Mastering Macarons: Avoiding Sticking Nightmares

Macarons are notoriously difficult to bake, and even the most experienced baker can find themselves with a batch that is stuck to the pan. This can be caused by a few factors, including underbaking, a wet batter, or improper macaronage techniques. To prevent this, ensure your macarons are fully baked and that there is as little moisture in the batter as possible. You can also try using aged egg whites and avoiding liquid colouring. If your macarons are sticking, try increasing the temperature or bake time, and be sure to let them cool fully before trying to remove them.

Macarons are underbaked

Macarons are delicate and temperamental, and sometimes they don't turn out as expected. If your macarons are sticking to the pan, it could be because they are underbaked. Here are some tips to address this issue:

Increase the Baking Temperature

If your macarons are underbaked, try increasing the oven temperature by a small amount (around 5°F). This will help ensure that the macarons bake through without burning. You can also try moving your oven rack to a higher position to increase the distance from the heat source.

Extend the Baking Time

Another solution is to simply bake your macarons for a longer period. This will give the macarons more time to cook through without increasing the risk of burning. However, be careful not to overcook them, as this can lead to hardening.

Ensure Proper Mixing

Underbaked macarons can also be a result of improper mixing. Make sure that your batter is not too wet and that your meringue is not over or under-mixed. The batter should be smooth but not runny. If your batter is too runny, it means your egg whites have been deflated due to overworking. In this case, it's best to start the batter again from scratch.

Allow Macarons to Mature

Even if your macarons appear underbaked, they may just need time to mature. Filled macarons should be allowed to sit in the fridge overnight, as this helps to fill any small air gaps and gives the cookies their signature chewy texture.

Other Tips

• Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients precisely.
• Use gel food colouring instead of liquid colouring, as the latter can affect the consistency of the batter.
• Ensure your batter has formed a "'skin'" before placing it in the oven. The surface should have a dull matte finish.
• Use high-quality rimless baking pans and parchment paper or Teflon baking sheets, as these conduct heat better than silicone mats.

Macarons are too moist

Macarons that are too moist will stick to the pan. This is usually caused by under-baking, a "wet" batter, or the use of improper macaronage techniques.

To prevent macarons from sticking to the pan, ensure there is as little moisture in the batter as possible. Here are some tips to achieve this:

• Use "aged" egg whites.
• Avoid the use of liquid colouring.
• Use gel colouring instead.
• Ensure meringue reaches stiff peaks before folding.
• Turn on a range-hood fan while letting macarons dry.
• Turn on a dehumidifier.
• Avoid making macarons on humid or rainy days.
• Allow macarons to dry for a longer amount of time.
• Don't run any water in your kitchen while baking macarons.
• Use a dehumidifier.
• Run a fan or the air conditioning before baking macarons.
• Age your egg whites 2-5 days before making the meringue for macarons.
• Add egg white powder to reinforce the egg protein.
• Dry the macarons by baking them at a low temperature.

Macarons haven't cooled before being removed

If your macarons are sticking to the pan, it is likely that they haven't been left to cool before being removed. This is a very common problem, even for experienced bakers.

The best way to know if your macarons are ready to be removed from the pan is if they slide off easily. If they don't, they need more time in the oven.

Before putting your macarons back into the oven, ensure that the oven is running correctly and that it is set to the right temperature.

Other common mistakes include macarons that keep cracking, which is likely due to undermixing during the batter-making process. Your batter should be smooth but not runny. If your batter is too runny, it means your egg whites were deflated from being overworked.

Another common issue is macarons that don't have feet, which is likely due to not letting your batter sit out for long enough before baking, or there being too much humidity in your home.

Macarons are overbaked

Macarons are notoriously difficult to bake, and there are many reasons why they may stick to the pan. One of the most common reasons is that they are underbaked. If your macarons are sticking to the pan, it is likely that they need to be baked for longer.

To prevent your macarons from sticking, ensure that there is as little moisture in the batter as possible. You can do this by turning on a range-hood fan while the macarons are drying, using aged egg whites, and avoiding the use of liquid colouring. You should also ensure that your meringue reaches stiff peaks before folding.

It is also important to allow your macarons to dry before placing them in the oven. Wait at least 30 minutes, or until a "skin" has developed with a dull matte finish.

If you have followed all of these steps and your macarons are still sticking, it may be that your oven temperature is too low. Try increasing the temperature by 25-50 degrees.

Macarons are not mixed properly

Macarons sticking to the pan is a common problem that can happen to even the most experienced baker. If your macarons are sticking to the pan, the problem is simply that they are not fully baked. When cooking macarons, you want to make sure that there isn't too much moisture in them as this is what causes them to stick to your pan. The best way to know whether or not your macarons are done is if they slide right off of your pan. If they don't, they need more time in the oven.

Before putting your macarons back into the oven, make sure that it is running correctly and that you have the oven set at the temperature the recipe calls for.

If your macarons are sticking to the pan, it could be because they were not mixed properly. If the batter is not mixed properly, the macarons may not develop a skin before being put into the oven. This can cause the macarons to stick to the pan. To fix this, make sure that you are folding the batter properly and that the wet and dry ingredients are homogeneous before piping. The batter should flow like slow-moving molten lava. You can do the "Figure 8" test to check the consistency.

Frequently asked questions