Description
These Vegan Macarons are delicate, light, and made entirely without eggs, using aquafaba (chickpea liquid) as a perfect plant-based meringue alternative. They feature a crisp shell with a tender interior, crafted from ground almonds and icing sugar, and provide a stunning showcase of vegan baking techniques perfected for a refined, gluten-free treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- Liquid from 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas (aquafaba)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 100g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 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
- Reduce Aquafaba: Pour the liquid from the chickpea cans into a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it reduces by half, leaving approximately 125g. This concentrated liquid will create the meringue base.
- Chill Aquafaba: Allow the reduced aquafaba to cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container overnight to improve whipping capability.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 150°C (300°F) or 130°C (275°F) if using a fan oven, preparing for baking the macarons.
- Whip Meringue: Measure 100g of the chilled aquafaba and place it in a clean bowl with the cream of tartar. Whip on high speed until frothy and pale, then gradually add the caster sugar while whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form, essential for delicate macaron shells.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift ground almonds and icing sugar into a separate bowl to ensure lump-free folding.
- Fold Dry Into Meringue: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the whipped aquafaba in two additions, carefully mixing to retain the airiness and volume, avoiding deflation.
- Pipe Shells: Pipe 2.5cm (1-inch) rounds onto parchment-lined baking trays, spacing them evenly; let them rest for 20-30 minutes until the surface becomes matte to form the characteristic macaron skin.
- Bake Shells: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through for even cooking, until the shells are firm to the touch.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, cream the vegan margarine with 250g icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, adding a splash of plant-based milk to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Assemble Macarons: Once cooled, sandwich the baked shells with the prepared filling to complete the vegan macarons, ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure the mixing bowl and whisk are completely clean and grease-free to achieve stiff peaks when whipping aquafaba.
- Resting the piped shells before baking is critical to form the smooth, non-sticky tops characteristic of macarons.
- Use a gentle folding technique to maintain air in the meringue mixture, which ensures light, airy shells.
- Adjust the consistency of the filling with plant-based milk carefully to avoid it becoming too runny.
- Store macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes (including chilling time overnight in refrigerator)
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, French-inspired
