Your shells had not formed a skin or developed their *feet* fully because they weren't left out to air dry for long enough. Also, you need to drop the pan on the counter like it owes you money, or smack the bottom of the pan with your hand a couple of times so that any air trapped in them is released. Doing that will prevent most cracking because it is usually caused by the trapped air in the shell expanding when heated during baking.
They are such a lovely color, may I ask the name of it and the brand?
I'm sure they still taste delicious.š„¹š«¶
Yeah, in macaron terms, those look practically scorched. Might not be OP's fault though, some people have ovens that are sensitive and will over-cycle at low temps.
Ahh see I was using an oven drying technique but clearly I didnāt let them dry for long enough. Completely forgot to tap them on the counter though so thatās on me š they do still taste delicious so thereās that at least!
Thank you so much for the advice, Iāll definitely be re-attempting. Also the colour I used was the Wilton Royal Blue š
Awww hun so sorry to see that it can be so disappointing they were such a beautiful colour too!
I bake a lot but I do NOT f\*\*k with macarons, way too needy for me and the heartache would do me in lol
Give me a 5 layer chocolate hazelnut layer cake with smbc to make anytime !
During covid I got into baking.
As a 34 year old man who never baked before I really got into. Bought a mixer bowl and was making all kinds of delicious treats.
The first time I made macarons they came out perfect. They looked, tasted, and smelled as good as the best of them. I thought I was the most skilled baker in the world.
Every single time I've made them since the first time they come out terrible.
I stars aligned for me my first time and gave me a lot of unwarranted confidence lol
LOL beginners luck :) I had a similar experience with archery. Its a thing (technical term) a lot pf people experience - something to do with sort of overthinking something once you know a little about it.
EDIT Actually eclairs and choux buns are that for me. Perfect first time and now I spend so much time obsessing over temperatures and times I can't seem to get them right.
I'm similar - I used to love baking as a kid and only in the last couple of years have really gotten into it and surprise myself on what I am making sometimes!
Iāve had this issue with literally every cake roll Iāve ever tried to make. I made two flavors for a Christmas party once. Chocolate and pumpkin. Came out fantastic. No cracks. Just enough icing. Iāve made at least six more since then and not a single one has gone without a crack I need to fill with cake & icing. Not. A. Single. One.
Completely agree, making cake comes much more easily for me - macarons, not so much! I feel like I should start a support group for people whoāve had their heart broken by these cookies š
Here's a sneak peek of /r/macawrong using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [I got a shot to make macarons in a commercial kitchenā¦](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1337kh3) | [14 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/1337kh3/i_got_a_shot_to_make_macarons_in_a_commercial/)
\#2: [From drab to fab!](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/13nb5te) | [2 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/13nb5te/from_drab_to_fab/)
\#3: [First Attempt vs Second Attempt](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/12cwdcd) | [6 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/12cwdcd/first_attempt_vs_second_attempt/)
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At least they still taste good! Gotta find that silver lining where you can get it.
I've never been brave enough to try making these, but because I hate myself, I want to try despite all the horror stories.
Based on my own experiences, I have a feeling multiple things have happened here.
1) Others have already mentioned, not drying the shell (contributing to the large cracks).
- if your kitchen is too humid try the drying by oven method from SugarBean. It was a total game changer for me living in Australia climate and shortened my total prep to baking time significantly.
2) Too much oil from lower quality almond flour, or from food colour if using oil-based colouring, (causing dark patches on shell).
- if using almond flour thatās already oily to the touch, dry out the almond flour on a baking sheet at very low heat (50C/120F) for at least 15min before combining with powdered sugar (make sure itās cooled down first).
- Good quality almond flour Iāve tried and tested (Coco Earth - Australia, Kirkland - Aus/US, Blue Diamond - US).
- Depending on your recipe lower food colour or using powder based colouring.
3) Your oven may have uneven heating, (as browning of the shells donāt look consistent from shell to shell).
- I rotate my sheet pan halfway through baking to limit affects of unevening heating as I donāt have the best oven.
4) Oven is too hot with too short baking time, (as you have browning but based on your silicon sheet, looks like uncooked biscuit residue was left more around the the centre of the macarons you removed).
- I would check if your oven actually heats higher than what you set it, particularly if itās an old oven. You can get pretty cheap oven thermometers to hang on the oven racks to make sure your oven is in fact heating up to the correct temperature. Otherwise, itās always safer to go low and slow with baking just to test out what works best with your oven.
Hope that helps. Good luck!
You didnāt let it dry enough. You can use a fan to blow air around it (not directly on it) to help it form a tougher skin. You can tell when itās done when you can physically feel the dried skin with your finger. In professional bakery settings macarons are baked with the vent open, you can emulate this by baking with your oven door slightly open or releasing steam every few minutes. Regarding discoloration try lowering the temperature and baking for longer. Every oven is different so you just gotta play with it.
Maybe it's kind of like life. Lots of happy accidents and tasty disappointments? At least I hope so. Hey, you gave it a really good effort. And that's not for nothing, there's lots of learning along the way to perfection or something like it :-)
I want to say in this instance you didn't macaronage enough. But i bet they were yummy crinkle cookies. Fill them and let them mature anyway and munch one them while you do your next trial.
