Hey friends! I bring you a MOOD BOOSTER 🙂 The other day, my buddy was feeling a bit down, and you know what’s my go-to way to attempt to cheer others up? Baking. So I decided to make him some cloud macarons with silver linings to try to pass along a cheesy message in edible form.
Now, let’s chat about macarons for a sec. They are well-known in the baking world for being a bit temperamental, but man are they ever rewarding when you get them right! I also used to think they were super over-rated, having tried them from a handful of bakeries. But then I made my own, and you know what they say… nothing beats homemade food! I continued to practice and now I would dare to say I make them fairly confidently. So while I am not an expert per se, I feel like I’ve gotten the hang of making these little guys. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!
Whether you make them for a friend, or for yourself (equally valid!) I just hope this recipe can help to turn a gloomy day into a sunshine-filled one. Who says comfort food can’t also be a little bit fancy??
To whip up a batch of these adorable macs, you’ll actually only really need 4 ingredients. Plus the filling. First up, almond flour provides the nutty base for the macaron shells, adding a nice chewy texture to each bite. Then there’s icing sugar, which gives the shells that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth quality. Granulated sugar and egg whites combine to create the light and airy meringue that gives macarons their signature texture.
For the filling, you can really do whatever you want. I went with an Oreo buttercream because my friend loves Oreo, and the colour scheme fit nicely with the grey cloud vibe! My buttercream recipe and guide can be found here: Classic American Buttercream Frosting. If Oreos aren’t your thing (which, okay, that’s hard to believe, but I’ll go with it), consider diving into the decadence of a chocolate ganache. Or, if you’re feeling like something bright might be nice, a tangy fruit curd could be a good option. If you’re feeling lazy, just go with a dab of Nutella. Delicious.
How do we make ’em? First, we whip up a shiny meringue by gradually adding the white sugar to the egg whites. Separately, we sift almond flour and icing sugar for a smooth mix. Now, the delicate part – macaronage. We gently fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until we have a lava-like consistency. This term used to bug me, cause like… who has ever felt lava?? None of us! If this term confuses you too, watch one of my videos for this recipe (down below) to get a visual. Once that’s sorted, we add the batter to a piping bag, pipe onto a tray, and let them rest for a skin to form. Then we bake them, which is really more like drying them out. Low temp, until they’re just set.
Creating the cloud shape is simpler than you might think, especially for those new to shaped macarons. I piped them by forming five dots that just barely connect. It’s very beginner-friendly since you’re essentially working with circles – the foundation of macaron shapes. No template needed!
Once those cloud-shaped macarons emerge from the oven, resist the temptation to dive right in! Allow them to cool completely before filling them. For this design, I’d recommend a round piping tip that follows the shape of the cloud pattern that you piped with the macaron batter. Then you can gently sandwich the macaron shells together, creating heavenly little treats.
You can 100% just call it here, if you just want to make whimsical little cloud macarons. Very cute, perfect for St Patrick’s Day! Or spring! Or baby showers! But if you wanna do the silver lining, here’s how: grab two paintbrushes and some edible silver glitter. Dip one paintbrush in water, and trace the perimeter of the cookie. The key here is moderation – just enough water to make it tacky and act as a glue without dissolving the delicate shells. Dip the second brush in silver edible glitter and gently dab it onto the wet perimeter. Then let them dry!
Then, potentially the toughest part… you have to let the macarons rest for at least 8 hours in the fridge. This resting period is essential for the flavours and textures to meld and mature. You MUST rest them!! I don’t wanna see anyyyy reviews under this recipe saying the macarons were hollow or dry or crumbly because yall didn’t let them rest. So, exercise a bit of self-control, let them work their magic, and in 8 hours, you’ll be indulging in cloud-shaped macarons that are not just cute but have also reached the pinnacle of flavour and texture perfection.
Here’s a short video, showing the process:
And here’s a longer video, with much more detail and some tips for the macaronage process:
Happy baking!
Cloud Macarons
Ingredients
Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites
- 52 grams white sugar
- 90 grams almond flour
- 160 grams icing sugar
Oreo Buttercream
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Oreo crumbs or 4 whole Oreo cookies
Instructions
Macarons
- Sift together the almond flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites until foamy.
- Gradually add the white sugar to the egg whites while continuing to whisk, until you achieve stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture, using a spatula. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Pipe the batter onto the prepared baking sheet in small circles, clustered together in groups of 5, to look like a cloud. Space them evenly apart.
- Tap the baking sheet gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, until a skin forms on the surface.
- Preheat the oven to 285°F (140°C).
- Bake the macarons for 20-22 minutes, until they are fully set.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper or silicone mat.
Oreo Buttercream
- Whip all ingredients together until smooth. See “American Buttercream Recipe” or “Buttercream Guide” for more details!
Assembly
- To assemble the macarons, pair up the shells of similar size and shape.
- Pipe 5 dollops of buttercream on one half of each pair of shells, following the shape of the cloud.
- Gently sandwich the two halves together to create a finished macaron.
- Using a paintbrush, brush a small amount of water along the perimeter of the cloud shape, to act as glue. Using a fresh paintbrush, dab on some edible silver glitter.
- Let the macarons rest in the fridge overnight. This step is critical!
- After a minimum of 8 hours resting in the fridge, take the macarons out and allow them to come to room temperate. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Macarons can be refrigerated for 5-7 days.
Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for 1-2 months.
Thaw frozen shells in the refrigerator before filling.
Bring macarons to room temperature before serving.
FAQs:
Q: Can I add food colouring to the macaron shells? A: Absolutely! Feel free to add a few drops of your favourite food colouring to the meringue before folding in the dry ingredients. This way, you can customize the cloud shapes to match any colour scheme you desire. Just don’t overdo it, as adding too much liquid can compromise the shells.
Q: Can I make these macarons gluten-free? A: Uh, yeah!! The almond flour used in the macaron shells is naturally gluten-free, making these cloud-shaped delights an easy gluten-free treat that needs zero adaptations.
Q: My macarons turned out hollow. How do I prevent this? A: Hollow macarons can be a bit tricky, as this can be caused by a variety of factors. Ensure your meringue is stiff but not over-whipped, and make sure your macaronage was just right (HINT: watch my YouTube video to see what a properly whipped meringue and a properly folded batter looks like). Additionally, make sure to tap the filled trays on the counter to release any air bubbles before baking.
Q: Can I use a different type of nut flour instead of almond flour? A: Absolutely! I personally have not tried this, but you can experiment with other nut flours like hazelnut or pistachio to add unique flavours to your cloud-shaped macarons.
Q: What’s the secret to achieving perfect feet on the macarons? A: The key to those sought-after feet lies in letting the piped macarons rest before baking. This helps them develop a skin, creating a barrier that forces the air to escape through the bottom, giving you those perfect little feet. You must let the skin develop – even if it takes longer than the advised time!
Q: Can I pipe the macarons into different shapes, or is the cloud shape essential? A: Get creative! While this post is focused on cloud shapes, you can absolutely pipe the macarons into various shapes (or even just plain circles). The key is to maintain a consistent size for even baking.
Q: Why are my macarons cracking during baking? A: Cracking can happen due to rapid temperature changes, over-mixing the batter, or not letting the skin form. Ensure your oven is preheated, avoid over-mixing to maintain that delicate shell, don’t open the oven door while baking, and make sure the skin is fully formed before baking.
More questions? Check out my Macaron FAQs page: COMING SOON I PROMISE! 😇
