Lemon Macarons

Posted on September 18, 2013 Updated on September 18, 2013

Now I’ve done a lot of research on macaroons.  Alright, it’s not like I’ve done a dissertation on the topic but I’ve done comparisons on lots of different recipes.  And what I’ve found is that all the recipes are pretty much exactly the same.  Well, not exactly — they do differ on different flavorings and whatnot.  But since the base recipe is pretty simple and standard, you can get a little creative with flavorings.

Of course, “lemon” isn’t exactly creative, but I had some lemons in the fridge already so that was an easy choice for me.  Plus, the zest won’t really change the moisture content of the ingredients.

But let me backtrack a little bit.  If you don’t know what macarons are, they are those really colorful, round, meringue-based, French cookies that looks so intimidating to make but really aren’t.  They have some specific requirements though.  Anyhoo, here’s what you’ll need. . .

For the cookies:

• 3/4 c. almond flour
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 2 egg whites
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 1/4 c. superfine sugar
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• yellow food coloring (optional)
• lemon oil (optional)

1.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar together twice.  Set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, start to whip until foamy.  Then add the cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks.

3.  Once you get soft peaks, start gradually adding the superfine sugar with the mixer on low.  Then continue to whip on high after all the sugar has been incorporated until you get stiff peaks.  Add the food coloring and lemon oil (if using) and whip until combined.

4.  Add the zest and flour mixture in three batches, folding well each time.  Continue folding until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

5.  Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.  Pipe into small circles, about 3/4 inches across.  Rap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles (I don’t think I did that hard enough this time).  Now let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

6.  Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 10 – 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly browned.  Cool for about 10 minutes on the pan, then peel off parchment and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Set aside whilst you make the filling.

For the filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 c. superfine sugar
• 1 t. vanilla

In the bowl of a mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.

Assemble the cookies by matching up similarly sized cookies.  Spread a small amount of the filling on one of the matching pair and sandwich them together.  Serve immediately.

Notes — I could not find the piping tip that I needed so these didn’t exactly look the way I wanted. . . Try not to diddle with them too much after you pipe them. . . Now I made a lot of filling for this (again, I had a brick of cream cheese available) — just cut it in half, or just make a double batch of cookies, or just use it to make a cheesecake, or schmear it on a bagel. . . I have read that you should age your egg whites.  Not sure why.  Haven’t done it before.  Maybe I’ll try that out just to see what differences there are. . . I’m also not sure you’ll need the cream of tartar, but whenever I make a meringue I always throw some in there. . .