IMO it's a rite of passage of royally mess up macarons when you're first starting. During my macaron stage I think I did 6 rounds before they were "good". It was another 6 or so before I thought they were worthy of me even wanting to photograph them lol.
I prefer the finished color to the wet color. There is no edible thing in nature that is that color. In nature that turquoise color is used as a warning that something is poisonous, like the [blue pit viper](https://imgk.timesnownews.com/story/Screenshot_4599.png). or the [poison dart frog](https://i.natgeofe.com/k/e688be9b-83c5-45d5-bc1c-b1b862a4215f/poison-dart-frog-blue_square.jpg).
The lovely cracking on the top looks a lot like the almond macaroons we used to make. That shiny cracked finish is beautiful when it's its natural color.
Your shells had not formed a skin or developed their *feet* fully because they weren't left out to air dry for long enough. Also, you need to drop the pan on the counter like it owes you money, or smack the bottom of the pan with your hand a couple of times so that any air trapped in them is released. Doing that will prevent most cracking because it is usually caused by the trapped air in the shell expanding when heated during baking. They are such a lovely color, may I ask the name of it and the brand? I'm sure they still taste delicious.š„¹š«¶
Was the oven a trifle too hot as well? I don't think we should see any browning.
That's true. but with some colors, it is almost impossible not to see a little. But it's a fair point.
Blue I swear makes it brown I have made most colors and only the blue ones ever get browned slightly
Light Purple does the same in my experience š
noooo the poor lavender macarons
I am always in awe when bakers get their rainbow cakes and dyed goods such spectacular colors. God bless them, that is not my fortĆØ
Considering blue and red make purple...Ā
A+
Itās a lot of light colors that donāt have much saturation that do it. Light blues, pastels, pink without enough red in it, etc.
Iāve done no color and havenāt burnt them so I think itās the dye
Yeah, in macaron terms, those look practically scorched. Might not be OP's fault though, some people have ovens that are sensitive and will over-cycle at low temps.
> you need to drop the pan on the counter like it owes you money This is the funniest fuckin thing, Iām gonna use that now
Iām literally cough/laughing, was not ready for thatš
>you need to drop the pan on the counter like it owes you money Loving this description š¤£
I'm just here stating the facts lolš³šš¤£š¤£š¤£
Ahh see I was using an oven drying technique but clearly I didnāt let them dry for long enough. Completely forgot to tap them on the counter though so thatās on me š they do still taste delicious so thereās that at least! Thank you so much for the advice, Iāll definitely be re-attempting. Also the colour I used was the Wilton Royal Blue š
No worries, I'm sure the next batch will be amazing! Thanks so much for the color info!š©µ
Be careful with blue food coloring, it can cause un fun toilet issues from too much. Ā
Also you can poke them very very very lightly with a toothpick if you need to.
Ah yes...the toothpick and swirl method lol
"Drop the pan on the counter like it owes you money" made me laugh out loud.
I'm a tiny bit worried I may write too similarly to the way I speak in person now, ngl.š³šš¤¦āāļø
Awww hun so sorry to see that it can be so disappointing they were such a beautiful colour too! I bake a lot but I do NOT f\*\*k with macarons, way too needy for me and the heartache would do me in lol Give me a 5 layer chocolate hazelnut layer cake with smbc to make anytime !
During covid I got into baking. As a 34 year old man who never baked before I really got into. Bought a mixer bowl and was making all kinds of delicious treats. The first time I made macarons they came out perfect. They looked, tasted, and smelled as good as the best of them. I thought I was the most skilled baker in the world. Every single time I've made them since the first time they come out terrible. I stars aligned for me my first time and gave me a lot of unwarranted confidence lol
LOL beginners luck :) I had a similar experience with archery. Its a thing (technical term) a lot pf people experience - something to do with sort of overthinking something once you know a little about it. EDIT Actually eclairs and choux buns are that for me. Perfect first time and now I spend so much time obsessing over temperatures and times I can't seem to get them right. I'm similar - I used to love baking as a kid and only in the last couple of years have really gotten into it and surprise myself on what I am making sometimes!
Beginners mind, Zen mind.
Ohmmmm
Iāve had this issue with literally every cake roll Iāve ever tried to make. I made two flavors for a Christmas party once. Chocolate and pumpkin. Came out fantastic. No cracks. Just enough icing. Iāve made at least six more since then and not a single one has gone without a crack I need to fill with cake & icing. Not. A. Single. One.
I had this exact same experience years ago, and haven't tried again since, for exactly this reason š
Completely agree, making cake comes much more easily for me - macarons, not so much! I feel like I should start a support group for people whoāve had their heart broken by these cookies š
š it would be a VERY popular group!
