Synonymous with great dexterity and skill for any pastry chef, macarons are a classic of French pastry now famous throughout the world. Are we sure, however, that these oh-so-fancy, and somewhat chic, treats are only the preserve of prestigious maîtres-pâtissiers ?
It’s true, the idea of preparing them in the home kitchen may seem like a very complicated undertaking, but we’ll soon find out that it’s really not! All you need is to equip yourself with a little patience, a good dose of precision and follow a few simple steps, without ever forgetting the only rule that really counts in the kitchen: have fun!
So let’s thank our friend Massimo Aggius Vella for this colorful recipe and see how to make delicious white chocolate and raspberry macarons.
Ingredients for 24 macarons
For the dough:
- 72 g of egg whites (about 2 eggs)
- 95 g of almond flour
- 102 g of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon natural food coloring Gusto Red
For the Italian-style meringue:
- 95 g of granulated sugar
- 30 ml of water
For the ganache:
- 200 g of white chocolate
- 100 g of UHT cooking cream
- 150 g fresh raspberries
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon natural food coloring Gusto Red
Preparation
Start by combining the almond flour and powdered sugar in the container of a food processor. Operate for a couple of minutes and sift the mixture, taking care to discard any remaining lumps. Repeat the process 2 times, until you get a very fine flour.
Divide the egg whites into 2 equal parts. In a bowl, combine one part egg whites, the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture, and a teaspoon of Taste and Color RED dye. Mix firmly until the mixture is soft but firm. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand.
Now, move on to the meringue.
Preparation of Italian-style meringue
In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil, constantly measuring the temperature of the syrup with a kitchen thermometer.
Meanwhile, combine the egg whites with a teaspoon of sugar in a glass bowl. When the temperature of the syrup reaches 110 °C, whip the egg whites with electric whips.
When 118 °C is reached, turn off the heat and pour the syrup into the egg whites in a trickle. Continue whipping until the mixture has cooled, resulting in a firm, very glossy meringue.
Now, the crucial moment, the macaronage!
Take the mixture left to stand and add 2 tablespoons of meringue. Using a spatula, emulsify the mixture in bottom-up motions and add the remaining meringue.
Keep mixing gently so as not to disassemble the dough. The step is finished when you get the so-called “ribbon effect“: if you lift the spatula and your dough runs as smooth as a silk ribbon, then you’re there!
On the bottom of 2 large baking sheets, lay printed circle-shaped guides on foil (you can find many on the Internet) and cover with baking paper. Next, in a piping bag pour the newly worked mixture and, keeping it vertical at all times, create your macarons.
Let stand for half an hour, or until macarons are dry to the touch.
Preparation of the puree
Now, devote yourself to the raspberry puree and ganache.
In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries and sugar, bringing to a boil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture resembles jam. Pass the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds and make a thick, smooth sauce.
In a separate saucepan, combine the sauce with the white chocolate, cream and a teaspoon of Gusto RED from Taste and Color. Put on the heat and bring to a simmer while continuing to stir. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes and pour the ganache into a glass bowl, letting it cool to room temperature and then in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
At this point, move on to baking. Preheat the oven to 150 °C in fan mode, making sure the surface of the cookies is dry. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, and once baked, let them rest for at least half an hour.
The macarons are (almost) ready… Let’s move on to decoration and filling
For this step, the advice to follow is only one: leave room for creativity and imagination.
In our case, we brushed the surface of the cookies with some Gusto RED dye from Taste and Color: water and brush for a true French impressionist effect!
Finally, the filling. Take the ganache from the refrigerator and, with a spoon, liven up the consistency to make it creamier.
Place the mixture in a piping bag and pair the cookies according to shape and size. Squeeze a little cream between the two ends and, if the amount is right, you will get the classic filling effect of macarons.
One last step before tasting is missing: place the macarons in an airtight container and let them rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 to 48 hours before serving.
For the recipe, thanks to Massimo Aggius Vella.
