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Strawberry Macarons

Servings: 20 cookies
Author: Katie

Ingredients

Macarons

  • 3 egg whites
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 ⅔ cup confectioners sugar
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Red Food coloring

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp freeze dried strawberry powder
  • Strawberry jam
  • Green fondant for leaves

Instructions

MACARONS

  • Grind up almond flour in a dry food processor and sift through sieve. Do not force it through the sieve.
  • Sift confectioners sugar into almond flour with a sieve and a whisk.
  • Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium / high. Slowly add in granulated sugar.
  • When soft peak stage is reached add food coloring and vanilla. Mix till stiff peak stage.
  • Add about ¼ the dry ingredients to the egg whites. Fold with spatula till combined.
  • Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and gently macaronage (fold) till “lava” texture is reached. The batter should make ribbons that don’t break when you lift the spatula. Try making a figure 8.
  • Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment, using a tiny dab of batter on each corner as glue.
  • Add batter to piping bag using a plain round tip.
  • Pipe about 1 ½” circles, holding bag perpendicular to cookie sheet. To break off batter, make a little swirl motion on top.
  • Bang sheet on counter to get rid of bubbles and to help tops get smooth.
  • Let sit 45 - 60 minutes on counter uncovered. You should be able to touch the macarons, there will be a skin formed on top.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Bake for 10 - 15 minutes. You should be able to see the “feet”.

FILLING

  • Bring 1-2 inches water to a boil in a medium saucepan for a bain marie. Place a bowl over pan. Water should be just below bottom of bowl.
  • Add egg whites and sugar to bowl. Heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
  • Pour hot egg whites into a mixer bowl with the whisk equipped, beat until stiff peaks and room temperature.
  • Cut butter into tbsp size chunks. Mix in one by one. Keep mixing until smooth and glossy, may look worse before it gets better. If your icing is too warm put in fridge for 10-20 minutes.
  • Beat in vanilla and strawberry powder. (Powder is made by crushing freeze dried strawberries in a baggie. Sifted to remove hard chunks.)
  • Spoon frosting into a icing bag with desired tip or cut a 1/4" tip off.
  • Let shells dry completely before piping in filling. Make little macaron sandwiches by matching up with same sized tops and bottoms.
  • Pipe a wall of icing leaving a hole in the middle. Spoon a dollop of jam in center. Place top on cookie.
  • Cut fondant leaves out and stick in frosting on top.
  • Store in fridge. Cookie tastes best the next day.