Lemon Meringue Pie Macarons

Oh to master the dreaded macaron....

I feel like I am a pretty decent baker, but I knew I could not consider myself as such until I took on the MACARON--the delightfully airy, sweet, crunchy, and chewy delectable treat...that costs a minimum of $2.50 per cookie!

I had heard they were tricky, but the first one I ever had I didn't really care for, so I thought, "Well, I don't really like them, so what's the point in learning how to make them?"  Then someone forced me into having a good great one, and it was on like Donkey Kong!

 

 

I tried on FIVE different occasions with FIVE different recipes to perfect my macarons.  First try: the tops cracked.  Second try: No feet.  Third try: burnt.  Fourth try: my boyfriend brought home this ridiculous book from the library all about macarons, but with the Italian method of making them...these were an absolute disaster (burnt, no feet, basically nothing good!) Fifth try: If all else fails, go for the lady that had to spend time in prison...she had lots of time to contemplate her macaron recipe--Thanks Martha Stewart!!! Perfection!  Beautiful, shiny, lovely feet, and deliciously tasty!!!

 

 

I am now obsessed with making macarons in any and every flavour imaginable, and I must say the Lemon Meringue Pie macarons are my best yet!  (So I featured them here in my pictures!)

French Macaron:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup almond flour (regular flour cannot be substituted)
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• Pinch cream of tartar (optional)
• 1/4 cup super-fine/caster sugar
• Your flavouring and/or colour of choice (try to use paste colourings rather than liquid, but a little liquid colouring is ok and won't effect the batter.
• For the lemon meringue macarons, use the zest of one lemon

You MUST have all ingredients measured and ready before you begin if you want these cookies to work.  Also, it would be a good idea to get your piping bag ready for use, and if you are a perfectionist, get your circle template prepped so that you have equally sized cookies.  Line two pans with baking paper (silpat works too). Separate the eggs whites and keep at room temperature until ready to incorporate.

1. Combine the powdered sugar and almond flour in a bowl.  Sift the two ingredients together twice.
2. In a second bowl, whip the room-temperature egg whites on high with a mixer until foamy and then add the cream of tartar. Slowly stream in the superfine sugar and whip until stiff and shiny, about 2 minutes on high.
3. Gently fold in the food coloring and/or flavor extract of your choice, and the sugar and flour mixture into the egg white mixture. (Only a few drops of food coloring or flavor extract are needed. Add one drop at a time with the mixer on until the whites reach the colour you want.) Fold the ingredients as little as possible until it is smooth, shiny and slightly runny. If it holds its form, it is under mixed. It should look like a cake batter almost with the same sort of consistency.Scoop into piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
4. Pipe onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, holding the piping bag in one place while applying pressure. Release pressure when a 1” cookie has been formed and gently swirl the tip out of the mixture without forming a peak. This will allow the cookie to remain smooth on top. Let stand at room temperature 30-40 minutes.(Start preheating your oven at this point)
5. Bake in preheated oven at 325F/155C for 5-10 minutes, until cookies are firm and crisp. Be sure to keep a close eye on the cookies – they should not brown on top. Remove cookies from oven and cool on the baking paper.  (They will crumble if you try to move them straight away)
6. Fill with your desired filling (a buttercream, ganache, etc.) or if you are after the Lemon Meringue Macarons....READ ON!

Lemon Curd

I made this while I was letting the macarons "dry" before they were baked since it only takes about 20 minutes in total to make.  Click the link to see the super easy Lemon Curd recipe. Alternatively if you can't be bothered, you can use some store bought lemon curd.

Homemade Marshmallow Crème

This is another really easy recipe, and it puts all that canned stuff to shame!  It literally takes ten minutes and will CHANGE YOUR WORLD...that's right I said it.  Click the link to see the Homemade Marshmallow Crème Recipe.

Spread the lemon curd on one macaron, the marshmallow crème on it's sandwich buddy, and slap them together to complete the assembling!

Storage

Macarons are best enjoyed the following day after being in the fridge overnight.  Put them in a container, but be sure to use baking paper in between layers so that they don't stick to each other.  Take them out of the fridge the next day, and let them stand for 30 minutes before consuming. (Note: I can NEVER wait that long.)

 

 

Note:  The recipe makes a lot more than this...we ate some the night before, and I hadn't taken pictures yet!