Raspberry French Macarons
Macarons involve a few steps—this recipe is geared to the beginner baker, so all you’ll need is a bit of patience, and you’ll find yourself with a plate full of delicious fruity macarons.
Ingredients
For the Macaron Shells:
1 cup almond flour
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Food coloring (optional)
For the Raspberry Filling:
1/2 cup fresh raspberries* (note: if using raspberry preserves instead of fresh raspberries, use a generous 1/2 cup of preserves, and omit the filling ingredients and instructions)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Step 1: Preparing the Macaron Batter
First, sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together in a bowl.
Next, in a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar, which helps stabilize the egg whites. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar while beating until you achieve stiff peaks. The mixture should look glossy and hold its shape.
Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. (Red/pink is the obvious choice for raspberry macarons.)
Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites in two to three additions. Be careful not to overmix; the batter should flow like easily and smoothly, so be patient.
Step 2: Filling the Macarons
Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe small circles, about 1.5 inches in diameter.
Leave sufficient space between each macaron to allow for them to spread slightly while baking.
After adding the mix, let the macarons rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. (Be patient with this step, as it allows a slight crust to form on the cookies.)
Step 3: Baking the Macarons
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
Bake the macarons for 15-20 minutes. (Look for the macarons to have risen and developed the ruffled edges at the bottom to know when they’re done baking.)
Cool completely on the baking sheet before attempting to remove them. This cooling step ensures they don’t break apart.
Step 4: Making the Raspberry Filling*
(*if using prepared raspberry preserves, use a generous 1/2 cup and skip this step)
Prepare the raspberry filling while the macarons are cooling.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the fresh raspberries until they break down and become syrupy, which should take about 5 minutes. Once cooked, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a very fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and let it cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the cooled raspberry puree and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
Step 5: Assembling the Raspberry-Filled Macarons
Pair up the macaron shells by size. Take one shell and pipe a small amount of raspberry filling onto the flat side. Gently press another shell on top to create a delightful sandwich. Once assembled, place the macarons in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to set the flavor and texture.
Enjoy!
