Vegan Macarons with Gerbet Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy -

The Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy has updated their informative vegan macaron Master Class on Youtube, incorporating their vegan egg white mix, Gerbet. Gerbet, a proprietary powder mixture of plant protein, fiber and gums, was created specifically for vegan macaron making. Having had a recent macaron fail with aquafaba, I really wanted to try this product, which claims to make macaron making a more accessible art!

Watching and remotely learning, I became excited about trying our their method! Despite the updated video‘s claim of this recipe being drastically easier, macaron making is still a technical undertaking. If you are just interested in the process, and not my yammering on and on, follow the grey steps below. I’m psyched!

Equipment

KitchenAid Stand-up mixer with Wire Whip attachment

Food processer

Light colored baking trays and parchment paper

Large pastry bag with round piping tip (I used Ateco 809 for the macaron piping)

Smaller pastry bag with a small round tip to pipe filling

Rubber spatula

Pastry scraper

Liquid measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Digital scale

Candy thermometer

Saucepan

Food processor

Sieve

Bowls

Airtight storage container

Ingredients

15 grams Gerbet

215 grams Vegan caster sugar (prep required, see below)

215 grams Fine almond flour

2 tsp Vanilla extract

215 grams Vegan granulated sugar

Gel food coloring (I used Chefmaster Liqui-gel.)

Filling of your choice

Gerbet, The Protein

The use of Aquafaba as the protein to develop the Italian meringue used in macaron making is a popular choice for vegan macaron makers. In general, it’s considered by many vegans to be a wondrous discovery, a plant-based egg substitute that offers binding, moisture and structure to recipes. And like egg whites, its protein can whip into a foam–for say like frothy adult beverages–or an almighty meringue for all sorts of vegan treats.

But noted macaron makers, like Vegan Gastronomy and Sweet Maresa are just not into it. Vegan Gastronomy‘s macaron class describes it as inconsistent and the cause for health concerns. Lauded French macaron maker Laderée does not use it either in their vegan macarons, using instead this Gerbet product.

Looking into aquafaba’s health concerns, I found nutritionist Meghan Telpher‘s article on the why she does not use it. Meghan says it’s meant to be discarded for a reason… many reasons. Cans are often lined with bisphenol A or (BPA), which is an endocrine disruptor linked to infertility and hormone-related cancers, as well as hyperactivity in children; it contains “anti-nutrients” which hinder nutrient absorption and digestion (Phytic acid, Oligosaccharides, and Saponins); it causes gas; it can contain a lot of sodium; and it has no nutritional value. And the last macaron fail I had was an aquafaba attempt.

So let’s start this Gerbet trial, which doesn’t leave me with chickpeas for another curry, but iz all good.

Step 1: Mix 15g of Gerbet with 160g or tap water. This will be used two ways in the recipe.

Step 2: Put Gerbet in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. It does separate so give it a quick blend in the morning.

Step 3: Good Morning! Prepare your baking trays. You can use the wider side of your pastry tip to create a guide on your parchment paper if you want to be all prof about it. (See the video for the technique.) I chose to eyeball it, because frankly Scarlet, I don’t give a damn (about them being imperfect). Remember, you need an even amount of shells. You wouldn’t have to eat a shell on its own now, right?

Vegan Caster Sugar & Almond Flour

To create the macaron base you will need a 1:1 ratio of sugar to Almond flour. Some notes on the base ingredients:

Heavy, unrefined sugars will create flat macarons. And flat macarons are not really macarons at all! The recipe from Vegan Gastronomy recipe calls for “Icing Sugar.” In The States it seems that “Icing Sugar” is used interchangeably for Powdered Sugar or Confectionary Sugar. You do not want to use Powdered/Confectionary Sugar for your macaron base as it contains cornstarch. The cornstarch helps to prevent caking… but renders the sugar too heavy for the recipe.

This recipe calls for refined Caster Sugar. Processing vegan white granulated sugar until it is ultra-fine will create vegan Caster Sugar -or- what the Europeans call Icing Sugar, which dissolves easily and smoothly into delicate treat recipes like macarons, recipes where grittiness is a no-no and the weight of ingredients is make or break.

In The States (and perhaps abroad?) storebought Caster Sugar is not often vegan due to its processing. It’s usually filtered with animal bone char. Processing your own confirmed vegan granulated sugar is an easy way to create vegan caster sugar.

Almond flour or Almond meal is ground blanched almonds, as in no skins. The almond skin will throw off the texture of the base. It’ll also throw off the look of the macarons as the skins are brown, creating speckles. You can process your own blanched almonds or you can buy the flour, preferably in bulk section to save a bit of money. Nuts are so expensive. For a easier grind, you can buy Super Fine Almond Four from the almighty Bob. That’s what I did.

So now let’s make the base!

Step 4: Make the vegan Caster Sugar. Process 215 grams of vegan granulated sugar in a food processor until ultra fine, about 2-4 minutes. You may check its texture with your fingers. You want powdery smooth. (Pro Tip: To avoid a sugar cloud, process with a kitchen towel on top of the food processor.)

Step 5: Add 215 grams of Almond flour to the food processor bowl and process again Pulse 20-30 times.

Step 6: Sift the processed mixture into a large bowl. Then do it again. Sifting twice means smooooth macarons.

Step 7: Measure out 75 grams of the prepared Gerbet that was in the chiller and add to the sifted sugar and almond flour mixture. Mixing with a rubber spatula to combine to create a thick paste. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.

Step 8: Prepare your large piping bag now, so it’s ready to receive the macaron batter.

