Robin's Egg Macarons with Chocolate Filling

Robin's Egg Macarons with Chocolate Filling

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Rest: 30

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: macarons

Calories: 162kcal

Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes

These pretty and delicate robin's egg macarons are the perfect Easter treat to share with friends and family. These Tiffany colored macarons are filled with a chocolate butter frosting for one delicious treat.

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Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional, but recommended!)
Stand Mixer
Baking Sheet
Piping Tip Set
Silpat Mat (optional)
Oven Thermometer (optional, but recommended!)

Ingredients

For the Shell

3 large egg whites 90 grams
½ cup granulated sugar 90 grams
⅘ cup powdered sugar 95 grams
1 cup almond flour 95 grams
Gel food coloring **see notes for exact coloring

For the Filling

1 cup chocolate chips 170 grams
½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, softened (1 stick)
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar 254 grams

Instructions

For the Shell

Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Set aside.
Place a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 2 minutes.
3 large egg whites, ½ cup granulated sugar
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites and sugar on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks, about 3-4 minutes.
Use a fine mesh sieve to sift the powdered sugar and almond flour into the egg whites. Make sure to discard any large lumps; don’t force them through the sieve.
⅘ cup powdered sugar, 1 cup almond flour
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites by making a "J" shape with your spatula. Make sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl!
Once the dry ingredients have been almost fully incorporated, add the gel food coloring, if using (see notes).
Gel food coloring
Continue folding, this time gently smushing the meringue against the sides of the bowl as you fold. Smush and fold a few times before checking to see if the meringue is at the Figure 8 stage.
If you can draw an 8 with the meringue without the stream breaking, it’s ready to pipe. If it falls off in clumps, continue the smush and folding a few more times before trying again.
When the meringue flows in smooth ribbons, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (Wilton #10 or 12).
Pipe either circles or egg shapes that are about 1 inch in diameter. Once you’ve finished the first tray, hold it a few inches off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat a few times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped.
Repeat with the second tray.
Set the trays aside to rest for 25-30 minutes, or until they have developed a skin. On humid days, this could take up to an hour. When the macarons are ready to bake, you should be able to touch the macarons gently without the meringue sticking to your finger.
While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325°F.
Bake the macarons, one tray at a time, for 13 minutes. Make sure to turn the tray half way through cooking so the feet rise evenly.
Allow the macarons to cool fully on the tray. Trying to remove the macarons while they’re warm may result in sticking.

For the Filling

Microwave the chocolate chips for 1 minute and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
1 cup chocolate chips
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter has become light and airy.
½ cup unsalted butter
Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the melted chocolate. If the mixture looks dry, add a tablespoon of milk or cream.
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
When all of the ingredients have been incorporated, turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until the buttercream becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Set aside until ready to use.

Assemble and Age

Place the macarons in similar-sized pairs. Pipe a small dollop of icing onto one macaron and place the second shell on top. Press down gently, just until the filling reaches the edges.
To make the macarons speckled, combine 1 teaspoon of water with a few drops of black food coloring. Dip a pastry brush in the coloring and then rub it against the back of a fork to drip the paint onto the macarons (make sure not to get it on your clothes; it will stain).
Allow the food coloring to dry completely before transferring the macarons to an airtight container.
Place the macarons in the fridge to age overnight. Bring to room temperature and enjoy.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftover macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Temperature: Your oven must be at 325°F. Use an oven thermometer!
Shape: To get evenly round macarons, hold the piping bag perpendicular to the tray while you pipe the shells. Don’t try to draw a circle!
Macaronage: The process of folding the dry ingredients into the meringue is one of the most important steps when making macarons. You should be able to draw a figure 8 with the meringue without the stream breaking. There are lots of great videos online if you aren’t 100% sure what the meringue should look like.
Food Coloring: You must use gel food coloring in macarons, not liquid! Both Wilton and Americolor are great.
Aging: Aging the macarons will help the shells soften and absorb the flavor of the filling
I recommend using a kitchen scale and gram measurements for this recipe since macarons are a pretty specific recipe.

Nutrition