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2 from 1 vote

Red, White, and Blue Macarons (with Berry Cheesecake Filling)

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Rest time20 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: red white and blue macarons
Servings: 12
Calories: 87kcal

Ingredients

For the Macarons

  • 30 grams egg whites
  • 25 grams granulated sugar
  • 70 grams powdered sugar
  • 40 grams almond flour

For the Cheesecake Icing

  • 40 grams cream cheese softened
  • 40 grams powdered sugar
  • 1 gram vanilla extract
  • 50 grams your favorite berry jam

Instructions

Make the Macarons

  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Make sure the paper lays flat or your macarons won’t be perfect circles.
  • Sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour. Discard any large lumps that remain in the sifter. If you don’t have a sifter, you can pulse them in the food processor for 10-15 seconds.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg white on medium-low speed until it becomes foamy and white. Add the cream of tartar.
  • With the mixer on medium-high, slowly add in the granulated sugar. I like to add about one tablespoon every 5 seconds. Whip the egg white on medium-high speed until it forms stiff peaks.
  • Add half of the dry mixture to the egg white and fold it gently until the dry mixture is incorporated. Add the remaining half of the dry mixture and continue to gently fold until the batter is uniform and no more lumps remain. This should take about 15-20 folds per addition.
  • At this point, add up to 1/2 tsp of gel (not liquid) food coloring to the macaron batter. Don't combine it yet-- it will get mixed in when you start deflating the egg whites.
  • This part is counterintuitive, but trust me… you have to deflate the egg whites until you get the batter to the “lava stage”. Smush the batter along the sides of the bowl in a circular motion and then scrape the sides of the bowl and fold the batter back together.
  • Once the batter reaches the “lava stage” you should be able to draw an 8 with the batter and it should reincorporate within 10-15 seconds. If the batter doesn’t reincorporate, give it a few more folds and try the figure 8 again.
  • Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I like Wilton #12). If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a large ziploc bag with the end cut off.
  • Pipe 1” circles on the parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure to pipe them at least 2 inches apart.
  • Immediately after piping, hold the tray approximately 6 inches off the counter and drop it straight down onto the counter. Repeat 10 times.
  • Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  • Let the macarons sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, or until they develop a skin. After 20 minutes, you should be able to touch the macarons without them sticking your finger. If they are still sticky, let them sit another 20 minutes.
  • Bake the macarons on the middle shelf for 15-18 minutes. The macarons should be set all the way through but not browned on top. If your oven doesn't cook evenly, make sure to turn the pan 180° half way through baking.
  • Remove the macarons from the oven and let them cool on the tray.

Make the Cheesecake Icing

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until no lumps remain. Transfer to a piping bag.

Assembly

  • Once the macarons have cooled, place them in similar sized pairs. On one side, pipe a small circle of icing around the outer edge. Next, place the berry filling in the center of the icing circle. Place the top shell on and refrigerate in an air-tight container overnight to age.
  • Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

To make swirled macarons (rather than ones dyed a single color), use a long wooden skewer to draw a line (using gel food coloring) from the bottom of the piping bag (where the tip begins) to the top of the bag. Use red gel food coloring on opposite sides (ex: 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock) and blue in between the red lines (ex: 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock). 

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg