Hollow Macarons
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Dear Macarons Bakers and Macarons Lovers, let’s talk about Hollow Macarons. The question I get the most is “Why are my macarons hollow?” I’ve seen a lot on social media when bakers break macaron shells and show the inside and say, “Look at my full shells”. Other bakers who, after baking, don’t have “full” shells end up with a shell with an air pocket (most of the time, very small), thinking that their macarons are not “perfect”. This is overwhelming for many bakers, especially for beginners. This “full” shell term is stopping many people from baking macarons. As a result, they are trying different recipes and give up in the end.
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What I Think About Hallow Macarons
I was taking many classes from professional chefs about macarons, and none of the chefs were using the term “full” shells. None of the chefs was breaking the macaron shell after baking and looking inside. I was taught to troubleshoot very ruffled feet, cracked tops, or concave bottoms. We were always looking at the final result of macarons after maturing. Macaron shells are not macarons; they are part of the cookies. I think tasty filling and “maturing” will be the final judgment for macarons, and not part of the process. My social media followers are asking me to show inside the macaron shell, and I have also started to break shells and show inside. But it breaks my heart to wait for shells and not complete assembled cookie. I recorded a video on my YouTube channel with my thoughts about hollow macarons.
What Are Hollow Macarons
Hollow Macarons is the term that describes an air pocket in the macaron shell when you crack it open. My personal opinion is that if your macaron shells have a tiny gap, this is perfectly normal and will resolve itself after filling and letting them “mature” in the fridge. I really want to stop being a problem when making macarons, because it is very unmotivating for many bakers.
What Are The Most Common Problems for Hollow Macarons
- Unstable Meringue
- Incorrect Oven Temperature
- Overmixed Batter (Macaronage)
How to Fix Unstable Meringue
If you watch my videos, you see that I am slowly, in a few additions, adding sugar into meringue. This is a common mistake of many bakers when making French Meringue. Take time and add sugar slowly instead of dumping all at once. After all sugar is added to the egg whites, make sure that the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks. I like to set up a timer when I make French meringue; this way, I know exactly when the meringue is ready. A timer also helps with overheating meringue. Which can also be a problem for Hallow macarons.
How to Fix Incorrect Oven Temperature
Use the right temperature in the oven when baking macarons. If the oven is too cold or too hot, that can cause hollow macarons. Many times, the oven is too cold, and there is not enough heat for the macarons’ shells to rise. I always recommend to increase temperaure in the oven by 5 degrees and baking the next batch of macarons. If that’s not helping, then increase again by 5 degrees and bake again. Do not increase the temperature by 10-15 degrees right away. Very often, that 5 degrees will solve the problem.
How to Fix Overmixing Macaronage
I often see that the macaron batter (macaronage) is overmixed. Bakers are trying to make a figure-8 with the batter, or showing running from the spatula very fast. Very often, the batter is already overmixed and looks very thin. My advice will be: stop folding macaronage for too long! Keep in mind that when. You are transferring macaronsage into a pastry bag and piping that is also part of the folding process, and the batter will be thinner after. Over-folding macaronage breaks down the meringue structure and causes the shells to have an empty center.
Expert Tips
I consider myself a macaron expert and can give you advice about hollow macarons. Stop stressing yourself about an air pocket in the macaron shells. Look at the final result of macarons and focus on the taste instead of the look. Have you seen macarons from French boutiques or stores? I think social media is really hurting macaron bakers by comparing with others and stepping away from classic Hermé and Ladurée macarons.
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Hollow Macarons FAQs
Absolutely. When you fill hollow macarons and mature them in the fridge, they will resolve themselves.
No, as long as your macarons have a smooth top, straight bottom, and ruffled feet, the small gap between the top layer and the center is not a problem!
Focus on stable meringue, correct oven temperature, and not overmixing macaronage.
Let me know what you think about Hollow Macarons in the comments of this post. I would love to hear your opinion.
