Strawberry Macaron Recipe | Strawberry Macarons | Italian Meringue Method (VIDEO)

These delicate strawberry macarons are irresistible and so yummy!

Makes about 30-32 macarons
INGREDIENTS
Cookie
50 g (25 g + 25 g) egg whites, room temperature
73 g granulated sugar
75 g powdered sugar
75 g superfine almond flour (if unable to find “superfine” it is recommended that you pulse the almond flour in a food processor first)
20 g water
Rose pink food coloring (3-4 drops)

Strawberry filling:
60 g strawberry puree
100 g white chocolate
60 g heavy cream
10 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

PREPARATION
1. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. You can use greaseproof paper with circles drawn on them (4cm diameter circles, spaced 2cm apart).Turn the paper upside down so you don’t get pen or pencil marks transferring to the macarons.
2. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Discard any large pieces that remain in the strainer. Add 50 g of egg whites and 3-4 drops of food coloring. Mix well.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to a foam.
4. Put the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy-based saucepan on low heat. Stir with a silicone spoon to make sure the sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar has dissolved and it starts boiling you need to STOP STIRRING! (if you don’t and the sugar hardens or crystallizes, you’ll need to start again. Don’t worry, this happens to everyone at some point in their patisserie life).
When the sugar starts boiling, put the sugar thermometer in the saucepan and keep a check on the temperature.
5. When the sugar has reached 115°C (240°F) refresh the egg whites by whisking by hand a minute or so.
When the sugar reaches 118°C (245°F), quickly pour the syrup in a steady stream into the middle of the egg whites with one hand whilst simultaneously whisking the syrup into the whites with the other hand, to make a smooth glossy meringue.
6. Once the mixture is well combined and a nice soft glossy meringue, put it on medium speed on the stand mixer. Whisk till the mixture cools down and the bowl is not warm to touch (about 5 minutes).
7. Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe batter onto prepared baking tray.
8. Lift and drop the baking tray onto a hard surface 2-3 times to smooth out the batter and knock out any air bubbles. Allow cookies to rest at room temperature for one hour, until a skin forms on the surface of the cookies.
9. Preheat oven to 285˚F (140˚C).
10. To make the filling, add the heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then add chocolate, butter, strawberry puree and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Store in the refrigerator until use.
11. After about one hour, gently brush the top a cookie with your finger to check that a skin has formed. The batter should not stick to your finger, if it does, allow to set for an additional 15 minutes.
12. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the cookies peel away from the parchment when lifted.
13. Allow the cookie shells to cool completely.
14. Pipe strawberry cream on the edge of the cooled shell and a sandwich with the cookie size.
Enjoy!