Lemon
Macarons
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
42 mins
Delicious Italian macarons decorated with a few brushstrokes
of royal icing and sprinkles
Course: Cookie
Servings: 32 filled cookies
Author: Tricia
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 150 grams almond meal, sifted twice, weighed after sifting
- 150 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- 55 grams egg whites, aged overnight at room temperature
- For the meringue:
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 40 grams water
- 55 grams egg whites, aged overnight at room temperature
For the lemon
filling:
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar (more of less for desired consistency)
- 2-3 (.08g) packages True Lemon crystals
Extras:
gel food color, if using
royal icing and sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
To make the macarons:
1.
Prepare 2 sheets of parchment paper to fit a
large rim-less baking sheet. To ensure consistent sized cookies, trace a small
biscuit cutter or shot glass (about 1 1/4-inches in diameter) on the parchment
paper as a template then turn it over before pipping on the batter. Prepare a
pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside. Each piece of parchment
should hold about 30 rounds.
2.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the almond
meal and powdered sugar. Make a well in the center and add 55 grams of egg
whites. Fold the mixture together with a spatula until it becomes a thick,
paste-like batter. Set aside.
3.
Place the remaining 55 grams of egg whites in
the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set
aside.
4.
In a small to medium saucepan, combine the
granulated sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and heat to 225 degrees. Once the syrup
reaches 225 degrees, turn on the stand mixer and beat the egg whites on high.
5.
Continue to beat the egg whites while cooking
the syrup until it reaches 239 degrees. You want the meringue to be at soft
peak stage so if it reaches that before the syrup reaches 239 degrees, turn the
mixer down to low. Once the syrup reaches 239 degrees remove it from the heat
and slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites while the mixer is running on
low. Try to stream the syrup directly into the whites close to the side of the
bowl so it won't cool too quickly.
6.
Once all the syrup has been added, whip on high
for one minute, then reduce the speed to low and continue beating until the
bowl has cooled slightly and glossy stiff peaks have formed.
7.
Add half the meringue to the cookie batter,
gently folding until combined and somewhat smooth. Add half the remaining
meringue to the batter (and any food color if using) and gently fold until
incorporated. Finally add the remaining meringue and fold together until the
batter is smooth. To test the consistency, pick up the spatula and if the
batter ribbons back into the bowl, it is ready. It should be like lava blending
back into itself after about a minute. If the batter is still too thick, fold
with the spatula a few more turns, then test again. Continue until smooth but
not deflated.
8.
Preheat oven to 300 degree.
9.
Fill the prepared pastry bag with the macaron
batter. Pipe the batter onto the prepared parchment paper rounds, but do not
fill completely. The batter will spread a bit so only fill each round about
two-thirds full. Once the first sheet is filled rap the pan on the counter top
a few times to rupture any air bubbles trapped in the cookie. Rotate the pan
and rap again. If using a rim-less baking sheet, you can now slide the
parchment onto the counter-top to rest for 30-60 minutes which allows a hard
outer shell to form. If you don't have a rimless baking sheet, you will need
two prepared pans.
10.
Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes (depending on
size) or until you can gently lift the cookie off the parchment coming away
clean. If the top separates from the bottom, they are not ready. Watch the
cookies carefully as you don't want them to brown, just cook until set.
11.
Remove the entire sheet of parchment, with
cookies intact, to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, divide the
cookies into pairs with others of similar size, then pipe one side with the
desired filling.
To make the filling:
In a small mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream
cheese until blended. Add the powdered sugar and lemon crystals if using. Blend
until combined. Scoop into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe filling
onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with a matching size cookie, flat
side to the filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow cookies to rest 15
minutes at room temperature before serving. Macarons are best a day or two
after being made.
To decorate with
flowers or daisies:
Make a small batch of royal icing using the recipe on the
Wilton Meringue Powder container. Transfer a heaping tablespoon of royal icing
to a small finger bowl. Cover the remaining icing with a damp towel until
needed. Using a small food-safe brush, decorate the tops of the macarons with
flowers, designs and/or sprinkles as desired. Allow the icing to dry completely
before storing in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- If you can't find True Lemon crystals, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and the zest of 1 lemon. You can also try using 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract in place of the crystals if desired.
- True Lemon is made from crystalized lemon, with no added sugar, or preservatives. It can be found near the artificial sweeteners in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Don't confuse this with the True Lemon Lemonade mix.
- Pre-measure all ingredients before beginning
- Read over all directions (multiple times) before beginning to ensure you understand the flow of the recipe.
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