macarons

Just looking for a small bite or two of a delicious red velvet cake flavor?  Well look no farther, these macarons will hit the spot.  With a rich, buttery, cream cheese filling your sure to want more than just one.

Red Velvet Macarons

Macaron Shells

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup almond flour

1 and ½ tablespoons cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

2 large egg whites (room temp)

4 tbsp gran. Sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp of vanilla extract

¾ tsp liquid red food coloring

 

Buttercream Filling

4 tbsp butter (room temp)

6 oz cream cheese

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (depends on how sweet and thick you want the filling)

Macaron Instructions:

1. Prepare pans with sheet liners as well as a cup with piping bag ready.
2. Sift powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
3. Whip 2 egg whites (room temp)  until they begin to foam; add in the cream of tartar.
4. Continue whipping; when it begins to hold its shape and thicken, pour in 4 tbsp of sugar one at a time.
5. When mixed, turn off mixer and add in vanilla extract and whip again.
6. Stop the mixer again and add in the red food coloring (keep in mind it will get lighter when you mix with the dry ingredients) and mix until unity in color.
7. Sprinkle in half of the dry ingredients and begin folding it with a spatula, add in the rest of the dry ingredients and carefully fold it with the spatula again.  Make sure not to over mix it.
8. Scoop batter into the piping bag and pipe out ½ inch circles onto the baking sheets.
9. Bang the pans a few times on the table to help get out air bubbles.
10. Preheat oven to 320 degrees.
11. Let macaron shells sit for 20 to 30 minutes before placing into the oven (if you gently touch the top of a macaron and no batter sticks to you then they are ready to bake).
12. Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes depending on the oven (one pan at a time).
13. Let the macaron shells cool completely before peeling them off the baking sheets.
14. Begin matching like sized shells and lay them out for the filling.

Buttercream Filling Instructions:

1. Mix or blend butter and cream cheese together.
2. Add in vanilla extract and continue to mix.
3. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and mix until well blended.  
4. Place into a piping bag and pipe small amounts onto macaron shells that have been prepped.
5. Gently press together to make macaron sandwiches.
6. Macarons will last in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days if placed in a sealed tight container.

Short cut awesomeness!!!!

If you don’t want to make your own filling, buy a container of cream cheese icing.  It’s a bit more sweet than the homemade filling but still tasty.