Italian Meringue

Italian meringue is different from French meringue. Both require whipped protein and sweetener. The Italian technique involves boiling granulated sugar and incorporating it into the whipped protein, while the French technique simply incorporates refined sugar directly into the meringue. The Italian meringue creates a more stable meringue, says the Vegan Gastronomy Chef. Anything that promises a more stable macaron is a plus. Let’s get going!

Step 9: Pour 85 grams of the chilled Gerbet mixture in your stand-up mixer bowl with the Wire Whip attachment. Whip on medium-high until it has firm peaks. This took longer than expected.

Step 10: When things start to look a bit meringue-y in the mixer, measure out 215 grams of granulated sugar into heavy bottom saucepan, add 55 ml of water and your desired gel color.

Step 11: Affix candy thermometer and heat sugar and water on burner until it reaches 248 F. You can gently stir to dissolve sugar, but don’t stir after sugar is dissolved. The friction would create crystals. It’s all about texture, baby!

Step 12: Once the candy mixture is heated to 235 F, slowly pour the sugar mixture into the whipping vegan egg whites. Then add the vanilla extract and whip until bowl has cooled down and soft peaks are formed.

Macaronage

I was going to to say that this was an important step, but I realized that they pretty much are all important steps. That’s why macarons are definitely considered Next Level for a baker. If you are losing gusto, do a Google image search for macaron fails. Did that re-inspire you? I’ll be your macaron cheerleader.

Yes, so the next step is Macaronage. Macaronage is a verb. It is a process of macaron batter manipulation with the goal of achieving shells that are not hollow. It did not make sense to me until I watch a video (this one does the trick) which details the entire process. Somewhat counter-intuitively, you must work the batter, assertively incorporating the dry ingredients into the meringue, until it displays certain descriptive characteristics… it flows like hot lava, holds a figure 8, it’s shiny. Did you watch the video? You have to do your homework for this recipe!

Step 13: Add a third of the Italian meringue to your paste. Vigorously mix smooth until combined. Add the next third, folding meringue in whilst turning the bowl. Repeat with the final third.

Step 14: Continue to mix until the texture is ribbon-y and its glossy… Macaronage, baby. Remember to let the Figure 8 tell you when it’s ready to pipe. (Watch!)

Piping & Drying

Once your macaron batter is ready, feel good that the hardest parts are over. Though piping can be intimidating, I suppose. Some tips: Don’t overfill you pastry bag. Fill it to your comfort level, but know that every time you have to load more batter, air gets into the bag that may fart out. Use a really big bag and load it halfway. Once you are on a macaron piping role, you’ll be annoyed to have to stop and refill. So just buy the big old pastry bag. And you have to watch Master Class video for more technique tips. You basically do not want to make this recipe without watching the video. Is that coming in clear? Ok, now let’s pipe.

Oh one more thing! Do a photoshoot with your resting piped macarons. This way, even if they fail in the oven, you have some pretty shots of them when you were filled with hope.

Step 15: Flip over outlined parchment and secure on baking sheet with some dabs of batter. Then load the batter into the prepared pastry bag.

Step 16: Pipe using the circles on the parchment, or your eye, as a guide. Remember to do as the Chef says fill then “Stop, Lift and Twist.”

Step 17: Once all piped, remove air bubbles by lifting pan and dropping squarely on the counter. This is important because once a skin is formed, you can’t neatly pop any air bubbles that surface. Carefully tap the pan on counter after the drops. Then pop any surfacing air bubbles with a toothpick.

Step 18: (Optional) Sprinkle some vegan sprinkles upon the tops of half the shells. Because: pretty counts with macarons.

Step 19: You did it! Now let the shells sit at room temperature to dry for 30 minutes until a skin is formed on top. That means they are dry to the touch.

Baking Shells

Now it’s all in the hands of your oven. Want to not feel powerless during this step? Buy an oven thermometer so you can make sure your oven is at the correct temp. Oven temperatures can vary and if you can calibrate your oven’s temperature in advance to know what you’re dealing with. Remember that incorrect temperature can kill your macarons even if you did everything perfectly!

Step 20: Preheat oven to 275 F. Make sure a rack is in position in the middle of the oven.

Step 21: Put baking sheets into oven and cook vented for approximately 10 mins. This will develop the feet of the macaron. (“Cook vented” means that the oven door is slightly cracked. I closed the oven door on a utensil. See pic.) After 10 minutes or when nice feet are developed, lower heat to 210 F.

I was on the floor watching them the majority of the time.

Step 22: Depending on where you are in the world, it can take 25-45 minutes for macarons to be ready. But check after 25 minutes, testing if macaron bottoms have dried out by giving them a gentle push. If they move easily on the parchment, they’re done.

Step 23: Remove macarons from oven and allow to cool. Are you tired? Almost done! Set aside macarons and get ready to fill.

Fillings

This step is up to you! What do you want in your macarons. Go basic or get complicated. It’s totally up to you. My steps are about a simple buttercream, so feel free to alter.

Step 24: Make your filling. Or maybe you did this in advance? I made some buttercream. Let it firm up a bit in the fridge if it’s too loose and let it sit at room temperature until easy to pipe.

Step 25: Load the buttercream in a pastry bag topped with a small round tip. Pipe filling onto the bottom (sprinkle-less) macaron shell, right in the middle, a bit taller than you think you need to.

Step 26: Crown each with a sprinkle macaron top, pressing carefully and firmly until the filling evens to create a proper sandwich. Load each into the storage container that has an airtight lid.

Maturing

Maturing will allow your macarons to soften, combine as one unit and deepen their flavor. Go ahead, sneak one so you can see how maturing impacts the overall macaron experience. Now, finish Step 27! You made it this far.

Step 27: Allow the macarons to mature for 24 hours before enjoying.