Coffee Macarons!
What is better on a lazy morning than coffee and Macarons? Nothing! In this blog post we explore cooking with coffee in the form of a Macaron! We will take you on the journey of coffee macaroons making start to finish. So, put on your apron and get ready to cook along with the Devil’s Bays first cooking blog post.
Macarons are a French desert that go well with beverages such as coffee, tea, and champagne. My personal favorite pairings are macarons with coffee or champagne. The bright flavors and sweetness balance well with coffee. Imagine a nice coffee macaron with some champagne in a romantic setting or jazz up your morning routine by having coffee with a few. With a little bit of effort, you too can make Macarons at home and impress your friends or enjoy these delectable sandwiches.
What is in a Macaron?
These meringue-based confections are typically made with egg whites, confectioner sugar, granulated sugar, and almond flower. Often, they are brightly colored and filled with jams, creams, and ganache. For this post we will focus on a coffee flavor cookie/shell with a buttercream filling.
Macaron Making Strategy.
Full disclosure: I am somewhat of an amateur in the kitchen. Because of this, I have done some trial and error to ensure this recipe can be followed by anyone and get macarons you can be proud of. In short, if I can make macarons so can you.
My strategy is to consider making macarons in 2 large steps: the cookies/shells, and the filling. The cookies/shells take the longest we will start with them then discuss the filling. Then after everything cools off then sort out the filling. The last, and most fun step is assembling the cookies/shells to make little sandwiches.
Making the Cookies/shells
In the macaron making process there are some steps that seem trivial, but I would urge you to not rush them. A good example is to get your eggs to room temperature first, then separate the yolk from the whites of the egg.
The Shells/Cookies
- 3 egg whites brought to room temperature
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2teaspoons coffee ground as fine as possible
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
The Filling:
- 1 stick of butter (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
The Shells/Cookies
Step 1 Prep
Separate the whites from the yolks from the room temperature eggs and measure out all of your ingredients. Find 2 large cooking trays and line them with parchment paper. Do not use oil or anything line that on the pan.
Step 2 Sieve
Combine in a large bowl the almond flower, confectioner’s sugar, and the ground coffee. Then pour the mixture into a sieve. The goal is to make sure there are no lumps. I find that it takes 3 passes to get everything nice and powdery and even. Again, I know that this seems silly, but this is important as you will not be able to vigorously mix these powders later when you have to fold them in.
Step 3 Whip It Good
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Do it slowly or the peaks will deflate. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. This should take 10-12 minutes.
At this point you may be asking yourself… What is a stiff peak? It is when the egg whites have turned in to more of a cream/foam. Just like a Dairy Queen Blizzard- you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the foam will stay in the bowl. If you are feeling cocky, do it over your head.
Step 4 Fold it…. GENTLY!
Use a spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture (step 2 stuff) until fully combined. Then repeat it two more times until all the dry ingredients are folded in. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing!
Step 5 Pipe it, drop it & pop it
Fill a large piping bag with the batter fitted with a large pipping tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular and pipe 1-inch rounds. Do your best to make sure they are even as you will need 2 of roughly the same size to make a sandwich. Consistency is key, the more they are the same size the better.
Once a tray is done, pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
Step 6 Resting
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter sticking. While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step 7 Baking
Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, rotating halfway through.
Step 8 Cooling
Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. Once cooled you are ready for the filling and assembly.
The Filling:
In a stand mixer, mix the softened butter, powdered sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Beat the buttercream for 3-4 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy. This step is that easy.
Final Assembly
Now that you have your shells/cookies and cream it is time to combine them into little sandwiches. Once the macarons are cooled, spread a dollop of buttercream into the center of the shell. Then top with the other shell and enjoy!
I hope you find this recipe as much fun as we did.