Can I whisk macaron batter like meringue?
The process I follow for making macarons is:


Whisk egg whites until foamy
Add caster sugar gradually and whisk until very stiff, adding any colouring near the end.
Stir in almond meal and icing/confectioners sugar (there is no need to fold gently)
Use a dough scraper to mix the batter in a back and forth motion until the batter falls like a ribbon off the scraper.


I tend to hand-whisk the almond meal and confectioner's sugar together before adding to the egg whites to ensure even mixing.. Since I have started using the above method, found in Jill Collonna's book Mad About Macarons, I have always had very nicely shaped macarons, with excellent feet. Prior to this, I had been carefully folding in the almond meal/sugar with generally poor results.

You are correct in your findings that adding the almond meal during whisking the egg whites prevents more air being incorporated. The almond meal is oily and the oil 'kills' the meringue. This is why your beaters and whisking bowl should always be spotless, and why you can't have any egg yolk in your whites.

Making macarons is part science, part art, and it takes a lot of practice to get the results just right. I have cracked the macaronnage (mixing) stage, but I'm damned if I can bake them correctly without browning the top! Keep practising and you will get there.