Making strawberry macarons is a great way to enjoy a delicious treat with the added flavor of strawberries. These delicate, meringue-based cookies are a French classic and can be filled with all sorts of different flavors. When it comes to strawberry macarons, the strawberry flavor can come from either fresh or freeze-dried strawberries. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner, these simple steps will help you make delicious strawberry macarons.To make strawberry macarons, you will need:
– 2/3 cup ground almonds
– 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
– 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
– 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
– 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
– Pink food coloring (optional)
– 1/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
– Parchment paper
How to Prepare the Macaron Batter
Preparing the macaron batter is an essential process for making macarons. The batter can be tricky to make, but with the right technique and ingredients, you can make a perfect macaron every time. Here are some tips on how to prepare the macaron batter:
Ingredients: The key ingredients for making macarons are almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and food colorings or flavorings. You will also need a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe.
Mixing: Begin by sifting together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl. This helps to ensure that there are no lumps in your batter. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy. Then add in the cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Combining:
Gently fold in half of the almond flour mixture into the egg whites and mix until just combined. Then add in the remaining almond flour mixture and fold until you have a smooth paste-like consistency. If desired, you can add food colorings or flavorings at this stage as well.
Piping:
Once your batter is ready, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or plain tip (depending on your preference). Pipe small circles onto parchment-lined baking sheets and allow them to sit for 30 minutes before baking. This will help create that signature chewy texture of macarons!
By following these steps carefully, you will be able to make perfect macaron batter every time!
How to Color the Macaron Batter
Coloring macaron batter is a great way to create unique and interesting looking macarons. There are several different methods for coloring your macaron batter, depending on what type of color you want and how intense you want it to be. One of the most popular ways to add color is using food coloring, either liquid or gel. To use food coloring, simply add a few drops or a small amount of gel directly into the batter and mix until evenly distributed. You can also use natural ingredients like freeze-dried fruits, herbs, spices, nuts, and more for a more subtle effect. Simply grind these ingredients into a powder and mix it into the batter. You can even combine multiple colors for a unique look. For example, adding some blueberry powder with some raspberry powder will produce a beautiful purple hue. Experiment with different combinations to find the perfect color for your macarons!
Another method for color macaron batter is using cocoa powder or melted chocolate. Cocoa powder is an easy way to give your macarons a rich brown color that can be combined with other colors for an even more interesting look. Simply add the cocoa powder in small amounts until you achieve the desired shade. If you prefer melted chocolate, simply melt it down in a double boiler and mix it into the batter until evenly distributed. Again, this is another great way to combine multiple colors together for an even more unique look.
No matter which method you choose for coloring your macaron batter, make sure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated before baking to ensure that your colors don’t bleed out during baking. With these tips in mind, have fun experimenting with different colors and combinations to create beautiful and delicious macarons!
Gather Ingredients and Tools
Before you begin, it is important to make sure you have all the necessary ingredients and tools. For macaron shells, you will need almond flour, icing sugar, egg whites, granulated sugar, and food coloring. You will also need a food processor or blender to grind the almond flour and icing sugar together, an electric mixer to whip the egg whites with the granulated sugar until stiff peaks form, a pastry bag for piping the batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats, and an offset spatula for smoothing out any bumps or ridges in the piped shells.
Prepare Macaron Batter
Once you have all the necessary ingredients and tools ready, start by grinding together the almond flour and icing sugar in a food processor or blender. This should take about 1 minute until a fine powder is achieved. Next, whip egg whites with granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. This usually takes 5 minutes on medium-high speed with an electric mixer. Gently fold in the almond flour mixture with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Finally, add food coloring if desired and continue folding until a thick batter is formed that falls slowly off of your spatula when lifted up.
Pipe Macaron Shells
When ready to pipe your macaron shells onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats, fill a pastry bag fitted with your desired tip (usually a round one) with half of your prepared batter. Hold it perpendicular to your baking sheet at an angle of approximately 45° while applying even pressure while squeezing out small circles about 1 inch (2 cm) in diameter until all of the batter has been used up. After piping all of your macaron shells onto baking sheets, rap each sheet firmly against the countertop 5-6 times to release any air bubbles trapped inside of them before allowing them to rest for 20-30 minutes so that a thin film forms on their surfaces before baking.
