Magic of Macarons
There’s something about a macaron.
Perfectly round. Feather-light. Crisp on the outside, soft and chewy inside. They’re the kind of sweet treat that feels like it belongs on a silk napkin beside an espresso in a Parisian café or nestled in a glass cloche on a patisserie counter – too pretty to eat but impossible to resist.
As a food photographer, I don’t always need a reason to shoot. Sometimes, it’s just about shooting for the fun of it! Like with these macarons: the way the colours catch the light. The contrast of glossy ganache against matte almond shells. The gentle swirl of a piping bag that becomes art with a little patience and a lot of sugar.
And when it comes to macarons – they’re a joy to shoot. Even more so to share.
A Classic Macaron Recipe
Want to make your own? Here’s a simple version to get you started.
For the shells:
100g ground almonds
100g icing sugar
2 large egg whites (aged overnight if possible – this helps improve the texture and volume of meringue)
100g caster sugar
Gel food colouring (optional but essential really!)
For the filling:
100g unsalted butter, softened
150g icing sugar
1–2 tbsp flavouring (raspberry jam, lemon curd, chocolate ganache…the sky’s the limit when it comes to fillings!)
Method:
Sift the ground almonds and icing sugar together — twice, if you're feeling fancy.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the caster sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. Add colour now if using. You can separate the mix into batches and make various colours at this stage too!
Fold in the almond mixture(s) gently using a spatula. The consistency should flow like lava and smooth out slowly.
Pipe small rounds onto a lined baking tray. Tap the tray on the counter a few times to knock out air bubbles. If you’re feeling precise (and let’s face it, precision makes perfect macarons!) you can mark baking paper with circles to keep the size uniform. There are even pre-marked baking sheets you can buy…but making the circles yourself is FUN!
Rest the macarons at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, until a skin forms and they’re no longer sticky to touch.
Bake at 150°C (fan) for 12–14 minutes. Let them cool completely before removing.
Fill and sandwich the shells with which ever flavour filling you decide, then chill them for a few hours (or overnight) for the perfect bite.
Whether you're baking them, photographing them or just enjoying one with a quiet cup of tea, macarons are a gentle reminder that the little things, when done well, can be the most memorable.
If your café or bakery is crafting delicate treats like these, I’d love to help you capture their beauty. Because some things are too good to keep behind glass.
