Strawberry Macarons

Strawberry Macarons

The crisp outer shell and chewy, tender, melt in the mouth centre are the attributes of Macarons that in my opinion make them so addictive. The texture would make anyone with a sweet tooth weak at the knees, not to mention the variety of moreish flavours that tie in with the natural essence of almond; vanilla, chocolate, apple, blueberry, lemon, passion fruit and rosewater the list is truly endless! It was only recently that I jumped on the macaron bandwagon after having my first ever bite on a trip to Paris, after that...there was no turning back. I can now say that I can whip up a delicious macaron…but trust me…it wasn’t always that way.
When I first established that macarons were my new obsession I decided that I HAD to get a recipe and run to the kitchen. After reading it through carefully I began my first attempt. To cut a long story short, it was a disaster! The delicate delights I had tasted in Paris were the sheer opposite of the pancake, shrivelled, disappointments that sat on the greaseproof paper before me. To be honest, I knew I hadn’t followed the techniques in the recipe to the exact requirements but I never thought it would have had such consequences. Not one to be beaten, I researched further into recipes and techniques in the quest to make the perfect macaron. Reading book upon book, blog upon blog I could feel my mouth watering with anticipation. I acquired a list of precise, reliable recipes and knew that there was only one thing left to do before my second attempt…to call up my beloved Gran and get her in tow. As a truly great meringue baker, I decided she was the right candidate for the job considering the similarities in recipes. My Gran was happy to take up the challenge and before I knew it we were both standing in her kitchen, ingredients at the ready and recipe in hand. Blending almonds, blending icing sugar, whisking egg whites, folding mixtures, adding colours…sounds intense doesn’t it? But no, it was relaxing, creative and sensually fulfilling. Before we knew it we had 16 round little blobs piped on prepared baking sheets, keeping their shape and looking hopeful. Fingers crossed we left our wee beauty’s to work their magic in the half an hour they needed to stand. Coming back to see them was sheer delight when they all still stood to attention on the sheets where we had left them, no pancakes like the first time that’s for sure. Our attention was now on the very low heated oven and after 15 anxious minutes our efforts had paid off, 16 perfectly shaped, shiny shells sitting there. There was only one word to describe this moment….’Mmmmmmm’.

ready for the post

If you want to make your own successful macarons, I suggest you trust me and take into account the specific steps in my favourite fruity Macaron recipe below. Nowadays whenever i master a new macaron recipe my Gran is lucky enough to receive some tasters in the post, why don't you show off your new found talents and do the same?

Strawberry Macarons

Makes 8

You will need;
40g ground almonds
60g icing sugar, sifted
1 egg white
25g caster sugar
Pink food colouring

And for the filling;
30g unsalted butter
1.25ml vanilla extract
60g icing sugar, sifted
2 strawberries, hulled and finely chopped

Suggested Equipment;
scales
food processor
sieve
electric whisk
spatula
greaseproof paper
piping bag and nozzle
wire cooling tray


Method
1. To start off place the ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor and process for 15 seconds. Sift the mixture into a bowl and discard and fine bits of almond left in the sieve. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

the ingredients you should now have to start

2. Place the egg white in a large bowl and whisk until holding soft peaks. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar to make a firm, glossy meringue.

before addition of caster sugar

after addition of caster sugar

3. Whisk in enough food colouring to give a bright pink colour. (when using food colouring for macarons use a gel or powder based colour as liquid based colours can ruin the components of your mixture)

addition of gel based colouring

after whisking

4. Using a spatula, fold the almond mixture into the meringue one third at a time. When all the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, continue to cut and fold the mixture until it forms a shiny batter with a thick, ribbon-like consistency.

addition of almond mixture one third at a time 

after folding, thick ribbon-like consistency

5. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1-cm plain nozzle. Pipe 16 small rounds onto the prepared baking sheets. Tap the underside of the baking tray firmly with the palm of your hand to remove any air bubbles. If you have little points on your macarons, dampen your finger and gently smooth them down. Leave the macaroons at room temperature for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 160oC/ Gas Mark 3.

ready to pipe

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. (Check after 5-6mins- if they are over browning, reduce the oven temperature slightly. Check again after 10mins. The macarons are ready when they have a crisp shell and the frilly foot at the base does not wobble when the shells are gently lifted from the paper. If the bases are still soft and sticky, return the trays to the oven for a further few minutes, leaving the door ajar.) Cool for 10minutes then carefully peel the macarons off the baking paper leaving them to cool completely on a wire cooling tray.

after cooked

7. To make the filling, beat the butter and vanilla extract in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth and creamy then fold in the strawberries. Use the buttercream to sandwich pairs of macarons together. Eat and Enjoy.

Note: Macarons will keep fresh refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 3 days.