Strawberries and Cream French Macarons

This post is sponsored by Diamond of California Nuts.

These strawberry cream macarons coated in chocolate and almonds make for the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert. They are filled with a strawberry cream cheese filling before being dipped in chocolate ganache and almonds until they are set.

Macarons are a French pastry made from few ingredients; they just require almond flour, sugar and egg whites. Macrons can be intimidating but they aren’t that difficult to make as long as you adhere to the directions, which is certainly applicable to most of the craft of baking. The goal for macrons is to have a “foot” – that bit of lift with the ruffled edges that comes when they bake.

Strawberries and Cream French Macarons

More About This Recipe

My sophomore year of college I studied abroad in Lausanne, Switzerland. It’s the French speaking area of the country and just down the street from our residence, a converted hotel owned by the University, was a little shop called Ladurée, now a widely known brand that has since expanded stateside. At the end of each week, a few girls and I would walk over and reward ourselves with a box of macrons and eat them in the park. It was my first introduction to the light, yet crisp, sweet and naturally gluten-free treats. Lausanne also happens to be where Aaron, my fiancé, and I met, so they naturally fit for a Valentine’s Day dessert in my book.

Macaron vs Macaroon

A macaron is an entirely different dessert than a macaroon – the later is a coconut and condensed milk treat often dipped in chocolate and a macaron is a French cookie-like dessert. The extra “o” makes all the difference. Macarons are made with an almond flour mixture, making them naturally gluten-free. After they’re baked they are filled with a variety of fillings for a delicate treat.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Almond flour – Almond flour is made from finely ground almonds. You can either buy almond flour in the baking section or you can make it yourself. To make your own almond flour, blanch the almonds and remove the skins. Then finely grind the almonds in the food processor and sift through a fine mesh strainer.
• Egg whites – Egg whites are beaten until they are stiff and then the dry ingredients are gently folded in. Not properly whipping the egg whites can cause the macarons not to rise when they are baked.
• Confectioner’s sugar – Confectioner’s sugar also called icing sugar or powdered sugar is used to sweeten the macaron batter while keeping it light. The fine sugar dissolves evenly into the batter and helps to create the feet as they bake.

How to Make Strawberries and Cream French Macarons

1. Prep oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) . Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking sheets.
2. Sift dry ingredients. Add the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse until the mixture is a fine powder. Sift into a medium mixing bowl to remove any lumps.
3. Beat eggs. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until the egg whites become fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat on high, until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks, an additional 2 minutes. Add the food coloring and beat on high until the food coloring is just incorporated, about 30 seconds.
4. Make batter. Gently add the almond mixture into the meringue (the egg whites will deflate). Use a wooden spoon to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the mixture is smooth. Working from the center of the bowl outwards, turning the bowl as you go so you are mixing in large, sweeping movements. The mixture should be the consistency of lava.
5. Add batter to piping bag. Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe 1-inch circles onto the baking trays, about 1-inch apart. Tap the baking sheet on the counter to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake macarons. Bake the macarons until they rise and set, about 9 minutes, with the oven door slightly ajar. Remove from the oven and carefully move the parchment paper to racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove macarons. Carefully peel the macarons from the parchment paper.

For the strawberry cream filling:

1. Make the filling. Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat in the confectioners’ sugar and heavy cream until smooth and creamy. Beat in the jam until combined.
2. Sandwich macarons together. Add to piping bags filled with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe onto the flat side of one macaron then sandwich together with another, pressing gently to spread the filling to the edges.

For assembly and topping:

1. Melt chocolate. Add the chocolate to a medium heat-proof mixing bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Dip macarons. Dip half of each macarons in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. While they are still wet sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
3. Chill. Refrigerate in an airtight until ready to serve, up to 3 days

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this macaron recipe, I recommend checking these out:

• Strawberries and Cream
• Strawberry Balsamic Shortcake
• Orange Olive Oil Cake

Strawberries and Cream French Macarons

Print Pin

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Serves 12

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the macarons:

• ¾ cup almond flour or finely ground, sifted almonds
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon pink gel food coloring

For the strawberry cream filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup seedless strawberry jam

For assembly and topping:

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, chopped (I use Diamond of California nuts)

Instructions:

For the macarons:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) . Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking sheets.
• Add the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse until the mixture is a fine powder. Sift into a medium mixing bowl to remove any lumps.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until the egg whites become fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat on high, until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks, an additional 2 minutes. Add the food coloring and beat on high until the food coloring is just incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Gently add the almond mixture into the meringue (the egg whites will deflate). Use a wooden spoon to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the mixture is smooth. Working from the center of the bowl outwards, turning the bowl as you go so you are mixing in large, sweeping movements. The mixture should be the consistency of lava.
• Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe 1-inch circles onto the baking trays, about 1-inch apart. Tap the baking sheet on the counter to release any air bubbles.
• Bake the macarons until they rise and set, about 9 minutes, with the oven door slightly ajar. Remove from the oven and carefully move the parchment paper to racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully peel the macarons from the parchment paper.

For the strawberry cream filling:

• Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat in the confectioners’ sugar and heavy cream until smooth and creamy. Beat in the jam until combined. Add to piping bags filled with a ¼-inch round tip. Pipe onto the flat side of one macaron then sandwich together with another, pressing gently to spread the filling to the edges.

For assembly and topping:

• Add the chocolate to a medium heat-proof mixing bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Let cool to room temperature.
• Dip half of each macarons in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. While they are still wet sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
• Refrigerate in an airtight until ready to serve, up to 3 days.

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This post is sponsored by Diamond of California Nuts. – all opinions expressed are my own.