Why Do My Macarons Crack?

Macarons are one of the most visually appealing delicacies on the planet. They do, in fact, have a long and intriguing history. They inspire elegance, luxury, and refinement with their vivid hues and delicate flavor.

The smooth surface of these delectable delicacies is essential for thoroughly savoring them, and it is one of the most challenging problems that a macaron baker encounters.

In this article, we look into why macarons fracture scientifically and what bakers can do to avoid cracking and achieve the ideal macaron.

Causes of Cracking in Macarons

One of the primary reasons of cracking in macarons is the drying process, which must occur before to baking. The macarons must dry after they have been piped and shaped in preparation for baking.

The drying procedure is used to seal the pastry. The air within the macarons expands as the particles speed up owing to the chemical processes.

Drying forms a hard external shell that prevents active, expanded air from penetrating the macaron surface and generating fissures.

One of the most important phases in preparing macarons is drying, which should not be rushed. We’ll look at how to dry macarons later. However, we must first explore alternative reasons of cracking.

Inadequate preparation might sometimes cause macarons to fracture. While it is always vital to fully combine your ingredients, it is a lesser-known reality that over-mixing may result in difficulties with baked products.

Invisible gases are to fault once again; when components are blended, air seeps into the batter. Even properly dried macarons shatter as a result of this extra air.

The baking process is another source of cracking. The macarons may break if your oven is not properly heated, or if there are pockets of holder or colder air in your oven.

Use the Right Ingredients and Equipment

Substitutions for ingredients are generally completely appropriate in both cooking and baking. It is not a good idea, though, for something as delicate and complicated as macarons.

If your recipe asks for a certain sort of flour (most likely almond flour, although there are others), use it. Even using egg white replacements instead of real egg whites might alter the chemical interactions involved in baking, causing splits.

You must also prepare all of the ingredients as directed. If your recipe asks for sifted flour, not sifting it may cause the granules to become too thick, trap air, or create other issues that might lead to cracking.

The shade of food coloring used to generate the brilliant colors typical of macarons is an exception to this rule that is particularly pertinent to preparing macarons.

The same is true for the temperature of the ingredients: be sure you follow the instructions. At room temperature, butter should be softened for approximately one hour.

It takes around thirty minutes for eggs to reach room temperature. Inadequately warmed (or chilled) ingredients may alter the temperature of the batter and disrupt the baking process.

Before you begin making macarons, be certain that your kitchen is well equipped. If your recipe specifies a certain pan, tray, or sheet, be sure you use it.

If you don’t have the essential equipment, seek for another recipe instead of spending money on new supplies.

One cost-effective aspect of creating macarons is mixing the ingredients by hand rather than using a stand mixer, which may cost more than $300.

Finally, if you are new to making anything as intricate as macarons, stick to one macaron recipe at a time. Do not attempt to blend ingredients of multiple recipes until you have gained more macaron-making expertise.

Use the Proper Techniques

Macarons are complex not only because of the uniqueness of their ingredients, but also because it is essential to apply the proper cooking processes while making them.

Folding is most likely the most difficult for bakers. If your recipe instructs you to fold in your ingredients (which it most likely does), make sure you do it correctly.

You may wish to view a video lesson or two to learn how this difficult method is done. Proper folding will assist guarantee that your macarons have the proper air content, which is critical for avoiding cracks.

In general, if there are any stages, terminology, ingredients, or other aspects in your recipe that you do not understand, check them up before you begin cooking. Proper expertise provides positive results.

Get Rid of Excess Air

The most crucial step in keeping macarons from cracking is drying (described below), but there are additional ways and actions to take to limit the likelihood of air bubbles in the raw sweets.

To begin, stop mixing the batter as soon as all of the ingredients are mixed. As previously stated, over-mixing introduces too much air into the batter. It is preferable to combine macaron ingredients by hand rather than using a stand mixer or a hand mixer.

Furthermore, do not leave the batter sitting for an extended amount of time. More air leaks into the mixture as it sits. When you start cooking, make sure you have enough time to finish the process.

After the macarons have been piped, bakers may use a gentle knock on the surface to release the delicacies. Simply raise the tray and place it down firmly but carefully.

Before baking, this jostling might release and burst air pockets, enabling the baker to level down the surface of the macarons. It is advisable to do this before the drying process begins.

How to Dry Unbaked Macarons

When producing macarons, we have established the necessity of drying. The best way to complete this vital stage is to remain patient. The unbaked macarons must simply be let to dry for a sufficient amount of time.

As a general rule, leaving them overnight is usually adequate. Four hours may be sufficient, although this depends on the dryness of the air in your location and your residence.

There are methods for hastening the drying process. The most dependable method is to use a food dehydrator.

Place the unbaked macarons in the dehydrator on the lowest setting for around twenty minutes. Other techniques of drying out the air surrounding the macarons are less dependable and are not suggested.

With practice, expert bakers can tell when macarons are adequately dried and ready to bake using just their eyes and a gentle touch. Amateur and non-professional bakers may also master this talent, albeit patience and practice are required.

Control the Baking Process

To avoid cracks, make sure you have as much control over the baking process as possible. First, ensure that your oven is set to the proper temperature. Many household ovens can overheat or underheat.

A basic oven thermometer, which is available at any home goods supply shop, hardware store, and many grocery stores, is the simplest method to determine whether your oven is heating to the right temperature.

Place it in the middle of your oven and check sure it registers the temperature you’ve set it at. If not, you’ll have to change your thermostat appropriately.

Once your oven is at the proper temperature, you should aim to avoid the pockets of hotter or colder air stated above.

Many contemporary ovens have a fan that can be activated to circulate hot air within the oven and level out the temperature. There is a baking mode on certain ovens that will automatically turn on a fan.

Bake your macarons on one tray at a time. The slower the hot air moves in an oven, the more objects there are in it at once. Baking one tray at a time, with nothing else in the oven, aids with temperature control.

Once the macarons are in the oven, do not open the oven door until they are done. Every time the oven door is opened, colder air enters. This colder air may have two effects on the cooking process. First, the cooler air reaches the pastries and affects their cooking process.

Second, the presence of colder air lowers the total temperature within the oven, causing it to produce more heat. In brief, opening the oven creates temperature changes that harm the baking macarons and may cause breaking.

Enjoy Your Beautiful Macarons

Macarons are a difficult treat to make. Many amateur and professional bakers strive to produce flawless macarons. Enjoy this difficult but wonderful dish if you are able to accomplish it. You have earned the right to boast!