I know it's only my second post and I'm already onto something sweet. You know how people ask if one likes to bake or cook? Well, I honestly love both as equally as I love my 3 daughters equally. (However, I'm sure that could spark some lively debate).
When the wait staff at any given restaurant asks me if I need sugar with my coffee I always retort, "No, I'm sweet enough already". Truth of the matter is I am way more sass than sweet! I am however, a mouthful of sweet teeth wrapped up in an ever expanding sassy red-headed package. Usually around 3:00 I'm craving a little something sweet and a cup of coffee. In the old days I was all about chocolate but now... I love me some lemon! So in honor of today's 3:00 need and my ever providing Meyer lemon tree, I bring you...
Lemon Macarons with lemon cream filling
I got about 3 doz. 2 bite sized sandwiches out of this recipe
Macarons
2c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. almond meal (I use Trader Joe's, Bob's Red Mill also makes one, or grind your own in the food processor)
the zest of 2 small/med lemons
pinch of salt
3 egg whites (make sure they are room temp)
1/4 granulated sugar
Filling
6 oz. softened cream cheese
4oz. softened but not melted! butter
juice of 1/2 of a lemon you zested or about 1T.
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-2T. lemon marmalade (I will share my recipe later but (as Ina, the Contessa would say) store bought is fine or omit and use a little more zest about 1T.)
First thing is to separate your egg whites into a nice deep mixing bowl. I find the best way to separate eggs is to crack the egg with one hand and place it into your other very clean hand with your fingers almost closed. Let the whites run into the bowl and put the remaining yolk into a container for another use. Wash your hands again Silly! If your my dogs, this is what you lie in wait for...they love an egg yolk treat!
Now onto the dry. Measure your powdered sugar into a fine mesh strainer or sifter and sift into a bigger bowl. You might need to use a spoon to gently push the sugar through. Measure your almond meal and also run it through the fine mesh. You will end up with a couple tablespoons of almond
meal which is too course, get rid of that or give it to the awaiting dogs another time as another treat!
Add the pinch of salt and zest the lemon with a fine zester right in with the dry ingredients. Use a fork to stir the zest and salt into the mix.
Beat your egg whites with a mixer but if you don't have one, you can do it by hand with a whisk and get a good workout at the same time. Really I have done it, it is possible...don't give up! As your egg whites begin to get fluffy, SLOWLY pour in the granulated sugar in a slow steady stream. Keep beating until you form stiff peaks. Do not over beat or you will get dry whites. Stop frequently to check your peaks by pulling out the beater or whisk. When you pull it out and put the egg whites to the sky the peaks should stand up straight like so.
If the peaks have a little curly q like the Grinch's mountain (a Seuss reference) then they need a wee bit more beating.
Now adding a third of the dry at a time, gently fold your dry into your whipped egg whites. I find the best way to do this is to place 1/3 rd dry right onto the middle of the egg whites and using a rubber scraper, cut an X through the dry and then gently scrape from the bottom to bring the bottom up over the top. Repeat and keep incorporating be careful not to kill those beautiful egg whites. They will lose some volume but overall you should have the sense of a now slightly denser cloud forming.
Scoop the incorporated mix into a pastry bag or as I did, in my apartment kitchen , a gallon zipper bag, and cut off a small bit of the corner like 1/2" up. Too big of a snip will not allow you to have control when piping the macarons.
Now you are ready to form the macarons. Remember they will spread a little while sitting and baking so go a little smaller than you want the finished product to be. Personally, I think a 2 bite macaron is sublime! Any bigger is just going back to the over the top decadence of the 80's! It wasn't pretty then nor is it now!!! Make sure to leave some space and try to get them somewhat uniform. As I have told you before and will continue to tell you a Silpat is a must in the kitchen. You will see just about anything put in the oven on a cookie sheet or jelly roll is on a Silpat. Tell Santa you want one. Until then use the ez release foil or parchment paper and you might want to use baking release spray. After you pipe your macarons onto the baking sheet, use a small drop of water on your finger to smooth out each macaron and push the peaks down so you create the nice little flat cushion top. Like the row on the right
Let the macarons sit out for about an hour. They need to lose some of their sheen and develop a bit of a crust which will allow them to bake with that perfect smooth top.
Meanwhile, you can work on the filling...
In a mixing bowl, using your hand mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together. You should have a nice frosting consistency. Add in the juice 1 tsp at a time making sure the frosting doesn't get too thin. Stir in the marmalade. Chill while the macarons are baking. If your frosting is a little too thin, beat in 2 T. more softened butter and add some powdered sugar as needed. If you need to amp up the lemon, add some zest to the frosting.
When the macarons have a nice crust to them and don't stick to your finger when you touch them, you are ready to bake them. Preheat you oven to 300F and once it is heated, bake the macarons for 14-17 mins. until they have puffed up and are slightly golden all over with nice golden bottoms. Let them cool completely before removing them from the baking pan.
