Description
Sweet French strawberry macarons bring delicate elegance to dessert tables with their crisp shells and luscious filling. Parisian pastry techniques create perfect pink cookies that melt delightfully when you savor each delicate bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) almond flour, finely ground
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar (for buttercream)
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream)
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) strawberry jam or puree
- 12 tbsps freeze-dried strawberries, powdered (optional)
- Gel food coloring (pink or red, optional)
Instructions
- Prep Dry Base: Sift powdered sugar and almond flour into a large bowl, removing any substantial almond fragments to ensure a smooth texture.
- Craft Meringue: Whip egg whites with cream of tartar at medium speed until frothy. Gradually add granulated sugar, continuing until meringue forms glossy, sturdy peaks. Blend in vanilla extract and optional food coloring.
- Combine Batter: Gently fold almond flour mixture into meringue using a silicone spatula. Mix until batter reaches a lava-like consistency where ribbons dissolve within 10 seconds.
- Pipe and Rest: Transfer batter to a piping bag with circular tip. Create precise 1.5-inch diameter circles on parchment-lined baking sheets. Tap sheet against countertop to eliminate air bubbles. Allow macarons to rest at room temperature until a protective membrane forms, approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Bake Shells: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake macarons for 15-18 minutes, rotating tray midway. Confirm doneness by checking for ruffled feet and firm texture. Cool completely before removing from parchment.
- Prepare Filling: Cream butter until smooth. Gradually blend powdered sugar, then incorporate strawberry jam, pulverized freeze-dried strawberries, and vanilla extract until achieving a luxurious buttercream.
- Assemble Macarons: Match shells by size. Pipe strawberry buttercream onto one shell’s interior, then sandwich with a corresponding shell.
- Mature and Serve: Store assembled macarons in an airtight container, refrigerating for 24 hours to enhance flavor complexity. Return to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Sifting Technique: Use fine-mesh sieve to ensure ultra-smooth almond flour and powdered sugar mixture, preventing lumpy batter and achieving perfect macaron texture.
- Meringue Mastery: Whip egg whites precisely to stiff, glossy peaks – soft or overbeaten whites will destroy macaron structure, so watch carefully during mixing.
- Macaronage Method: Fold batter gently with figure-eight motion, stopping exactly when mixture flows like lava – overmixing leads to flat, cracked shells.
- Resting Ritual: Allow piped macarons to form dry skin before baking, which creates signature “feet” and prevents cracking during baking process.
- Prep Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 17 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg