Macarons

Category: Dessert
Prep time : 1.5 hours Cook time : 15 min Total time : 1 day

Makes: 30 Cookies
Scale recipe by: ×

Cookies:

150g finely ground almond flour

150g confectioners' sugar

1/8 tsp table salt

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75g egg whites

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

*OR

21g egg white powder

54g water

==

38g egg whites

*OR

10g egg white powder

28g water

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150g sugar

60g water

3-7 drops food coloring

Raspberry Buttercream:

10 Tbsp unsalted butter

1.25 C (5 oz) powdered sugar

1 pinch salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 C freeze-dried fruit

Strawberry-cardamom buttercream:

1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Coffee Buttercream:

2 Tbsp espresso powder

Pistachio Buttercream:

3 oz pistachio paste

Chocolate Ganache:

9 oz semisweet chocolate

3/4 oz heavy cream

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

Passionfruit Curd:

3/4 C passion fruit puree

1/2 C (3.5 oz) sugar

1/4 C (1 oz) cornstarch

4 oz white chocolate

9 Tbsp unsalted butter

Sift flour, confectioners' sugar and salt together into a large bowl.

Whip first meringue of 75g egg whites to soft peaks on medium-high, 2-3 minutes. Turn to low while making sugar syrup.

Mix sugar and water in small saucepan. Cook over medium-high, without stirring, until 245F, 4-5 mini.

Pour sugar syrup into mixer on medium speed. Add food coloring, and whip on medium-high until just shy of stiff peaks (2-3 o'clock), 3-5 minutes.

Transfer meringue and remaining egg whites to dry ingredients. Do macaronage.

Transfer batter to bag with 1/2" round tip. Hold bag upright and still and let the batter flow onto the baking sheet.

Rap sheet firmly on counter 6 times to get rid of large air bubbles.

Let shells rest until skin forms which can be touched without marring surface, 20-30 min. While drying, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 325.

Bake 1 sheet for 13 min*. Test for doneness by placing finger on top of shell and move side to side. If it feels loose and jiggly, continue baking. Transfer to wire rack and bake remaining sheet.

Gently peel shells from parchment. Pipe ~2tsp filling into each shell.

Buttercreams:
Beat butter at medium-high until smooth, 20s. Add sugar and salt and beat until most of sugar is moistened, 45s, scraping bowl as needed. Add ehavy creem and vanilla, beat at medium until incorporated. Beat at medium-high until light and fluffy, scraping as needed, 4-5 min.

Mix in flavoring.

Passionfruit curd:
Mix purree, sugar, cornstarch in medium saucepan. Coo over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick paste forms, ~4 min. Remove fromheat and whisk in chocolate until melted. Mix in butter in 3 stages, whisk until smooth and glossy. Press parchment or plastic wrap on to surface and fridge until chilled, ~2 hours.
Try freezing the sheet tray to release the shells if they're sticking.

Fridge for 24 hours after assembling to let flavors meld. Keep in fridge for 1 week, or 2 months in freezer.

Used maybe 20g of freezedried strawberries.

*Small ring on sheet baked in 13 min. Large ring needed more like 16.
Cook's Illustrated
Submitted by Darren on 2025-03-17