Once cooled, you can fill them with a dollop of frosting/filling in the middle and squish together to make a sandwich. You can keep the unfilled macarons in a covered container or freeze them until you wish to fill them and share them. Since the frosting had dairy in it, I don't recommend them sitting out beyond the day you are going to consume them. But you can make a big batch and fill them as needed.
You might want to experiment with different flavors and fillings by just subbing out them lemon with whatever you wish in the macaron batter. Maybe grind some toasted pistachios in with the almonds and fill with a hazelnut spread or use your favorite caramel in a salted caramel version... the Varieties are limited by your imagination and sweet teeth!
Enjoy!!!
xo MamaP
When the wait staff at any given restaurant asks me if I need sugar with my coffee I always retort, "No, I'm sweet enough already". Truth of the matter is I am way more sass than sweet! I am however, a mouthful of sweet teeth wrapped up in an ever expanding sassy red-headed package. Usually around 3:00 I'm craving a little something sweet and a cup of coffee. In the old days I was all about chocolate but now... I love me some lemon! So in honor of today's 3:00 need and my ever providing Meyer lemon tree, I bring you...
Lemon Macarons with lemon cream filling
I got about 3 doz. 2 bite sized sandwiches out of this recipe
Macarons
2c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. almond meal (I use Trader Joe's, Bob's Red Mill also makes one, or grind your own in the food processor)
the zest of 2 small/med lemons
pinch of salt
3 egg whites (make sure they are room temp)
1/4 granulated sugar
Filling
6 oz. softened cream cheese
4oz. softened but not melted! butter
juice of 1/2 of a lemon you zested or about 1T.
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-2T. lemon marmalade (I will share my recipe later but (as Ina, the Contessa would say) store bought is fine or omit and use a little more zest about 1T.)
First thing is to separate your egg whites into a nice deep mixing bowl. I find the best way to separate eggs is to crack the egg with one hand and place it into your other very clean hand with your fingers almost closed. Let the whites run into the bowl and put the remaining yolk into a container for another use. Wash your hands again Silly! If your my dogs, this is what you lie in wait for...they love an egg yolk treat!
 |
| "Uhm.. Hey Mom, whatchya gonna do with those egg yolks?" |
meal which is too course, get rid of that or give it to the awaiting dogs another time as another treat!
Add the pinch of salt and zest the lemon with a fine zester right in with the dry ingredients. Use a fork to stir the zest and salt into the mix.
Beat your egg whites with a mixer but if you don't have one, you can do it by hand with a whisk and get a good workout at the same time. Really I have done it, it is possible...don't give up! As your egg whites begin to get fluffy, SLOWLY pour in the granulated sugar in a slow steady stream. Keep beating until you form stiff peaks. Do not over beat or you will get dry whites. Stop frequently to check your peaks by pulling out the beater or whisk. When you pull it out and put the egg whites to the sky the peaks should stand up straight like so.
If the peaks have a little curly q like the Grinch's mountain (a Seuss reference) then they need a wee bit more beating.
Now adding a third of the dry at a time, gently fold your dry into your whipped egg whites. I find the best way to do this is to place 1/3 rd dry right onto the middle of the egg whites and using a rubber scraper, cut an X through the dry and then gently scrape from the bottom to bring the bottom up over the top. Repeat and keep incorporating be careful not to kill those beautiful egg whites. They will lose some volume but overall you should have the sense of a now slightly denser cloud forming.
Scoop the incorporated mix into a pastry bag or as I did, in my apartment kitchen , a gallon zipper bag, and cut off a small bit of the corner like 1/2" up. Too big of a snip will not allow you to have control when piping the macarons.
Meanwhile, you can work on the filling...
In a mixing bowl, using your hand mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together. You should have a nice frosting consistency. Add in the juice 1 tsp at a time making sure the frosting doesn't get too thin. Stir in the marmalade. Chill while the macarons are baking. If your frosting is a little too thin, beat in 2 T. more softened butter and add some powdered sugar as needed. If you need to amp up the lemon, add some zest to the frosting.
When the macarons have a nice crust to them and don't stick to your finger when you touch them, you are ready to bake them. Preheat you oven to 300F and once it is heated, bake the macarons for 14-17 mins. until they have puffed up and are slightly golden all over with nice golden bottoms. Let them cool completely before removing them from the baking pan.
Once cooled, you can fill them with a dollop of frosting/filling in the middle and squish together to make a sandwich. You can keep the unfilled macarons in a covered container or freeze them until you wish to fill them and share them. Since the frosting had dairy in it, I don't recommend them sitting out beyond the day you are going to consume them. But you can make a big batch and fill them as needed.
You might want to experiment with different flavors and fillings by just subbing out them lemon with whatever you wish in the macaron batter. Maybe grind some toasted pistachios in with the almonds and fill with a hazelnut spread or use your favorite caramel in a salted caramel version... the Varieties are limited by your imagination and sweet teeth!
Enjoy!!!
xo MamaP
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