Ingredients
Making macaron shells requires a few simple ingredients: almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, egg whites, and salt. To make the macarons more flavorful, you can also add food coloring and flavorings such as vanilla extract or almond extract. Additionally, you will need a mixer and two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Instructions
The first step is to mix together the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl. Then, in a separate bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sugar to the egg whites and continue to beat until glossy and thick. Finally, fold in the almond flour mixture until it is fully incorporated into the egg whites.
Once the ingredients are mixed together, spoon small portions of the batter onto the baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Using a spoon or spatula, shape each portion of batter into a circle about 1 inch in diameter. Allow them to sit for 15-20 minutes so they form a skin on top of each shell.
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). When ready to bake, place both baking sheets in preheated oven on separate racks and bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around edges. Remove from oven and allow shells to cool completely before removing from parchment paper.
Your macaron shells are now ready! They can be filled with different types of cream fillings such as buttercreams or ganaches for a delicious treat!
How to Make the Strawberry Buttercream Filling
Making a strawberry buttercream filling is an easy and delicious way to add flavor and sweetness to any cake or cupcake. This delicious treat is made with fresh strawberries, butter, and powdered sugar. To make the filling, start by washing and hulling the strawberries. Cut them into small pieces and then mash them into a paste using a fork or potato masher. Once mashed, add in softened butter and mix until combined. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached. Stir until everything is fully combined. The strawberry buttercream filling can now be used to fill cakes or cupcakes for an extra special treat!
Assembling the Strawberry Macarons
Strawberry macarons are a delightful and eye-catching treat that can be served as a dessert or as an afternoon snack. Assembling these delicious treats is surprisingly easy, and can be done with items that are likely already in your kitchen. To get started, you will need to gather the following ingredients: almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, strawberry preserves, and buttercream frosting.
Once you have gathered all the necessary ingredients for your strawberry macarons, it is time to begin assembling them. Start by gently folding almond flour and powdered sugar together in a bowl until they are thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the almond flour mixture until everything is well combined.
Using a pastry bag or a spoon, carefully spoon the mixture onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets in round circles about two inches wide. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top. Allow to cool before moving on to the next step.
Once your macaron shells have cooled completely, it is time to assemble them with their tasty filling! Place a teaspoon of strawberry preserves onto one half of each macaron shell and spread it out evenly to cover the entire surface area. Place a dollop of buttercream frosting onto the other half of each shell and spread evenly as well. Carefully press both halves together until they stick together completely.
Your strawberry macarons are now complete! Serve immediately for maximum flavor or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days. Enjoy!
Making Macaron Shells
Macaron shells are the most important part of making perfect strawberry macarons. Start by sifting together almond flour, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks and then gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until everything is combined. Add some food coloring to achieve the desired pink color for your macarons. Finally, transfer the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe 1-inch circles onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cookie. Let them sit for 30 minutes before baking so that they can form a film on top.
Filling
For the filling, beat together softened butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Then add in some strawberry jam and mix it in until it’s well combined. Fill a pastry bag with the strawberry filling, pipe it onto half of your cooled macaron shells, and top them off with their matching halves.
Baking
Bake your macarons at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until they are slightly brown on top. Let them cool completely before serving or storing them in an airtight container.
Tips for Perfect Macarons
Here are some tips to help you make perfect strawberry macarons: Make sure you sift all of your dry ingredients twice; use liquid food coloring instead of gel food coloring as it can leave streaks; when folding in the dry ingredients, do not over mix as this can cause air bubbles; let your macarons rest before baking so that they form a film on top; finally, store them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out.
Conclusion
Making strawberry macarons is a delightful way to indulge your sweet tooth and show off your baking skills. While the recipe may seem intimidating at first, following these steps will help you make macarons that are light, flavorful, and beautiful. After making the basic meringue cookie shells and creating a ganache filling, you can flavor it with any type of fruit preserves or jam that you’d like.
The most important step in the process is to be patient. Allow yourself plenty of time to get familiar with the recipe before starting to make them. Follow each step carefully and pay attention to detail for the best results. With a little practice, you’ll be able to easily create delicious strawberry macarons for your friends and family to enjoy!
Happy baking!
