Mandarin Orange Macarons
Delicate almond macarons filled with a bright, creamy mandarin orange buttercream.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 85 g almond flour
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 90 g egg whites room temperature and aged
- 80 g granulated sugar
- Orange gel food coloring
- 115 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 135 g powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp mandarin orange zest
- 2 tbsp mandarin orange juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, making sure the paper lies flat, and set aside.
- Sift the almond flour and 150 g powdered sugar together through a mesh sieve, discarding any large bits. Repeat the sifting once more and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they look frothy, like cappuccino foam.
- Gradually add the granulated sugar in three additions while beating on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add a small amount of orange gel food coloring and continue beating until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks.
- Gently fold half of the almond flour mixture into the meringue with a spatula until mostly combined.
- Add the remaining almond flour mixture and continue folding in a gentle figure-eight motion until the batter flows off the spatula in a smooth ribbon that slowly disappears back into itself.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 1-inch circles onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Firmly tap the baking sheets on the counter several times to release any air bubbles from the batter.
- Let the piped shells rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until the tops are dry to the touch and no longer sticky.
- Heat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 15 to 16 minutes, until the shells have developed feet and release cleanly from the parchment when gently lifted.
- Allow the macaron shells to cool completely on the baking sheets before filling.
- For the buttercream, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy.
- Gradually add 135 g powdered sugar, mixing on low to medium speed until smooth and fully combined.
- Beat in the vanilla bean paste and mandarin orange zest until evenly distributed.
- Add the mandarin orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing until the buttercream is smooth and thick yet pipeable.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip or round tip.
- Match the cooled macaron shells in pairs by size. Flip one shell of each pair over and pipe a small dollop of mandarin buttercream in the center, leaving a narrow border around the edge.
- Gently place the second shell on top and twist slightly to spread the filling to the edges without squeezing it out.
- Arrange the filled macarons in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to mature before serving. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Age the egg whites by separating them at least 24 hours in advance and storing them covered in the refrigerator, then bring them to room temperature before whipping.
- Proper macaronage is key: stop folding the batter as soon as it flows in a slow, continuous ribbon; overmixing can cause flat shells.
- Proper macaronage is key: stop folding the batter as soon as it flows in a slow, continuous ribbon; overmixing can cause flat shells.