These are my favourite type of macaroons, wonderfully old fashioned in comparison to the fancy ones available now. They are so easy to make and deliciously almondy with just the right amount of chewiness.
They are perfect for using up any egg whites you may have lurking in the fridge. If you have a food processor then it takes just a few minutes, and even if you haven’t it is not much more work.
They are best made on rice paper but my girls like rice paper so much they eat it before I have chance to use it. If you don’t have rice paper then a silicone lining sheet works really well, but they also don’t stick too much to a non-stick tray as long as you lift them within a minute or two of them coming out of the oven, but be warned they are very fragile at that point.
The only problem with these is that they are completely irresistible and no good for the New Year diet.
Makes 15-18 biscuits
200g ground almonds
200g granulated sugar
40g icing sugar
3 egg whites
flaked almonds
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc, gas mark 4.
If you have a food processor place the almonds, sugar and icing sugar in the bowl of the processor and whizz for a few seconds. Add the egg whites and whizz until combined.
If you don’t have a food processor them place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk until well combined.
Line a tray with silicone paper or rice paper and place dessertspoonfuls of the mixture onto the tray. Place a flaked almond on top of each one.
Place in the preheated oven or on the middle shelf of the baking oven of the Aga for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned all over. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes and then place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Hi Kath–what could be better than a recipe like this–just 5 ingredients transform into this delectable bites. Indeed, making the new year “diet” (I like to think of it as Moderating) a bit tricky.
Ha, I like the idea of moderating very much. That sounds so much more appealing.
What New Year diet? Oh yes, I remember – but doesn’t it include cookies?
Ha ha, if it doesn’t Caroline then it should.
Oh Kath, I love macaroons and I do agree, these are the best, although I, err, haven’t actually tried any of the fancy ones! AND you’ve reminded me I have two egg whites in the fridge that need using up. Think I know what I shall be making tomorrow 🙂
There you go again with the almonds – you know I love almonds. These are my favourite biscuits especially if they are all squidgy inside. Diets don’t start til the weather warms up – at least not til Easter after all the chocolate’s gone.
Ha ha, thank you for yet another excellent reason to keep stuffing my face. x
Hi, I love your macaroons and they are easy to make – thank you! I have been asked to make some for a friend and I was wondering how far in advance I can make them – will they keep (they are gone in minutes in our household, so haven’t been able to test out!). I am hoping I can make them 3 or 4 days in advance???? Would value your advice. Many thanks.
Hi Emma,
I am really pleased you like the macaroons. They disappear in this house too. But I think they will keep OK in an airtight tin for a few days. They may go a little bit more chewy, but that’s not such a bad thing in my view.
Best wishes
Kath
These were wonderful, thank you for the recipe. I had no baking paper so just oiled baking sheet as suggested and they weren’t too tricky to lift off with spatula, though had to work quickly! I reduced the recipe by a third as only had 2 egg whites and it worked beautifully. Made 16 smaller biscuits which cooked in about 12 mins. Soft, chewy, lovely. Thanks again!
Hi Emily, I am really pleased that you enjoyed them and that they worked well for you. Kath
Hello. I’m in hopes that these are the kind of macaroons I’m familiar with from my childhood which were the treat I’d sometimes be bought from the bakers? I’ve been looking for a recipe for ages as they’ve vanished from local bakeries, but all the recipes I’ve been finding are for the ‘macaron’-type macaroons and they just don’t compare. I don’t cook much at all, but I hope to get round to trying this recipe soon – fingers crossed!
I hope they are too. They are certainly the ones I remember from my childhood. Please do make them soon and report back to me. Fingers crossed for you.
Delicious: made them this week. I took them out of the oven before I thought they looked done, and they were perfect. Pale, pale brown (more a deep cream). Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I used caster sugar instead of granulated, which was fine. They have kept perfectly for five days in an air-tight box. Everyone really loved them.
Thank you for this recipe – Whenever I was near a `Patisserie Valerie` I bought their traditional Almond Macaroons and havn`t been able to find them anywhere else – I really don`t like the little coloured Macarons that are everywhere – the texture isn`t very nice at all. I just made a batch of this recipe – and they`re delicious – only thing I`ll add next time is a few drops of French Almond Essence to boost the flavour – but the texrue is just bout perfect! Thanks so much! Debbie
Thank you Debbie, I am pleased that you are enjoying them. I prefer these to the macarons too. The almond essence is a good idea.
I`ve been making these since I found your recipe over two years ago – Everyone loves them! I add about a quarter of a teaspoon of almond essence and sprinkle chopped glace orange and lemon peel on top instead of an almond flake. I`m still so grateful to have found this recipe!
Hi I’m trying the recipe for the first time I keep macaroons on a clip lid tub but they don’t stay crispy or should I put them in a tin? Even I can’t eat them in one day well I could but yikes 😬
Many thanks fron a klutzy baker
Karen
A tin might work better but they may not stay crispy. It might be the humidity that is affecting them too. You can briefly reheat them to make them crispy again.