We’re going for the macaron trifecta today with this recipe! This macaron batter is a bit more temperamental, but well worth the effort as your kitchen will smell like rich cocoa while they are baking. I’ve paired these with a raspberry and cream cheese filling that is also great as a cake filling, and since you’re likely to have some left over, you might plan on making a lovely vanilla cake tomorrow.
Ingredients
- 4 Large Egg Whites
- Pinch of Cream of Tartar
- 3 tbsp. White Sugar
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/8 tsp. Salt
- 3 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa
- Nonpareils (optional)
- 4 oz. (half-package) Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (half-stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 1/3 cup Raspberry Preserves
- About 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 6-8 Drops Red Food Coloring
Directions
- Place egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and allow the egg whites to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place 2 cups powdered sugar, almond flour, salt, and cocoa in a food processor, and pulse until completely combined.
- Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
- Increase speed to high, and gradually beat in sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the egg whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
- Gently fold almond flour mixture into whipped egg whites until thoroughly incorporated. (You will know it is mixed enough when it turns shiny and has the consistency of molten lava.)
- Spoon meringue into a pastry bag with a round tip.
- Pipe 1-1/2 inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. (Be as consistent as possible, not only so that they all bake completely, but also to make them easy to pair up when you assemble them into little sandwiches.)
- After all macarons on a sheet have been piped, lift the baking sheet up a few inches, with your thumbs holding the parchment paper down, and slam the sheet down on the counter top several times. (This removes any air bubbles from the cookies, and creates the iconic macaron “foot”.)
- Sprinkle each macaron with just a few nonpareils. (Optional)
- Let the macarons stand at room temperature until the shiny surfaces become dull and a thin skin forms, about 30 minutes.
- Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and place a heat-proof spoon in the oven door to keep it open just a smidgen.
- Bake until the macarons’ surfaces are completely dry, about 25-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the bake.
- When baked, remove from oven and lift the entire sheet of parchment paper, with the macarons attached off the baking sheet, and place on a baking rack to cool. (Note: If re-using a baking sheet that has already been in the oven for another batch, ensure that it is completely cool before piping more macarons onto it.)
- Once all macarons are completely cool, gently peel the parchment paper from the cookies.
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter or margarine until smooth.
- Add raspberry preserves and food coloring, and blend until well combined.
- Gradually add about 3 cups powdered sugar, until the filling reaches a thick consistency suitable for piping.
- Refrigerate filling.
- When ready to assemble, pair macarons of similar size.
- Remove the filling from the refrigerator, stir briefly, and spoon into a pastry bag with a round tip.
- Pipe about a teaspoon filling into the center of one of each pair of macarons. (Each blob of filling should be about the size of a grape.)
- Put the second of each pair of macarons on the top of the piped filling, and very gently press down, creating a sandwich.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.