Dinner Party Macarons
When I was on Deborah Moore‘s radio show last time, I told you about our private dinner experience prepared by Chef Travis Petersen and showed you the macarons I made for the event. I promised a recipe as well so I’m finally sharing it with you all tomorrow morning on the show along with some of the other activities I’ve been up to: Cooking a Gourmet Meal at the Dirty Apron and Tea at the new Avery Tea House.
In case you didn’t read about our private dinner party experience last time, here are some photos:
Our ladies’ floral themed night. Our host decorated her place with fresh flowers and a faux flower wall made from tissue paper. Click to see more pictures from the night.
Building on the floral theme, I decorated these lemon lavender macarons with some lavender colored flowers made with gumpaste. For this 3D flower shape, I used gumpaste instead of fondant so it can retain it’s shape. The pistol is a white dragee and I also brushed some gold shimmer dust on the shell to give it a subtle shine.
3 Part Recipe
This recipe consists of three parts:
- Lavender infused shells: For this, you’ll need to pulse three teaspoon of lavender buds along with the almond flour and icing sugar then use my Best Macaron Recipe to finish making the shells. This is a great way to add additional flavouring to the shells without compromising it’s structure.
- Lavender white chocolate “ganache”: We’ll be adding food grade lavender oil to the white chocolate ganache which we then pipe into a circle creating a dam. Then we fill the center with a dallop of lemon curd
- Lemon Curd.
A Strong and Sturdy Lemon Curd
A very important element of this recipe is the strong and sturdy macaron-friendly lemon curd. Most macarons containing lemon curd tends to be wet and soggy since lemon curd is a high-moisture filling. Today, we’ll be making one that is strong and sturdy and it keeps well in a macaron for a few days.
This recipe is multi-part but I think the results are worth the effort since the flavours really shine through. Any recipe with flavour infused into the macaron shell is going to be very flavourful and I hope you get a chance to try it.
XOXO,
Mimi
- 3 tsp finely pulsed lavender
- 245 grams almond flour
- 245 grams icing sugar
- 185 grams egg whites
- 165 grams castor sugar or granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- Pulse lavender buds in a food processor along with the almond flour and icing sugar.
- There is enough filling in this recipe to fill 45 macarons. Use the quantities above to make the macaron shells and follow the method below:
- 50 grams heavy cream
- 150 grams couveture white chocolate (not chocolate chips)
- few drops of food grade lavender oil
- zest of two organic lemons
- 76 grams organic lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 50 grams butter
- 180 grams granulated sugar
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Chop up couverture chocolate into small pieces.
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In a pot, heat cream on medium heat until just before boiling.
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Take cream off heat immediately once you see steam and a few bubbles along the edge.
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Pour cream onto chocolate. Wait one minute.
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Stir the mixture until incorporated.
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Add a few drops of food grade lavender extract to the mixture to your taste and stir until fully incorporated. Add only one to two drops at a time since you don't want it to end up tasting like soap!
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Put into fridge to firm up a bit before placing in pastry bag.
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Zest the organic lemon, set aside.
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In a heatproof glass bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Do not use metal bowls as it will react to the acidity in the lemon juice.
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Add egg and beat until incorporated.
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Add lemon juice and beat until incorporated.
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Place over a pot of boiling water. Do not let the bottom touch the water.
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Whisk gently to keep the mixture moving as it heats up.
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Occasionally, check the temperature of the mixture. You should see the curd thicken up and it will coat the back of your spoon. Allow the mixture to reach 180-185F. It might take a while (10-15 min), so be patient.
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Take the mixture off the heat, add the lemon zest into the hot mixture to release the oils and mix until combined.
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Pour through a sieve into another bowl for a smooth curd.
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Let it cool down then place in the fridge. It will set up into an even firmer and thicker curd after you've chilled it in the fridge.
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Pipe a ring of lavender ganache onto the macaron shell then fill the center with a dallop of lemon curd.
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Assemble the macaron shells together. Place in fridge for 24 to 48 hours so it can mature before eating. Enjoy!
More Macaron Recipes by Mimi
The Best French Macaron Recipe
September 27th, 2014
Yummy Macaron Filling Ideas
October 24th, 2014
Delicate Lychee Rose Macarons in a Heart Shape (Template)
February 14th, 2018
The Best Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Macarons, Cakes and More
April 4th, 2018
Lemon Macarons Made with a Sturdy "Macaron-Friendly" Lemon Curd Center
September 14th, 2017
JJ says
Hi Mimi..Many thanks for ur reply.yes, I’m using Americolor… After reading the oven guide,I have a better understanding on how and what I need to observe on my own oven! There are so many details to do with and really appreciate your each and every useful tips and guidance! I shall try it out and understand more on my oven setting..Hopefully I can bake nice color of macaron as yours 🙂 really love all your works.they are so perfect! I have been baking so many macarons but failed so so many times 🙁 but I believe practice makes perfect.. I will try practice it harder and harder.. thanks alot!
Mimi says
Thanks for your lovely note JJ. Keep going! I think it took a me a good year of baking before every batch came out without flopping. During that year, there were always occasional days when the macarons wouldn’t work and I had no clue why. But I found that I did learn so much from those experiences. Even though, yes, it was sad to see the wasted time and ingredients. Hope your macaron baking has worked out recently.
XOXO,
Mimi
JJ says
Hi Mimi.. really love ur works..They are awesome! May I ask how to bake macaron with nice color as I always have dull colours after they came out from the oven.. would appreciate ur kind advice on this.. really love ur macaron colours…They are so beautiful! Thanks
JJ says
Hi Mimi, really love all your macarons.. they look great always .. may I ask how do bake macarons with nice and sharp colour without becoming yellowish and dull? I just can’t bake them at nice colours like yours. Please assist and appreciate your kind reply. Many thanks 🙂
Mimi says
Thank you JJ! Do you use Americolor gel colors? They are so much better for baking and I also use an optimal baking rack position and temperature. Here is an oven guide for you.
XOXO,
Mimi