My macaron shells are wrinkled

Question

This is my third time trying, i was hoping it would turn out right this time but they messed up again. They look like this when i take them out of the oven. The recipe i used called for vanilla but i used cake batter flavoring. I don’t think that’s what changed it. I accidentally messed up with the salt so that might be it, but has anyone else had this problem? They’re really chewy and they don’t feel like a macaron shell at all

Gammy · Answer

Ha-ha! I first read this as macaroni shells and couldn't imagine a recipe that added vanilla!    Anyway... yes, the humidity (or should I say lack thereof) plays a huge factor in getting a crisp macaron shell.  I have a old family recipe from Germany for Anise Cookies, that have the same crispy shell and chewy interior.  The batter is made the day before baking and you drop spoonfuls on a well greased cookie sheet and let stand at room temperature overnight.  During baking they cookies develop that characteristic "foot" under a smooth crispy shell.  Unfortunately, I have never been able to replicate them since moving to Florida from Delaware.  Has to be the ambient humidity that is causing us both issues.

Emily L. · Answer

It’s VERY humid where i live. It’s southern Louisiana lol

Kristen M. · Answer

Hi Emily, that sounds so frustrating! I hope they taste good at least—maybe you can repurpose them into a pretty trifle so you don't need to keep battling this recipe. But if you do want to, (I'm not a macaron expert so hopefully others who are will weigh in) but I'm wondering if the shells were baked long enough to set firmly, and also wondering if it's humid where you are, in which case egg whites can't be trusted to behave (and maybe a trifle is a better plan).

My macaron shells are wrinkled

3 Comments

Popular on Food52