Bounty French Macarons Recipe

The Difference Between French Macarons and Italian Macarons

The main difference between French macarons and Italian macarons lies in the meringue-making method used:

French Macarons

1. Meringue Method: Made with French meringue, which involves whisking egg whites with granulated sugar until stiff peaks form.
2. Texture: Typically lighter and more delicate.
3. Preparation: Simpler and requires fewer steps.
4. Stability: Can be less stable, making them more sensitive to humidity and overmixing.

Italian Macarons

1. Meringue Method: Made with Italian meringue, which involves boiling sugar and water to create a syrup, which is then slowly poured into whipped egg whites while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
2. Texture: Often slightly denser but still delicate.
3. Preparation: More complex, involving additional steps and equipment (like a candy thermometer).
4. Stability: More stable due to the cooked sugar syrup, making them more consistent and less sensitive to humidity and overmixing.

Difference Between Almond Meal and Almond Flour

Almond Meal

1. Texture: Coarser, with a grainy texture.
2. Appearance: Often contains the almond skins, giving it a speckled appearance.
3. Use: Commonly used in recipes where a bit more texture is desired, such as in certain cakes, cookies, and coatings for meats or vegetables.

Almond Flour

1. Texture: Finer, with a smooth texture similar to regular flour.
2. Appearance: Usually made from blanched almonds (without skins), giving it a uniform pale color.
3. Use: Preferred in recipes where a smooth, delicate texture is required, such as macarons, pastries, and certain baked goods.

While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, the choice between almond meal and almond flour can affect the texture and appearance of your Bounty French Macarons.

Ingredients in Bounty French Macarons

Macaron Shells

• Almond Flour/Meal: Provides the base and structure for the macaron shells.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the macarons and helps achieve a smooth texture.
• Egg Whites: Whipped to create a meringue that gives the macarons their signature light and airy texture.
• Superfine Sugar or Caster Sugar: Stabilizes the egg whites and adds sweetness.
• AmeriColor Gel Color - Sky Blue: Adds vibrant color to the macaron shells.

Filling

• Dark Chocolate: Forms the rich and decadent ganache filling.
• Heavy Cream: Combines with the dark chocolate to create a smooth and creamy ganache.
• Bounty Bar: Adds a coconut flavor and texture to the filling.
• Shredded Coconut: Coats the Bounty French Macarons, enhancing the coconut flavor and providing a pleasing texture contrast.

How To Make Bounty French Macarons

Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). This ensures the oven is at the right temperature when you're ready to bake the macarons, which is crucial for achieving the perfect texture.

Prepare the Macaron Shells

First, combine the powdered sugar and almond flour, sifting them together to remove any large pieces. This creates a smooth mixture that helps achieve the desired texture of the macaron shells.

Next, add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and beat on low speed until frothy.

Gradually add the superfine sugar in thirds, mixing for about 30 seconds between each addition until soft peaks form.

Add the sky blue gel color, then increase the speed to medium and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Add the meringue to the sifted dry ingredients all at once. Using a silicone spatula, mix with a scraping and squishing method until the batter becomes glossy and flows off the spatula like thick cake batter.

Pipe the Macarons

Fit a piping bag with a Wilton plain piping tip #12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone macaron baking sheet. Pipe the batter at a 90-degree angle, leaving space between each for spreading. Tap the baking sheet on the counter to release air bubbles and pop any visible bubbles with a toothpick.

Bake the Macarons

Bake the macarons in the preheated oven for 15 minutes without resting. Baking times may vary depending on your oven. Once done, remove from the oven and let the macarons cool completely on a cooling rack.

Prepare the Filling

Combine the dark chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and repeat until smooth.

Refrigerate the ganache, stirring every ten minutes until thick enough to pipe. Fit a piping bag with a Wilton plain piping tip #12 and fill with the ganache.

Assemble the Macarons

Finely dice the Bounty bar and place a piece in the middle of one macaron shell. Fit a piping bag with a Wilton plain piping tip #12 and fill with the ganache. Pipe ganache on top of the diced Bounty bar, then gently press a second macaron shell on top to spread the filling to the edges. Your Bounty French Macarons are almost complete!

Finish with Coconut

Roll the filled macarons in shredded coconut, ensuring the ganache touches the coconut all around the edges. This step adds extra flavor and texture to your Bounty French Macarons.

Store the Bounty French Macarons

Place the filled Bounty French Macarons in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the macaron shells to mature and enhances the flavors.

Fay's Top Tip for Bounty French Macarons

The most important tip for making perfect Bounty French Macarons is to achieve a meringue that has been whisked to stiff peaks. This step is essential for creating the right texture and structure in your macarons. When the egg whites are whisked to stiff peaks, they become stable and can hold their shape, which is vital for forming the iconic macaron shell.

More French Macarons - Video Tutorials

• Foolproof Mocha French Macarons
• Raspberry French Macarons
• Mango French Macarons