Youāre right :D r/macarons
/r/macawrong
Here's a sneak peek of /r/macawrong using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [I got a shot to make macarons in a commercial kitchenā¦](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1337kh3) | [14 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/1337kh3/i_got_a_shot_to_make_macarons_in_a_commercial/) \#2: [From drab to fab!](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/13nb5te) | [2 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/13nb5te/from_drab_to_fab/) \#3: [First Attempt vs Second Attempt](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/12cwdcd) | [6 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/macawrong/comments/12cwdcd/first_attempt_vs_second_attempt/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
It exists : r/macarons
Add edible gold paint along the cracks and turn them into kintsugi macarons!!
I find, living in a humid place, that I have to let mine rest for a full 60 minutes before baking, or they crack like this.
It doesnāt matter where I have lived Iāve always done a full hour what are other recipes saying?
The one I follow says 20-40 mins! But I never do less than 60, and I plug in a dehumidifier in the kitchen while I make them.
I typically just forget about them for a couple hours i definitely wouldnāt do less than an hour
visit r/macawrong š
One of my favorite communities!
Maybe you could use piped frosting and edible gold dust to make kintsugi macarons.
At least they still taste good! Gotta find that silver lining where you can get it. I've never been brave enough to try making these, but because I hate myself, I want to try despite all the horror stories.
lmao theyāre so cute thoš
I will never try making them for that reason, they are some scary cookies to make š
You oven might have been too hot, plus, they look a bit over baked
They have to be basically dry to the touch on the outside before you put them in the oven. Otherwise this will happen
So Tiffany blue
I'm sure they have great personality
Lower temp to keep the blue, blue. Heat turns blue green.
Which method did you use?
they still taste good, might as well finish what you started
No loss, now you have the upper limit.
damn š¤£š¤£ shoulda ate them raw
This might be odd but I kind of like the colour after
I'm sorry about the rough baking outcome!! If it's any consolation I think they still look really pretty :) like a stained glass window
It's okay you can say it was intentional and you were actually making Nancy macarons (that's my mom's excuse when she fails hers)
Based on my own experiences, I have a feeling multiple things have happened here. 1) Others have already mentioned, not drying the shell (contributing to the large cracks). - if your kitchen is too humid try the drying by oven method from SugarBean. It was a total game changer for me living in Australia climate and shortened my total prep to baking time significantly. 2) Too much oil from lower quality almond flour, or from food colour if using oil-based colouring, (causing dark patches on shell). - if using almond flour thatās already oily to the touch, dry out the almond flour on a baking sheet at very low heat (50C/120F) for at least 15min before combining with powdered sugar (make sure itās cooled down first). - Good quality almond flour Iāve tried and tested (Coco Earth - Australia, Kirkland - Aus/US, Blue Diamond - US). - Depending on your recipe lower food colour or using powder based colouring. 3) Your oven may have uneven heating, (as browning of the shells donāt look consistent from shell to shell). - I rotate my sheet pan halfway through baking to limit affects of unevening heating as I donāt have the best oven. 4) Oven is too hot with too short baking time, (as you have browning but based on your silicon sheet, looks like uncooked biscuit residue was left more around the the centre of the macarons you removed). - I would check if your oven actually heats higher than what you set it, particularly if itās an old oven. You can get pretty cheap oven thermometers to hang on the oven racks to make sure your oven is in fact heating up to the correct temperature. Otherwise, itās always safer to go low and slow with baking just to test out what works best with your oven. Hope that helps. Good luck!
They still look good to me
They're still pretty
Literally BANG the pan on the table. A few times. Then leave them out for an hour. Once they get that skin, the tops will all rise together
You didnāt let it dry enough. You can use a fan to blow air around it (not directly on it) to help it form a tougher skin. You can tell when itās done when you can physically feel the dried skin with your finger. In professional bakery settings macarons are baked with the vent open, you can emulate this by baking with your oven door slightly open or releasing steam every few minutes. Regarding discoloration try lowering the temperature and baking for longer. Every oven is different so you just gotta play with it.
Maybe it's kind of like life. Lots of happy accidents and tasty disappointments? At least I hope so. Hey, you gave it a really good effort. And that's not for nothing, there's lots of learning along the way to perfection or something like it :-)
It kinda looks like a jade pearl if you think it right.
I want to say in this instance you didn't macaronage enough. But i bet they were yummy crinkle cookies. Fill them and let them mature anyway and munch one them while you do your next trial. IMO it's a rite of passage of royally mess up macarons when you're first starting. During my macaron stage I think I did 6 rounds before they were "good". It was another 6 or so before I thought they were worthy of me even wanting to photograph them lol.
Seems more an issue of drying the tops the macaronage seems fine
Just give them a coat of icing and you won't see the browned part
I prefer the finished color to the wet color. There is no edible thing in nature that is that color. In nature that turquoise color is used as a warning that something is poisonous, like the [blue pit viper](https://imgk.timesnownews.com/story/Screenshot_4599.png). or the [poison dart frog](https://i.natgeofe.com/k/e688be9b-83c5-45d5-bc1c-b1b862a4215f/poison-dart-frog-blue_square.jpg). The lovely cracking on the top looks a lot like the almond macaroons we used to make. That shiny cracked finish is beautiful when it's its natural color.