Lemon Macarons

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5 from 6 votes

Delicious Italian macarons decorated with a few brushstrokes of royal icing and sprinkles.

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Total Time42

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cookies, lemon

Servings: filled cookies

Calories: 91kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the batter:

150 grams almond meal, sifted twice, weighed after sifting
150 grams powdered sugar, sifted
55 grams egg whites, aged overnight at room temperature

For the meringue:

150 grams granulated sugar
40 grams water
55 grams egg whites, aged overnight at room temperature

For the lemon filling:

4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar (more of less for desired consistency)
2-3 (.08g) packages True Lemon crystals

Extras:

gel food color, if using
royal icing and sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

To make the macarons:

Prepare 2 sheets of parchment paper to fit a large rim-less baking sheet. To ensure consistent sized cookies, trace a small biscuit cutter or shot glass (about 1 ¼-inches in diameter) on the parchment paper as a template then turn it over before pipping on the batter. Prepare a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside. Each piece of parchment should hold about 30 rounds.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the almond meal and powdered sugar. Make a well in the center and add 55 grams of egg whites. Fold the mixture together with a spatula until it becomes a thick, paste-like batter. Set aside.
Place the remaining 55 grams of egg whites in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set aside.
In a small to medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and heat to 225°F. Once the syrup reaches 225°F, turn on the stand mixer and beat the egg whites on high.
Continue to beat the egg whites while cooking the syrup until it reaches 239°F. You want the meringue to be at soft peak stage so if it reaches that before the syrup reaches 239°F, turn the mixer down to low. Once the syrup reaches 239°F remove it from the heat and slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites while the mixer is running on low. Try to stream the syrup directly into the whites close to the side of the bowl so it won't cool too quickly.
Once all the syrup has been added, whip on high for one minute, then reduce the speed to low and continue beating until the bowl has cooled slightly and glossy stiff peaks have formed.
Add half the meringue to the cookie batter, gently folding until combined and somewhat smooth. Add half the remaining meringue to the batter (and any food color if using) and gently fold until incorporated. Finally add the remaining meringue and fold together until the batter is smooth. To test the consistency, pick up the spatula and if the batter ribbons back into the bowl, it is ready. It should be like lava blending back into itself after about a minute. If the batter is still too thick, fold with the spatula a few more turns, then test again. Continue until smooth but not deflated.
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Fill the prepared pastry bag with the macaron batter. Pipe the batter onto the prepared parchment paper rounds, but do not fill completely. The batter will spread a bit so only fill each round about two-thirds full. Once the first sheet is filled rap the pan on the counter top a few times to rupture any air bubbles trapped in the cookie. Rotate the pan and rap again. If using a rim-less baking sheet, you can now slide the parchment onto the counter-top to rest for 30-60 minutes which allows a hard outer shell to form. If you don't have a rimless baking sheet, you will need two prepared pans.
Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes (depending on size) or until you can gently lift the cookie off the parchment coming away clean. If the top separates from the bottom, they are not ready. Watch the cookies carefully as you don't want them to brown, just cook until set.
Remove the entire sheet of parchment, with cookies intact, to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, divide the cookies into pairs with others of similar size, then pipe one side with the desired filling.

To make the filling:

In a small mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until blended. Add the powdered sugar and lemon crystals if using. Blend until combined. Scoop into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with a matching size cookie, flat side to the filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow cookies to rest 15 minutes at room temperature before serving. Macarons are best a day or two after being made.

To decorate with flowers or daisies:

Make a small batch of royal icing using the recipe on the Wilton Meringue Powder container. Transfer a heaping tablespoon of royal icing to a small finger bowl. Cover the remaining icing with a damp towel until needed. Using a small food-safe brush, decorate the tops of the macarons with flowers, designs and/or sprinkles as desired. Allow the icing to dry completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

If you can't find True Lemon crystals, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and the zest of 1 lemon. You can also try using 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract in place of the crystals if desired.
True Lemon is made from crystalized lemon, with no added sugar, or preservatives. It can be found near the artificial sweeteners in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Don't confuse this with the True Lemon Lemonade mix.
Pre-measure all ingredients before beginning
Read over all directions (multiple times) before beginning to ensure you understand the flow of the recipe.

Special Equipment you need to make macarons:

A digital scale with grams
Candy thermometer
A stand mixer is easiest
Sifter / sieve
Parchment paper
Piping bags (2) with large round plain tip
Gel food color
Cookie or biscuit cutter or shot glass for measuring 1 1/4-inch rounds
Food safe brushes for decorating

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition