If you have a sweet tooth then macarons are the perfect snack for you to try. They are very popular in different parts of the world and making macarons requires a skill since they are kind of complicated to make. The sweetness of the macarons can be a bit over whelming for some thus, most people are always in search of the perfect substitute of powdered sugar in macarons. If you are not very familiar with macarons this article gives a brief explanation of what they are and the main components that make up a macaron. The article further highlights some of the possible substitutes you can use to replace powdered sugar and it also emphasises the reasons behind using those substitutes.
Contents
What are macarons?
Originally macarons are from France but there is also the Italian recipe for macarons. Basically a macaron is a sweet meringue based confection. When a macaron is prepared the end result will look like a cookie that is crispy on the outside but slightly moist and chewy on the inside. The main ingredients used to make a macaron are egg whites, powdered sugar, almond flour and granulated sugar. If you intend on adding colour to your macarons that is when you can add other colouring additives. Macarons are naturally meant to be sweet, thus it can sometimes be very impossible to find a substitute for powdered sugar. In some recipes the powdered sugar is referred to as icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar so if you want to make a macaron and you can’t find sugar that is labelled as powdered sugar you can simply search for the other terms I have highlighted. This is because companies choose to use different names just for branding purposes.
Purpose of powdered sugar in macarons
Since the main purpose of this article is to suggest a possible substitute for powdered sugar in macarons it is first important to know the purpose it serves in macarons so that we can substitute it with an ingredient that has the same functions or properties.
Firstly powdered sugar helps to add the sweet flavour to the macaron since it is supposed to be sweet. Secondly studies show that powdered sugar helps to give the macaroon a smooth texture and it also helps with structural stability of the macaron. Powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar is also used because it is very fine so it combines very well with the almond flour. Since we now have a better understanding of the purpose of powdered sugar in macarons the following section highlights some of the possible substitutes you can use.
Substitutes of powdered sugar in macarons
It is important to know that a macaron is made up of 4 main ingredients that have already been highlighted in this article and each ingredient serves its own purpose. Powdered sugar helps to add a sweet flavour to the macarons and by using substitutes the sweetness of the macarons will be compromised. Therefore the substitutes highlighted below are for people who have the aim of reducing the sugar content in macarons and replacing it with something else.
Substitute powdered sugar using rice flour in macarons
Since powdered sugar helps with the structural stability of the macaron it is important to replace it with an ingredient that will give the macaron structural stability. Rice flour is gluten-free just like powdered sugar and when mixed together with the almond flour and powdered sugar it will produce a melt in your mouth texture which is almost similar to what you would get when you use the original macaron recipe. It is important to know that when using rice flour as a substitute you will basically be substituting part of the powdered sugar with rice flour. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are getting rid of the powdered sugar this is because rice flour is not sweet so you still want to maintain a little bit of sweetness in your macaron. This method can be used by people who do not like macarons that are too sweet.
Substitute powdered sugar with corn flour in macarons
Macarons are gluten-free because they are made using ingredient that are gluten free like almond flour. Therefore corn flour which is gluten-free can also work as a possible substitute of powdered sugar in macarons. When substituting powdered sugar it is important to look for an ingredient that has a fine texture such that it mixes well with the almond flour. Furthermore the substitute should be able to give the macaron a stable texture. Corn flour has all those properties and can be used as a substitute. It is worth noting again that when using corn flour you need to use it as a substitute for part of the powdered sugar this is because you cannot completely eliminate it because it adds a sweet flavour to the macarons. So basically corn flour is just used to substitute a part of the powdered sugar in macarons. However, the downside of using corn flour as a substitute is that it tends to be chewier and also it makes the macaron shells dry a bit faster as compared to using rice flour.
Conclusion
Macarons are very popular and you can actually make them using the ingredients highlighted above. It is worth noting that macarons are gluten-free so if you have allergies and a sweet tooth then these are definitely perfect for you. The article has explained why powdered sugar is an important component of the macaron and why it is very hard to substitute it in a macaron recipe. Furthermore, the article has noted that powdered sugar cannot be completely substituted but there is need to reduce the ratios and add something else to replace part of the powdered sugar. The substitutes highlighted are specifically made for people who do not enjoy a sweet macaron due to personal reasons. The substitutes that can be used include rice flour and corn flour. It is important to know that all the substitutes are gluten free.
