Fragrant Spring Delight: Homemade Strawberry Macarons
Fragrant Spring Delight: Homemade Strawberry Macarons
Homemade Strawberry Macaron Recipe
Craft your own sweet and charming strawberry macarons using fresh, in-season strawberries! Experience the perfect harmony of crispy shells and soft, luscious filling with a delightful strawberry flavor that will fill your mouth with happiness. This recipe provides detailed steps, making it easy even for beginner bakers.
Macaron Shell Ingredients- 60g Egg whites (chilled)
- 60g Granulated sugar
- 75g Almond flour
- 75g Powdered sugar, sifted
- A pinch of food coloring (desired strawberry pink)
Strawberry Filling Ingredients- 100g Unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
- 60g Powdered sugar, sifted
- 40g Concentrated strawberry puree (100% strawberries, reduced)
- 3 Fresh strawberries, for garnish
- 100g Unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
- 60g Powdered sugar, sifted
- 40g Concentrated strawberry puree (100% strawberries, reduced)
- 3 Fresh strawberries, for garnish
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Let’s start by making the meringue for the macaron shells. In a clean bowl, add the chilled egg whites and lightly whisk them. 2. Gradually add the granulated sugar in 3-4 additions while whipping on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. The meringue should hold its shape and not slide out when the bowl is inverted. 3. Add a tiny amount of food coloring to achieve your desired strawberry pink hue and gently fold it into the meringue. 4. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together, then add them to the meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the meringue using a ‘scraping and folding’ motion (like drawing a ‘J’ or an ’11’) until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the batter too runny. (This process is called ‘macaronage’!) 5. Continue mixing until the batter flows smoothly off the spatula in a thick ribbon. 6. Transfer the macaron batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 3-4 cm diameter circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step 2
7. Now it’s time to bake the shells! Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Bake the piped macarons for about 15 minutes. If the tops start to brown too quickly or appear slightly burnt, you may need to reduce the oven temperature slightly or shorten the baking time. (Even if the tops get a little browned initially, think of it as a charming imperfection on your journey to delicious macarons!)
Step 3
8. Let’s prepare the delightful strawberry filling. In a bowl, place the softened butter and begin whipping it. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, continuing to whip until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow, resembling creamy frosting.
Step 4
9. Next, gradually add the cooled, concentrated strawberry puree to the butter mixture. Whip until well combined and smooth. To make the puree, you can blend fresh strawberries until smooth, then cook them in a saucepan over low heat until thickened and reduced. Ensure the puree is completely cooled before adding it to the butter cream.
Step 5
10. Once the filling is ready, pipe it onto one half of the cooled macaron shells, then gently sandwich them together with the other shell. 11. Finally, garnish with a fresh strawberry half (or a whole small strawberry) on top of each macaron to complete your beautiful strawberry creations! (If the strawberries are very large, they might overwhelm the shells; consider using smaller ones or slicing larger ones in half for a better visual balance. Personally, I found them delicious even without the fresh strawberry garnish, with just the filling!)
