Description
Delight in these elegant Pink Macarons filled with a rich and creamy white chocolate ganache. Perfect for celebrations and special occasions, these delicate French treats are customizable with your choice of colors and toppings, making them a beautiful addition to any dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Pink Macarons:
- 64 g egg whites (about 3-4 egg whites)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 74 g powdered sugar (about ⅔ cup)
- 86 g fine almond flour (almost 1 cup, Bob’s Red Mill recommended)
- ⅛ teaspoon pink gel food coloring
White Chocolate Ganache:
- 160 g white chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- 60 g heavy cream (¼ cup)
Instructions
- Make Macaron Batter: Place egg whites and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed for 1-2 minutes, then increase speed to 6 and beat for 2 minutes. Finally, increase speed to 8 and continue beating for 5-6 minutes until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour and powdered sugar. Sift if needed to remove any lumps; whisking is sufficient when using fine almond flour.
- Fold Ingredients: Gently fold the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture into the meringue. Take care not to overmix to preserve the airiness of the batter.
- Color the Batter: Add ⅛ teaspoon of pink gel food coloring to the batter. Mix gently several times until the batter is evenly colored. The final batter should be able to fall in a thick ribbon forming a figure 8 shape without breaking.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 280°F (140°C). Line rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Pipe Batter and Rest: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 10 or 12 pastry tip. Pipe uniform circles onto the prepared baking sheets. Gently slam the baking sheet onto the counter several times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining bubbles on the surface with a toothpick. Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 20-40 minutes until the shells develop a slightly sticky but non-wet edge.
- Bake and Cool: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes total, rotating the pans every 5 minutes to ensure even baking. The shells should easily lift off the baking mat or parchment when done. If sticking occurs, bake for an additional 2 minutes while monitoring closely. Remove from the oven and let macarons cool completely.
- Make White Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate chips until fully melted and smooth. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to thicken.
- Assemble Macarons: Pipe the chilled white chocolate ganache onto half of the macaron shells. Sandwich with the remaining shells. Optionally, decorate the tops by adding a small amount of melted ganache and topping with colored sprinkles and edible gold flakes.
Notes
- Use gel or powder food coloring only; liquid food coloring can alter batter consistency.
- Resting time is crucial to develop a skin on the macarons to prevent cracking during baking.
- Do not overmix the batter, known as ‘macaronage’, to maintain a light texture.
- Silicone mats are recommended for easy release but parchment paper works as well.
- Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for best freshness.
