Coffee Cream Filling for Macarons

中文菜谱：马卡龙咖啡馅

I think this coffee cream filling for macarons is one of best fillings I have ever made so far O(∩_∩)O~

I replace 10g almond flour with super fine freshly ground coffee.  Instant French roast coffee and coffee rum are added to the filling for an enhanced coffee flavor.  Turns out to be so amazing!  The real trick here is to use real good dark chocolate.  It makes huge difference!

Ingredients：

1/4 cup dark chocolate (I use 90% cocoa.  Any dark chocolate between 60% to 100% should work just fine)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons instant French roast coffee
1 tablespoon rum and coffee liqueur

Directions：

Add dark chocolate, heavy cream and instant coffee to a small ceramic bowl.

Melt the chocolate, heavy cream and instant coffee in a double boiler.  Whisk occasionally for smooth texture.

Add coffee rum.  Remove from heat.  Set it aside to chill.

When the coffee cream cools down, this is what it’s going to look like, with a smooth and silky texture.

Meanwhile, I bake some coffee marcarons.

When macarons cool down to room temperature, remove them from silicone mat.  Add 1 to 2 teaspoons coffee cream filling between every two macaron shells.

Store in air-tight container and refrigerate overnight.  By doing so, macarons and their fillings will combine better and their flavors will be maximized. 

Of course, you can always enjoy them anytime you want without the waiting.  They go very well with a cup of coffee or tea O(∩_∩)O~

Apricot Filling for Macarons

中文菜谱：马卡龙甜杏酱

I have been baking a lot of macarons lately.  What a sweet obsession! O(∩_∩)O~ 

Different fillings bring different textures and flavors to macarons.  And I have been experimenting all sorts of different fillings.  Because macaron cookies are very sweet, I like macaron fillings to be moist, not too dry nor wet; mild, not too sweet nor greasy.   After lemon custard, I make apricot filling which is also very tasty and refreshing.

Ingredients：

1 cup of dried apricots
1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups of water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons pectin

Directions：

Add dried apricots and water to vitamix.  Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Add apricot puree to a small sauce pan, along with butter.  Cook over medium low heat.  Stir constantly with a wooden spoon.

Add lemon juice and pectin.  Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens up to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and allow it to cool down.

After the sauce is cooled down, spoon a couple teaspoons of filling between every two macaron cookies.

Cover with plastic wrap or store in an air-tight container.  Refrigerate overnight to maximize their texture and flavors.

Lemon Custard for Macarons

中文菜谱： 马卡龙柠檬酱夹馅

I haven’t baked macarons for a long time, mostly because they are just too sweet for my personal taste.  I bought some fresh cute yellow lemons on my last trip to grocery store.  They are perfect for making lemon custard. 

Normally lemon custard requires a large amount of butter, which intimidates me a bit.  So I experiment in my kitchen several times until I create this wonderful lemon custard recipe.  It is sour and sweet, more sourness than sweetness of course, which neutralizes the overwhelming sweetness from macaron shells.  The balance between lemon acidity and sugar is very fascinating.  I think I going to stick to lemon filling macarons for a while.  O(∩_∩)O~

Ingredients：

2 fresh lemons
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon gelatin powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 to 3 tablespoons water

Directions：

Rinse the lemons, and pat dry with kitchen towel.

Use a grater or vegetable peeler to get as much yellow lemon zest as possible. 

Cut each lemon into halves.  Juice each piece with a citrus juicer

2 lemons yield about 1/3 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice.

Light beat the egg yolks with a whisk

Fill a small bowl with water.  Sprinkle gelatin powder on top. 

Add lemon zest, butter, sugar and lemon juice to a medium sauce pan

Cook over medium low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

Slowly add lemon mixture to the egg yolks while whisking.

Transfer lemon sauce back to the sauce pan.  Add gelatin mixture.

Cook over medium low heat and keep stirring.

Lemon custard sauce will thicken.  When it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from heat.

