I am still in that constant pursuit of making and baking the perfect French macarons. I think I am almost there but will need more tinkering to see if I actually really have it down. You know, perfectly baked shells (no hollows), gorgeous feet, and crisp and chewy texture.
Now, if you’re looking for a fancy and delicious dessert (besides cream puffs because I think those are pretty fancy too) that is sure to impress, look no further than French macarons. Yes, these can be finicky at times and you might have epic failures (I’ve had way too many to count, hence my constant pursuit still), but when or once mastered or even slightly mastered, these delicate, meringue-based cookies will be sure to impress any crowd at any dessert table or anyone when given as gifts. In this recipe, I’m sharing two different flavors: salted caramel and blackberry cheesecake. Well, these are the flavors I made anyway. You’re welcome to fill the shells with whatever filling you like, buttercream, ganache, jam, ice cream… whatever your heart desires!
As usual, the recipe is below. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
French Macarons: Salted Caramel and Blackberry Cheesecake Flavors
These French macarons are a perfect way to elevate any dessert table. The salted caramel filling provides a nice balance of sweet and salty while the blackberry cheesecake flavor gives you the perfect combination of sweet and tangy flavors.
Equipments:
- Mixing bowls
- Food processor
- Stand or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Baking pans
Macaron Shells:
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup of almond flour
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- Food coloring (optional)
Salted Caramel Buttercream Filling:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blackberry Cheesecake Filling:
- 1/4 cup of blackberry jam
- 4 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Start by making the macaron shells. In a food processor, pulse together the powdered sugar and almond flour until well combined. Sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Slowly add in the granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat the egg whites. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Add food coloring, if using, and mix until well combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture, using a rubber spatula, until the batter reaches the “lava flow” consistency.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip.
- Pipe small rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Tap the bottom of the baking sheets gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour, or until a skin forms on the surface of the macarons. This will ensure that they don’t crack during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and bake the macarons for 18-20* minutes, or until they are firm to the touch. *This is the amount of time it takes for the macarons to bake in my oven. You might have to play around with the temperature and time to see what works for you in your oven. I’ve seen some people bake their macarons in 15 minutes and it comes out fine for them.
- Once done, remove the macarons from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before filling.
- While the macarons are cooling, make the fillings.
For the salted caramel buttercream filling: In a small pot, melt the granulated sugar. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir until melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, then stir in the heavy cream and let it boil for 1 minute. Finally, add the salt. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled, in a medium bowl, cream together the rest of the butter (4 tablespoons) and powdered sugar. Then add in the cooled caramel sauce and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. Add more powdered sugar if too thin or milk if too thick, adjust as needed.
For the blackberry cheesecake filling: In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. - Once macaron shells are cool, match them up into pairs with similar size and shape, then pipe or spread a small amount of filling on one of the macaron shells and sandwich it with another shell. For the blackberry cheesecake filling macarons, add a small dollop of blackberry jam on top of the cream cheese buttercream before topping it with the second shell. Optional: Sometimes people like to dip their finished macarons in melted chocolate. I decided to give it a try (as seen in the pictures above) because it’s nice to be a tad fancy and extra, yes, as if macarons themselves aren’t fancy and extra already.
- Macarons are best enjoyed after sitting in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours so that the flavors can meld together and the texture becomes more delicate. If not consuming them all in one day, keep them stored in the refrigerator, but be sure to eat them within 3-4 days. After that, they will start to get crumbly and lose their freshness. Sometimes I find that they could last as long as 7 days in the refrigerator, but it really depends. I’d rather eat them sooner than later.
Makes 16-20 macarons.
Here are some tips to help you achieve perfect French macarons:
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before starting the recipe. This will help the egg whites whip up to the right consistency.
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together a few times to ensure that there are no lumps in your macaron mixture.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Mix until the “lava flow” consistency is reached; this means that the batter should fall from the spatula in a thick ribbon, but should still hold its shape for a few seconds before melting back into the rest of the batter.
- Let the macarons dry out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour before baking. This will ensure that they don’t crack during baking.
- Be careful not to overbake the macarons. They should be firm to the touch, but not browned.
- Fill the macarons only after they have cooled completely.
- Macarons are best after sitting in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to let the flavors meld together and the texture becomes delicate.
- Macarons can be filled with a variety of fillings: buttercream, ganache, or jam… basically whatever you desire, even ice cream! The shells can also be colored to whatever you like.
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