Can You Make Macarons With Meringue Powder

Macarons With Meringue Powder

Macarons are very sweet and in order to make the perfect macaron practice is required. All French macarons are made using meringue that is made from egg whites and powdered sugar. However, because times are changing there is a trending powder known as meringue powder which is often used to substitute raw egg whites. Due to the popular trend of the meringue powder most people have been asking if it is possible to use it as a substitute for egg whites in macarons or if it distorts the whole macaron taste and flavour. The thrust of this article is to answer the question of whether meringue powder can be used to make macarons. It will however start by giving brief background of what meringue powder is so that you can have a better understanding of what it is.

Contents

What is meringue powder?

Meringue powder is a powder that is made mainly from dried egg whites. Meringue powder is commonly used as a substitute when baking things that need raw egg whites. In most scenarios it substitutes raw egg whites in recipes that require the egg whites to be beaten to stiff peaks. Furthermore, the other function of meringue powder is it helps to stabilise frostings. So it is commonly used when making royal icing, meringue and frosting.

Can macarons be made using meringue powder?

The answer to this question is yes macarons can be made using meringue powder, however there are a few things to take note off when using meringue powder to make macarons. All macarons are made using meringue one way or the other but it is important to know that you cannot completely substitute the raw eggs whites used to make the macarons with the powdered meringue. This is because when making macarons the meringue powder helps to stabilise the egg whites so that they can thicken properly. Therefore when making macarons the meringue powder and egg whites work together to help form the perfect macaron.

How to make macarons using meringue powder

NB: macarons made using this recipe can last up to 3 days in an air tight container so make sure you eat them within this time frame.

You need the following ingredients to make macarons; 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of meringue powder, 2/3 cup of almond flour, 1 cup of powdered sugar, ¼ cup of granulated sugar and jam or other filling you prefer.

Step 1

The first step is to extract the egg whites from the eggs and place them in a bowl. Allow them to reach room temperature especially if you were storing your eggs in the refrigerator.

Step 2

When the eggs have reached room temperature add the powdered sugar and lightly beat them up using a hand mixer. As the two ingredients combine together and start to foam add 2 tablespoons of meringue powder to them. The trick of using meringue powder is that for every egg white you put you should add 1 tablespoon of meringue powder. Continue mixing until the peaks are soft and you notice a smooth texture. This can take you about 1 to 2 minutes depending on the speed of the hand mixer. Make sure you do not over mix these ingredients.

Step 3

When the meringue is done sift the remaining dry ingredients that is almond flour and granulated sugar into a mixing bowl. If you would love to add a little bit of colour you can add a little amount of powdered colouring to the dry ingredients that you have sift together.

Step 4

The next step is to add the egg white mixture into the dry ingredients, mix and fold the ingredients together until you are able to swirl the mixture in the bowl to form a figure 8. When you are able to do that you need to immediately stop mixing the mixture it is always important to avoid over mixing the ingredients

Step 5

When the mixture is done transfer it into a piping bag and pipe the mixture onto your baking sheet. It is important to ensure that you have a silicon liner on your baking sheet. However if you do not have you can try using parchment paper. When you are done add a few sprinkles on top of the macarons.

Step 6

When you have finished piping out the macarons and adding sprinkles let the macarons sit on the counter for about 30 minutes this will help to dry out the top part of the macarons. When the 30 minutes time mark has passed placed the macarons in the oven at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes

Step 7

When they are done let them cool down for a few minutes then you can add any filling of your choice. You can even use jam if you like it. This recipe produces macarons that are crunchy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside. So if you have a sweet tooth this recipe is definitely a must try for you.

Conclusion

Meringue powder can indeed be used when making macarons. This article has highlighted that meringue powder is made using dried egg whites and it is often used as a substitute for raw egg whites especially when baking. Meringue powder is often used when making meringue, royal icing and even frosting. Although meringue powder can be used to make macarons it does not necessarily mean that egg whites are completely eliminated from the dish. The meringue powder in the case of macarons is used to stabilise the egg whites and give the macaron a nice texture. The article has also advised that when using meringue powder in macarons it is important to ensure that for every egg white you use in the recipe you also add 1 tablespoon of meringue powder. This article has also provided you with a method you can use using when making macarons using meringue powder. So if you have a sweet tooth you can give it a try.

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