I love getting in the kitchen and creating yummy concoctions for my family. And while I usually stick to things that are quick and simple, every once in a while I like to get a little fancy.
One of our favorite breakfast treats, eggs benedict (which is much easier to make than you think!) leaves us with a pile of egg whites that need to find a use. While growing up, we always made meringues, my humid, tropical climate doesn’t always play nice with the fluffy, sugary concoctions.
So a few months ago, I decided to take it a step farther and try something new: French Macarons.
Like eggs benedict, french macarons have an air about them that says fancy, delicate and complicated. If you’ve every tried to buy french macarons, you’re surely aware at the hefty price tag they carry which only adds to the air of exclusiveness.
But other than taking some extra time and attention, delicious french macarons at home are not completely unattainable.
Orange Creme Macarons Recipe
Ingredients for Orange Creme Macaron Shells:
- 3 large room temperature egg whites
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- Orange and pink gel food coloring
Ingredients for Orange Creme Macaron Filling:
- 1/4 cup room temperature butter (or non-dairy margarine of choice)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- Orange gel food coloring
How to make Orange Creme Macarons:
- Preheat oven to 275°.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and use a shot glass (or similarly sized round item) to draw circles on the parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Flip parchment paper over on baking sheet so colored side is down. (If parchment paper is curling, use a small dab of oil on baking sheet to hold corners down.)
- Combine powdered sugar and almond flour and sift twice to remove any lumps.
- Place egg whites in bowl of stand mixer and beat on medium using whisk attachment.
- When eggs become frothy, gradually add granulated sugar and continue to beat.
- When egg mixture starts to become stiff, add in orange extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form and egg mixture is shiny.
- Remove bowl from stand mixture and gently fold in half of almond flour/powdered sugar mixture, just until incorporated. Then fold in second half.
- Continue mixing to get the right consistency by scooping from the middle of the bowl, down, up the side and back to the middle until mixture is drippy but not liquidy (it should slowly run off spatula).
- Dot mixture with orange and pink gel food coloring and gently swirl colors to bottom of bowl.
- Place a pastry bag (or plastic bag with one corner cut) in a tall glass, top folded over, and fill with orange creme macaron mixture.
- Carefully pipe the mixture onto the parchment paper following the outline of the circles and filling completely.
- Tap baking sheets on counter several times to remove any air bubbles in mixture and smooth the tops.
- Leave macaron shells to dry, uncovered, at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until no longer sticky on top.
- Place in oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until shells are just hard with ripply edges (not browned).
- Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheet.
- Make filling by beating butter in a stand mixer, or by hand, until soft and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, milk, orange extract and a few dots of orange gel food coloring and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy.
- Place another piping bag or plastic bag into tall glass and fill with buttercream.
- Pipe filling onto one orange creme macron shell and top with a second shell. Repeat until all shells are used.
Making orange creme macarons is not the quickest treat and definitely takes some patience and the need to pay attention but the time required definitely pays off with a delicious treat the whole family will love!
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