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Macarons, not to be confused with macaroons, are the moist, melt-in-your-mouth decadent sweet found adorning window displays in Parisian patissiers.
The meringue-based bite is usually the domain of egg whites, sugar and almond meal, but what if you want to make vegan meringues?
With a little aquafaba magic, anything is possible, even the heady heights of meringue mania.
Yes, that's right, the brine found in a can of chickpeas, which is usually thrown away, can actually be whipped into these elegant finger food treats.
What's more, vegan macarons can also be made with a wide variety of flavours, from traditional chocolate and raspberry to more exotic and refined flavours like matcha. They are usually sandwiched together with ganache, buttercream or jam, giving each baker the freedom to create their own signature flavours.
Vegan meringues started gaining popularity a few years ago, trending on Pinterest, with boutique French patissier now Laudree even offering a box of vegan macarons in chocolate, caramel and coconut flavours.
If you've never made vegan macarons, learn how easy it is in this video selection of recipes below, from classic vegan to chocolate and vanilla.
How to Make Vegan Macarons using Aquafaba
Equipment to make vegan macarons
Before you get started make sure you're armed with all the equipment you'll need for measuring, mixing and baking.
- Stand mixer
- kitchen scale
- Large metal or glass mixing bowl
- Fine mesh sieve
- Spatula
- Small, very clean saucepan
- A food thermometer that goes up to at least 400°F
- Piping bag- 10mm and 2mm tip
- Baking sheets or baking trays
- Silicone mats or parchment paper to line your baking pans with
- Cooling rack
Basic Ingredients for Making Vegan Macarons
The list below highlights the basic ingredients you'll need, leaving plenty of room for flavouring of your choice.
- Almond flour:
- Icing sugar
- Sugar
- Aquafaba
- Cream of Tartar
- Vinegar
- Water
- Food colouring
Vegan Aquafaba Recipe: how to make macarons
The Chocolate Academy shows how to make the perfect vegan macaron with aquafaba and vegan ganache in the clip below.
The pastry chef reminds those home cooks who've never whisked aquafaba before that it takes much longer to whisk aquafaba to peaks than egg whites, which is where a tabletop mixer comes into its own, and the resulting texture is much softer.
Budding pastry chefs will also need plenty of patience for this bake - the piped shells will need to rest at room temperature to let a skin develop before putting them into a cool oven for around 20 mins.
The ganache will also need to sit for at least 12 hours before assembly. Once assembled you'll need to refrigerate them for 24 hours and eat after 48 hours to let them soften inside.
Top tip - Prepare to be surprised by the texture and flavour of your vegan macarons - it will be different from traditional macarons.
Vegan Strawberry Macarons
Add blended fresh strawberries to give your vegan macarons a pink hue and capture those summer berry flavours.
Modernist Macaron with potato protein
If you want a change from aquafaba try potato protein isolate in this recipe from modernist vegan.
How to make Vegan Vanilla Macarons with Sprinkles
Say party time has arrived with vegan vanilla macarons with lashings of sprinkles on top.
Chocolate Vegan Macarons
Chocolate lovers won't be able to resist these decadent all chocolate vegan macarons, double loaded on the outside and the inside.
Vegan Macarons Swiss Method
Try these fancy Swiss macarons for an afternoon tea with style.
