Description
Delightfully tangy and sweet Lemon Macarons featuring crisp almond meringue shells filled with a luscious lemon curd core surrounded by smooth, fluffy lemon buttercream. These delicate French confections marry the bright zest and tang of fresh lemons with the classic airy texture of macarons, perfect for tea parties, special occasions, or a gourmet treat.
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 100 grams egg whites
- 100 grams white granulated sugar
- 105 grams almond flour
- 105 grams powdered sugar
- One drop of Lemon Yellow Food coloring
Lemon Curd Filling
- 3 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66 grams, 2.3 oz)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (42 grams, 1.5 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/8 tsp salt
Lemon Buttercream
- 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp whipping cream, as necessary
- 1/2 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Piping Setup: Gather all ingredients and prepare a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2” round tip. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together and set aside for use in the shells.
- Make Sugar Syrup: Whisk sugar and egg whites in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (double boiler). Continue whisking until sugar granules are melted to form a syrup without cooking the whites, being careful not to overheat.
- Whip Meringue: Transfer the sugar syrup mixture to a stand mixer. Starting at low speed, whip gradually to medium, then high speed until stiff peaks form—glossy meringue that holds a stiff peak without bending downward.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar into the meringue using a spatula, forming a letter J motion. Add yellow food coloring here if using.
- Assess Batter Consistency: Use the ‘figure 8’ and ‘teaspoon’ tests to check if the batter is glossy, thick, and flowing slowly off the spatula. Avoid overmixing or undermixing by gently folding until the correct consistency is achieved.
- Pipe Shells: Transfer batter to piping bag. Pipe circles directly over macaron template with gentle pressure, about 3 seconds each. Tap trays firmly against the counter to release air bubbles. Pop visible bubbles with a toothpick if needed.
- Rest Shells: Allow piped shells to dry at room temperature for 20–40 minutes or until the surface feels dry to the touch, to develop macaron feet while baking.
- Bake Shells: Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC). Bake one tray at a time for about 15–20 minutes, rotating trays every 5 minutes for even baking. Shells should have feet and a firm texture without jiggle when done.
- Cool Shells: Remove baked shells from oven and allow to cool completely before filling.
- Make Lemon Curd: Cream butter on medium speed. Gradually add sugar and lemon zest; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each, then add salt and lemon juice. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and temperature reaches 170ºF (77ºC). Do not boil. Cool lemon curd in fridge.
- Make Buttercream: Cream butter on medium speed about 1 minute. Add sifted confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest. Beat on low then medium speed until very fluffy. Add vanilla and optional whipping cream, adjusting consistency as needed (add cream if too stiff, more sugar if too runny).
- Assemble Macarons: Pipe a ring of buttercream onto one shell leaving a small hole in the center. Fill the center with lemon curd without overfilling. Sandwich with another shell on top.
- Storage: Store assembled macarons up to 1 week refrigerated or freeze up to 2 months. Lemon curd can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months. Buttercream can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg whites for better meringue volume.
- Be careful not to overheat egg whites when making the sugar syrup to avoid cooking them prematurely.
- Drying macarons before baking is essential to develop characteristic feet.
- Adjust buttercream consistency with whipping cream or additional sugar to get the perfect pipeable texture.
- Test piped batter consistency multiple times to avoid runny or stiff shells.
- Let baked shells cool completely before filling to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Store macarons in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent drying out.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
