Raspberry Macarons
Light, bakery-style raspberry macarons with bright, tangy raspberry buttercream.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for meringue
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup finely ground blanched almond flour
- 2 to 3 drops pink or red gel food coloring optional
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar for buttercream
- 1/4 cup raspberry puree or seedless raspberry jam
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and fit a piping bag with a round tip; set aside.
- Wipe the inside of your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a paper towel lightly dampened with vinegar or lemon juice to remove any grease.
- In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together twice, discarding any large bits left in the sieve.
- In the clean mixing bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on medium speed until foamy.
- With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle in 1/3 cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the meringue reaches stiff, glossy peaks.
- Add gel food coloring, if using, and beat just until the color is evenly combined.
- Add one third of the almond flour mixture to the meringue and gently fold with a spatula, turning the bowl and pressing some of the batter against the sides to deflate slightly.
- Repeat with the remaining almond flour mixture in two additions, folding until the batter flows off the spatula in a thick ribbon and disappears back into itself within about 10 seconds.
- Transfer the macaron batter to the prepared piping bag and pipe even circles, about 1 1/2 inches wide, onto the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Firmly tap each baking sheet several times on the counter to release air bubbles, then use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles on the surface.
- Let the piped shells rest at room temperature until they form a dry, matte skin on top and your fingertip does not pick up batter when touched lightly, about 20 to 40 minutes.
- While the shells rest, preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake one tray at a time for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking, until the shells have risen and formed feet and the tops look set.
- Allow the shells to cool completely on the baking sheets, then gently peel them from the parchment or mats and pair similar sizes together.
- To make the raspberry buttercream, beat the softened butter with 2 tbsp granulated sugar and a pinch of salt until light and creamy.
- Add the raspberry puree or jam, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste and beat until smooth and fully combined.
- If the buttercream seems too soft, beat in 1 to 2 tbsp of powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it holds its shape.
- Transfer the buttercream to a clean piping bag fitted with a small round or star tip.
- Pipe a small mound of raspberry buttercream onto the flat side of one shell from each pair.
- Gently press and twist a second shell on top to create a sandwich, pressing just until the filling spreads to the edges.
- Place the filled macarons in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours for the texture and flavor to mature.
- Bring the macarons to room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use finely ground, blanched almond flour for the smoothest macaron shells.
- Proper macaronage is key; stop folding when the batter flows like thick lava and settles smoothly.
- Resting the shells until they form a skin helps create feet and prevents cracking.
- Unfilled shells can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 1 month in an airtight container.
- Filled macarons keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; serve at room temperature for the best texture.
- Proper macaronage is key; stop folding when the batter flows like thick lava and settles smoothly.
- Resting the shells until they form a skin helps create feet and prevents cracking.
- Unfilled shells can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 1 month in an airtight container.
- Filled macarons keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; serve at room temperature for the best texture.