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Macarons are tasty, colorful treats that everyone seems to want to make. However, the slightest mistake can cause undesirable outcomes, which is why you need to practice (and maybe fail once or twice) before you can get them right.
Some of the undesirable results include cracking macarons, which basically defeats the concept of the smooth sweets that macarons are.
However, in this guide, I will focus solely on why macarons may not form skin. Macarons may not be easy to make, but I’ll show you how you can overcome this annoying obstacle.
So, Why Didn’t Your Macarons Form Skin?
The primary reason why your macarons didn’t form skin is an improper drying process. If you don’t allow the drying process to play out as it should, you’re not going to get the results that you’re looking for.
When the macarons don’t dry out right, they won’t form a skin, and eventually not form feet either! If you aren’t paying good attention to the drying process, it’s a lot easier for things to go wrong.
Sometimes impatience is going to be the only cause of this issue. You might simply not have waited long enough for the drying process to play out.
You may have rushed and put them in the oven before the skin forms, a genuine mistake that many people make when they’re eager to try macarons for the first time.
Okay, so now we know that the secret is in letting them dry. But how to do that properly?
It generally takes between twenty and forty minutes for macarons to dry out. You need to place them on baking sheets and leave them uncovered while they dry.
Prioritize a dry spot that is also fairly cool. Putting your macarons near vapor or water sources will only slow down the process. This drying process is what allows the batter to form the thick skin that you’re looking for.
The room may not be the right temperature for the macarons to dry properly. Things could be too humid in the room and you might need to move them to a cooler location that is also dry enough.
This might sound like a pain, but it’s really about patience and being observant about your environment. You should be able to recognize if a room is too hot or humid, and you can try to make adjustments to get the macarons to turn out well.
How Do You Know When Skin Forms?
If you’re still pretty new to making macarons, you might not be clear about how the skin looks when it’s done. Here are a few pointers to help you know when they’re ready to be baked:
- This skin is going to be a thick layer that is pretty easy to notice visually.
- When you touch one of the macarons with your fingers, the batter shouldn’t stick to you.
Once you tick those boxes, you’ll know that the skin has formed and it’ll be fine to go through with baking them.
Many people who are new to baking macarons just don’t know what to look for and they make assumptions. If you’re only following the time recommendations and not checking to see if the skin formed, then you’re not going to get good results.
Depending on the humidity levels in your area, the drying process can take longer than expected. A combination of patience and observation will allow you to get things right each time.
Other Macaron Advice
As I mentioned earlier, macarons are delicate and technique-sensitive. Many things that can go wrong when baking macarons. For instance, you might have been baking them at a slightly higher temperature than you should have which causes the feet to spread out too far.
By the time the feet go running, then it’s already a bit too late for this time. Still, they’ll taste as good as they should. The primary reason here is the high temperature. To prevent that from happening again, try lowering the temperature while baking them.
The secondary reason is when you beat the egg whites too much while mixing things up. To avoid that. try to take the mixing process slowly so that you can get things right one step at a time. It’ll make it easier to avoid common problems.
Enjoy Your Macarons
Now that you know more about macarons, it should be easier to get good results. You now understand how skin forms on them and what you need to do for things to turn out properly.
Remember, check to see if the skin has formed on the macarons before you start baking them. If it hasn’t, waiting a bit longer might be the right step to take.
If all goes well, then you should be able to bake your macarons and enjoy nice results. You’ll be able to treat your loved ones to delicious treats soon enough.
Sarah Bridenstine
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.
