Description
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these delightful Red Velvet Macarons featuring delicate heart-shaped shells flavored with cocoa and a vibrant red hue, filled with a luscious mascarpone frosting. Perfect for gifting or a romantic treat, these macarons combine a satisfying crunch with creamy sweetness for an indulgent dessert experience.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macaron Shells:
- 130 g powdered sugar
- 120 g almond flour
- 7 g cocoa powder
- 105 g egg whites
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon red food gel
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- 113 g (½ cup) heavy cream, cold
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 113 g (½ cup) mascarpone, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- Prepare the macaron template: Trace a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter spaced about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper. Place this sheet under another parchment paper for piping the shells, or freehand if preferred.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder twice to ensure a smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Make the meringue: Heat egg whites and granulated sugar over a double boiler until sugar dissolves and temperature reaches approximately 120°F. Transfer to a mixer bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Add vanilla paste and red food gel, then continue whisking to stiff peaks, testing by inverting the bowl to confirm stability.
- Macaronage (folding): Fold one-third of the dry ingredient mixture into the meringue gently with a silicone spatula, scraping the bowl sides and center until mostly combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and fold until fully incorporated, then continue folding to slightly deflate batter without overmixing. Batter is ready when it can form figure eights without breaking.
- Pipe the shells: Transfer batter to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe hearts onto parchment with the template underneath. Carefully remove template and tap baking sheet to release air bubbles.
- Rest the macarons: Let piped shells rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes, until a dry skin forms and they don’t stick when lightly touched.
- Preheat oven and bake: Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake macarons for 12 minutes, then allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before removal.
- Prepare the mascarpone frosting: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment, combine cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla paste. Whisk starting on low speed to combine, then increase to medium-high until thickened, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble macarons: Transfer frosting to a piping bag. Pair cooled shells, pipe frosting onto one shell, and sandwich with the other, pressing lightly to secure.
Notes
- For best flavor, make macarons a day in advance and refrigerate overnight before assembling.
- If macarons stick to parchment, freeze them for a few minutes to make peeling easier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
