Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Strawberry Macarons

These strawberry macarons have a sweet surprise in the filling: strawberry jam. To keep the jam contained, pipe the frosting around the outer edge before adding the jam in the center

Ingredients

MACARON SHELL:

• 1-1/3 cups almond flour
• 2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
• Pink gel food coloring, optional (do not use liquid food coloring)

BUTTERCREAM FILLING:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon strawberry powder
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pink gel food coloring, optional
• 7-1/2 teaspoons seedless strawberry jam

Directions

1. Place the almond flour and 1-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar in a food processor; pulse until thoroughly mixed to ensure almond flour is very fine. Pass almond flour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve; discard any large pieces that remain.
2. Place egg whites and salt in a very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; whisk on medium-low speed until frothy. Slowly add superfine sugar; whisk until dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar; increase speed to high and whip until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form, 1-2 minutes. If desired, add in enough food coloring to achieve desired color.
3. Gently fold the almond flour mixture into meringue, a third at a time. Using the side of a spatula, smooth batter up sides of bowl several times to remove air bubbles and ensure there are no lumps; do not over mix. Run spatula down the center of the bowl; the line in the batter should remain visible for a moment before mixture runs back into itself.
4. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat oven to 300°. Transfer batter into a pastry bag fitted with a #7 or #10 round tip. Pipe 1-3/8-in. rounds onto a parchment-lined tray about 1 in. apart. Tap tray against counter 2-3 times to remove excess air bubbles. Let macarons rest until no longer wet or sticky to the touch, 30-60 minutes. Bake, 1 tray at a time, until cookies rise about 1/8 in. to form “feet,” 14-16 minutes, rotating tray halfway through baking. Remove tray and let macarons cool completely; repeat with remaining trays. Once macarons have cooled completely, remove from parchment.
5. To make filling, cream butter in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; slowly add confectioners’ sugar until incorporated. Beat in strawberry powder. Add heavy cream, vanilla, salt and, if desired, enough food coloring to achieve desired color; mix until smooth. Pour frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe a circle of buttercream onto the bottoms of half the macarons. Place 1/4 teaspoon strawberry jam in center of each frosting circle. Top with remaining macaron shells. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

How do you make strawberry powder for strawberry macarons?

The strawberry powder used in strawberry macarons is made from freeze-dried strawberries. You can either buy it pre-ground in powder form, or make your own from sliced, freeze-dried strawberries. Just pop them in a blender or food processor and pulse until you get a fine powder. Different freeze-dried fruits can be used to create different macaron flavors.