Maria Sobinina - French Macarons Recipes: Dessert Baking Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE SHELLS:

1 Cup Almond flour , finely ground

1 Cups Sugar , cane, white, powdered

1 Cup Sugar , cane, white, granulated

Cup Blueberries , fresh or frozen

and teaspoons Salt, sea, fine

Eggs , whites

teaspoon Vanilla, extract, pure

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FILLING:

8 Oz Butter , unsalted, softened

2 Cups Sugar , powdered, sifted

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla, extract, pure

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: (optional)

1 Cup Chocolate , dark, bakers

Cups Sugar , white, cane, powdered

Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla , pure, extract

teaspoon Salt , sea, fine

EQUIPMENT:

Small, medium and (2) large mixing bowls, Saucepan, Heatproof bowl, Baking sheet, Parchment paper, Stand mixer, equipped with the paddle attachments, Food scale or measuring cups set, Pastry piping bag, inch round piping tip, Cooling rack, Cake decorating piping tips and bags (optional).

PREPARATION:

MAKE THE MACARONS:

Step 1: Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and teaspoons of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until all is combines. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: If you use frozen blueberries, place them into a small mixing bowl and set outside to fully thaw. Mash blueberries with a fork in a small mixing bowl.

Step 3: In a bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites and a teaspoon of salt. Beat with a paddle attachment until stiff peaks start to form. Gradually add granulated sugar. Keep mixing until fully incorporated. Add mashed blueberries and vanilla extract and beat again. In the end, you will have stiff peaks that won't leak out if you turn the bowl upside down.

Step 4: Little at a time, add almond flour mixture to egg mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula until all is combined. In the end, the batter will flow but will be quite thick.

Step 5: Transfer the batter into a pastry piping bag equipped with a inch piping tip.

Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe batter into 1-inch circles, space each circle 1 inch apart. Tap the baking sheet against a table or counter top several times to release any air bubbles. Leave on a countertop for 15-20 minutes to rise and set.

Step 7: Preheat the oven to 300F. Place the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 15-17 minutes, flip half time.

Transfer into a cooling rack and let macarons cool completely.

MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM FILLING:

Step 1: In a bowl of a stand mixer, add softened butter and beat it with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.

Step 2: Sift in the powdered sugar and continue beating until the sugar is fully incorporated. Add vanilla extract and beat again. Little by little, add heavy cream until you achieve the desired consistency.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: (optional)

Step 1: Place chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a water bath. Heat over low-medium heat until the chocolate melts. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2: Place heavy cream into a bowl of stand mixer. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until cream becomes soft and fluffy.

Step 3: Add chocolate, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 30-45 seconds to combine. Set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE MACARONS:

Step 1: Transfer the buttercream filling unto the piping bag.

Step 2: Add just enough of buttercream on top of the macaron shell. Cover it with another macaron shell. Place into a plate.

Repeat for all macarons until they are all filled.

DECORATE THE MACARONS: (optional)

Step 1: Place the piping tip onto a pastry bag. Add the chocolate glaze into the pastry bag. Pipe the glaze and decorate the top of each macaron with chocolate. Place into the fridge to cool for one hour.

Step 2: Use cake decorating tools to decorate the top of the macarons. You can make more buttercream and use the buttercream to decorate the tops of macarons. Place buttercream into the fridge for one hour to cool.

Step 3: Once you are ready to decorate your macarons using piping tips and bags, remove the cooled buttercream from the fridge.

Place cooled buttercream into a piping bag and start piping swirls and flowers. You can also add food coloring. (We recommend using natural food coloring instead of artificial colors).

Store Macarons with Buttercream Filling in the refrigerator for up to one week or up to one month in the freezer.

You may have extra filling left. You can freeze it and use it in other baking projects. The filling will keep for up to one month in the freezer. Defreeze and beat the filling with the paddle attachment before using.