After lemon custard cools down, it can be used as filling between macaron cookies. 

The extra lemon custard sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Microwave it for a few seconds and stir before using again.

Coco Macarons

中文： 可可马卡龙

Coco powder and chocolate go so well with macarons.  Whenever I make macarons, I have to make it with one of them.  O(∩_∩)O~

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
110 g powder sugar
45 g granulated sugar
50 g almond flour
10 g coco powder
a pinch of cream of tartar

Direction:

Combine powder sugar, coco powder and almond flour.  Pour the mixture into food processor. 

Run the process for about 10 seconds. 

Shift the flour mixture through a flour shifter or strainer.

Discard any big almond pieces.

Add cream of tartar to the egg whites.  Beat the egg white with an electric whisk.

Beat at low speed for about 1 minute.  Switch to medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes.  And then beat at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add sugar in three batches in between.  Stop beating when the stiff peak forms.

Add shifted almond flour mixture.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into egg whites.

Fold it gently until the batter can fall smoothly like a silky ribbon.

Prepare a 14 inch decorating bag with Wilton NO. 12 tip.  Use a wide mouth drinking glass to help the bag to stand up straight which will make it so much easier to pour the batter.

Fill the pastry bag with almond batter.

Line 2 cookie pans with silicone baking mats.

Squeeze a dollar coin size batter onto the silicone mat, about a quarter inch in height.   Repeat it until all the batter is finished. 

Tap the bottom of the cookie pan when done to smooth the cookie dough tops.

Let the pan sit on countertop until the surface becomes dry to touch.  It might take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the humidity around.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes. 

Allow the cookies to cool down on the silicone mats before removing them. 

Use any filling of your choice: jam, chocolate, cheese, nutella……….  Be creative! 

I love chocolate.  So I always go with chocolate gouache.  

I also make a batch of original ones.  Although there is no food coloring added, they still look pretty, don’t they? O(∩_∩)O~

Matcha Macarons

中文： 抹茶马卡龙

Yes, I am so obsessed with macarons and I always try to perfect my recipe. O (∩_∩) O~

Through experiments, I make some tiny modifications to my previous macaron recipe.  A little bit change makes huge difference in the finished products.  You can see in the picture that the feet and the skirts improve a lot.

The matcha powder I bought just arrived.  So I make a batch of matcha macarons.

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites
110 g powder sugar
45 g granulated sugar
54 g almond flour
8 g matcha powder (super fine green tea powder)
a pinch of cream of tartar

Direction:

Combine powder sugar, matcha powder and almond flour.  Pour the mixture into food processor. 

Run the process for about 10 seconds. 

Shift the flour mixture through a flour shifter or strainer.

Discard any big almond pieces.

Add cream of tartar to the egg whites.  Beat the egg whites with an electric whisk.

Beat at low speed for about 1 minute.  Switch to medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes.  And then beat at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add sugar in three batches in between.  Stop beating when the stiff peak forms.

It takes about 5 to 6 minutes beating time for the egg whites to form stiff peaks.

Add shifted almond flour mixture.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into egg whites.

Fold it gently until the batter can fall smoothly like a silky ribbon.

Prepare a 14 inch decorating bag with Wilton NO. 12 tip.  Use a wide mouth drinking glass to help the bag to stand up straight which will make it so much easier to pour the batter.

Fill the pastry bag with almond batter.

Line 2 cookie pans with silicone baking mats.

Squeeze a dollar coin size batter onto the silicone mat, about a quarter inch in height.   Repeat it until all the batter is finished. 

Tap the bottom of the cookie pan when done to smooth the cookie dough tops.

Let the pan sit on countertop until the surface becomes dry to touch.  It might take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the humidity around.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes. 

Allow the cookies to cool down on the silicone mats before removing them. 

Use any filling of your choice: jam, chocolate, cheese, nutella……….  Be creative! 

I love chocolate.  So I use chocolate gouache as the filling here.

Love the macaron feet and skirts

Time to enjoy!