick with it. If you feel comfortable with the Italian method I would recommend it. that is the method they teach and culinary programs, that is the method most professionals use; not all, but most.

I would recommend a purchased almond flour (almond meal whatever you may call it where you live). The reason is even a couple tablespoon or two of too coarsely ground almonds will destroy your batter. With a commercially ground almond flour you’ll have a consistent grind. The last poster to comment on this thread had a marked improvement when she switched to a commercial almond flour. Make sure you sieve the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar three times through a fine mesh sieve.

Yes I don’t know why people say flipping a bowl of whipped egg whites over is the way to determine if egg whites are properly whipped or not. I guess its something on the internet. It’s not anything they teach in a buttercream and cake class, maracron class, or anything class that works with whipped eggs or meringues.

if the oven fan was off, and you should bake macarons with no fan, and the oven temperature was at the proper temperature and you were still lopsided:

1. Macaronage: when you fold the batter, be sure to make full 360° turns as you fold. And make sure you go all the way down and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate all the batter. The macaron batter is ready when you lift a spatula full of batter out pour it back into the bowl and it piles up on itself and takes about 18 - 20 seconds to blend back in. This is a process you learn through experience. I took several classes, and it was just something everyone just has to learn from doing.

2. Piping: good chance you are piping incorrect. Hold the tip vertical (pointing straight down ) to the pan, not at an angle. Gently press and let the gravity of the batter pool into a circle and release. Make a slight twist of the hand to swipe the batter off.

3. Give the baking sheet two good raps on the counter; rotate 90° and repeat. This will pop any bubbles. If you see any visible bubbles on the shells, not is the time to pop with a sterilized pin or a toothpick.

4. Dry the shells. Some bakers will say this is un-necessary. But every time I have skip the step I have regretted it. Do not over dry.

Food dye: Wilton food dye is not color proof. This food dye can play real havoc with your shells, especially causing unwanted discoloring. Use this brand at your own risk. Americolor is the brand most bakers use. Gel is the most common type used. Powder is also commonly used. Powdered can cause a bit drying so you have to be careful with it. You have to play around with the color to figure out the right amount to use. Powdered color mades incredible color.

 

[Lachimolala]

Thank you for your kind and detailed explanation.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thank you for your kind and detailed explanation.

You are welcome

 

[Sheryl17]

Hiya Bakers! I'm new here; a non-professional, amateur baker, who simply loves to bake.

Five years ago, I (surprisingly) had great luck with baking macarons. I recently revisited the lovely world of macarons and I am miserably failing, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind.

I've tried 5 different recipes (multiple times), both French and Italian methods, and fresh/aged/powdered egg whites. I've been following recipes to exact (to the gram) measurements, tested oven temperature, piped and let the formed batter sit 15/30/60/90/120 minutes, placed the macarons on different rack levels, and baked between 280-310F.

To bake these, I'm utilizing the KitchenAid Classic Plus, silicon spatulas, all stainless steel bowls/equipment, organic brown cage-free eggs (at room temp), Bob's Red Mill super fine almond flour, confectioners'/powdered sugar, C&H Baker's ultrafine sugar, cream of tartar.

The tops consistently come out wrinkly (crinkly?) but, concurrently, the macarons never burn, the bottoms peel off perfectly, the shells are always full and never hollow, and the flavor is good. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out the culprit. Such an oddity since, irrespective of the recipe and methods, the tops end up wrinkled/crinkled. Is it the ingredients, the oven, the mixing,...is it ME?!

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Please, please, pretty please help a fellow struggling macaron baker out. This is nearly maddening. I would be immensely grateful for any advice/recommendations.

Thank you so very much, in advance!

I'm having the same problem. I had no problem when I started making macarons this winter, but now that it's warm out, they are wrinkling. I think it may be the humidity. Did you get yours resolved?

Sheryl