Description
Delicious and delicate Vegan Macarons made using aquafaba from chickpeas as an egg substitute, combined with ground almonds and sugar. These light and airy macarons are vegan-friendly and perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a classic French treat without eggs or dairy.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue
- Liquid from 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas (aquafaba)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 100g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
Macaron Shells
- 100g ground almonds
- 100g icing sugar
Filling
- 250g icing sugar
- 75g vegan margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A splash of plant-based milk (to adjust consistency if needed)
Instructions
- Extract and reduce aquafaba: Pour the liquid from the two chickpea cans into a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces by half, leaving approximately 125g remaining. This concentrated aquafaba will mimic egg whites.
- Cool and refrigerate: Allow the reduced aquafaba to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to stabilize it for whipping.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F), or 130°C (275°F) if using a fan oven, to ensure the shells bake evenly.
- Whip aquafaba meringue: Measure 100g of the chilled aquafaba and place it in a clean bowl with the cream of tartar. Whip on high speed until it becomes frothy and pale.
- Add caster sugar: Gradually add the caster sugar while continuing to whip the mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form, creating a sturdy meringue base.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Sift the ground almonds and icing sugar into a separate bowl. Gently fold this mixture into the aquafaba meringue in two additions, taking care not to deflate the airy meringue.
- Pipe macaron shells: Transfer the batter into a piping bag and pipe 2.5cm (1-inch) rounds onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Let the piped shells rest for 20-30 minutes until their surface becomes matte and forms a thin skin.
- Bake shells: Bake the macarons for 18 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. The shells should feel firm to the touch when done.
- Prepare filling (implied): Mix the vegan margarine, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of plant-based milk as needed to create a smooth, spreadable filling to sandwich between the cooled shells.
- Assemble macarons (implied): Once shells are completely cooled, sandwich the filling between two shells, gently pressing to spread the filling evenly.
Notes
- Resting the piped shells before baking is crucial to developing the characteristic macaron skin and preventing cracking.
- Use a clean, grease-free bowl when whipping aquafaba to achieve maximum volume.
- The vegan filling can be adjusted in consistency with the plant-based milk to suit your preference.
- Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator and allow them to mature for 24 hours for the best texture.
- The aquafaba quantity and reduction can be adjusted slightly depending on can size to achieve the right consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
