I will always love macarons.
If I have said it before, I will say it again. I will always love macarons. They are a type of cookie sandwich that bring all those delicious flavors and textures. They may seem hard to make. With a few tips and tricks, I believe any one can make macarons. Here is an easy and simple pink macarons with a cream cheese buttercream filling recipe!
Macarons are a sensitive, delicate and dainty baked treat.
It is true that macarons are finicky little things. Their heavenly taste make it work the attempt to make them! When it comes to macarons, you have to consider the humidity and temperature of the day. Here in Louisiana, the temperatures can get pretty hot outside and the humidity is absolutely ridiculous. I have noticed if I try to make macarons on a humid day, they will not turn out great.
This is that they don’t develop those oh so famous ‘feet’. They are unable to rise or create those different, well-known layers of a macaron: a crunchy exterior and a soft/chewy interior. Another factor that can effect your macaron’s texture is over stirring. Yep. You can over stir your almond flour and stiff egg white mixture. When you do this, it can result in a cracked exterior or even a macaron with no feet.
One other mishap of the macaron could be just a hollow and extra crunchy macaron. This is normally caused from over stirring as well as over baking. Did you know that you need to make sure the almond flour you are using is super fine? If you don’t sift the larger pieces out, you will end up with grainy looking macaron tops. Not very pretty.
There may be a few technical aspects to making macarons, but they are also lots of fun to make. Almost like a fun challenge.
Baking macarons while being creative.
Macarons are not something to be afraid of, but more like something to be prepared for. Before I start my macarons, I prep all the ingredients and tools. You will need parchment paper or a baking mat, and a pastry bag or a good ol’ Ziploc Gallon bag. You can’t skip on these things. You will not have successful macarons without these two things.
I love that while making macarons, you can find ways to be creative! You can mix up different flavors. A few that I have made are a king cake version, lemon as well as basic vanilla-almond and buttercream. I have a long list of many other flavors and combinations I want to try!
Pink Macarons with a Cream Cheese Buttercream
Macarons are one of my favorite baked desserts. They can be tricky, but worth the challenge! This recipe is a simple as it can be. Pink macarons with a cream cheese buttercream filling are the perfect addition to any occasion!
Ingredients
- Macarons:
- 1 cup of super fine almond flour
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 3 egg whites, at room temp
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp of red food coloring gel
- optional: white sprinkles
- Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 1/2 powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep the parchment paper. You will need about 3 cookie sheets worth.
- Premeasure all the ingredients; this will be a huge saver when it comes to prepping the meringue.
- Prep the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture by sifting them together; set aside.
- Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
- Add the granulated sugar, a little bit at a time.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract.
- Add the pink food coloring.
- Continue to whip the egg whites until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Make sure to not over beat!
- Slowly incorporate the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture.
- With a rubber spatula, fold the powdered mixture into the meringue; make sure to not over stir or mix. It will be about 45 folds to get all the powdered mixture incorporated.
- Carefully transfer the batter to a prepared pastry bag or you can even use a gallon ziploc bag.
- Cut the end of the bag, and pipe about a quarter-sized rounds onto the parchment paper lined trays, spacing about 1 inch apart.
- Tap the trays about 4-5 times, trying to release any trapped air. Allow the batter rounds to set for at least 45 minutes. This is a crucial step in the formation of the feet. Here in Louisiana, it will take the entire 45 minutes for the tops of the batter rounds to set enough. (set= touch the top of the batter rounds and the batter doesn't stick to your finger).
- Lightly sprinkle white sprinkles onto the tops of the unbaked rounds.
- Preheat oven to 300 (275 convection) during the setting time.
- Bake the batter rounds for 10-12 minutes, until the edges start turning slightly brown. DO NOT OVER COOK!
- Remove the cooked rounds from the oven, and allow to cool on the counter top. Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- While the cooked rounds cool, prepare the filling.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla extract, then slowly mix in the powdered sugar.
- Transfer to a pastry bag or a ziploc bag.
- Apply about a dime-quarter sized amount to one baked round, and place another baked round on top to form a sandwich.
- The longer these macarons sit, the better they taste! Place in an air tight container in the refrigerator for about 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pink macarons with a cream cheese buttercream filling are a must have!
Anyone who loves to be in the kitchen baking must attempt to make macarons at least one time. They will quickly become your new baking obsession! Believe me, I love the challenge of these delicious treats. These pink macarons with a cream cheese buttercream filling are simple yet full of flavor. Let me know if you give them a try! Here is another great macaron recipe:
Hugs!
