Macarons filled with a lemon cream and curd that won't make macarons soggy. It's a mouthwatering and delicious macaron recipe made with REAL lemons - no artificial flavours.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Low-moisture lemon curd prevents macarons from getting soggy.
- Uses all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors.
- Uses simple ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores.
- Mouthwatering and delicious. Cuts down the sweetness of the macaron shells.
How To Prevent Soggy Lemon Curd Macarons
I don't know about you, but I found that every macaron filled with lemon curd I've had in the past has been soggy since fruit curds are higher in moisture than other fillings. So in this recipe, I created a lemon curd recipe that would not cause the macaron shells to become soggy. The curd itself is low in moisture so it won't start eating away at the macarons shells (get my Best Macaron Recipe here). A lemon curd is made first and then added into a Swiss meringue buttercream to create a lemon buttercream. The buttercream is piped into a ring shape, creating a dam, which will then be filled with the low-moisture lemon curd. The end result is a very sturdy and lemon-y curd that holds up inside the macaron for days. I'm so pleased with the results and I hope you will get a chance to test out this new recipe. It's perfect for those who are looking for a macaron that is "less sweet".
How To Make Macarons Less Sweet?
One of the most common complaints about macarons is that they are "too sweet", I am from the camp that you should take macarons as they are. Either you like them or you don't and forgo manipulating the sugar level in the shells to make it less sweet. Sugar is one of the few but basic ingredients in the shells and you need a certain amount of it for it to be stable. There are still ways to get around the perception of it's sweetness and one of them is to consider the fillings that it's being paired with.
The type and flavour of the fillings can greatly impact how sweet the resulting macarons will be. An American Buttercream - one that is made with icing sugar and butter - will be considerably sweeter than the Swiss or Italian version. Learn more about different Macaron Filling Types here. My personal preference is to never use an American buttercream with macarons. It may be a sweet indulgence on cupcakes but it's sugary taste can be too much when paired with an already sweet macaron shell.
Tart Lemon Filling Cuts the Sweetness in Macarons
Another quick remedy to reduce the sweetness in macarons is to fill it with a tart fruit filling. The acidity in fruit fillings is a perfect mouthwatering contrast to the sweet shells. One of my favourite fruit fillings is the lemon buttercream with a lemon curd center. I really appreciate how this flavour can be achieved entirely with the fruit itself without the need for artificial flavourings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Lemon Curd and Buttercream
- Organic Lemons - This recipe requires using the zest of the lemons so organic lemons will be preferable.
- Eggs - large size.
- Butter - Use unsalted. For use in the buttercream, ensure that the butter is at room temperature. This is crucial for it to incorporate into the meringue mixture.
- Granulated sugar
For the Basic Macaron Shell
- Almond flour - it should be ground from blanched almonds. Some brands are more "oilier" than others so for the most consistent results, I like to make my own homemade almond flour. Alternatively, many readers have had good results with this brand.
- Powdered sugar - this is also known as icing sugar or confectioner's sugar. The type sold in North America usually contains a bit of corn starch as an anti-coagulant.
- Castor sugar - this is also known as extra fine granulated sugar or berry sugar. It's a finer granulated sugar that dissolves readily into the meringue making it ideal for macarons, which is heavily dependent on a strong and healthy meringue. If you can't find castor sugar, just use regular granulated sugar. Do not try to pulverize regular granulated sugar in the food processor to make castor sugar, it results in "chopped-up sugar crystals that will not perform well." (Source: chsugar.com)
- Egg whites, aged - egg whites that have been separated and let to "age" in the fridge have more relaxed proteins which makes it easier to whip to volume without overwhipping. It's recommended for the beginner macaron baker but is not absolutely necessary. Most carton egg whites are not intended for whipping into a meringue, check the back of the carton. A few (but not many) readers have reported success with carton egg whites.
- Cream of tartar - is an acid that is added to the meringue to make it more stable. It is usually found in the baking aisle next to the spices. If you do not have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with another acid like lemon or vinegar in double the amount. You can skip this ingredient if you can't find it. Make sure your bowls are clean and dry and whip carefully with room temperature aged egg whites until it reaches still peaks. If your egg whites take too long to whip or breaks apart, reconsider using cream of tartar.
- Gel food color - this is a more potent form of food color that doesn't add unwanted moisture into the macaron batter. Some brands perform better than others, I prefer this brand for its color stability, it doesn't fade after baking.
Tips for Success
- Have a cooking thermometer ready to measure the temperature of the lemon curd and swiss meringue buttercream. Heating the ingredients to the correct temperature is crucial. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check the readiness of the curd by running a spoon through it. If it coats the back of the spoon, it's ready. For the Swiss meringue, feel the mixture to see if all the sugar granules have dissolved.
- Use non-reactive tools and bowls as they can react to the acidity in the lemon juice, imparting a metallic taste. Non-reactive materials include: silicone, glass, ceramic and rust-free stainless steel.
- During the the heated bath step when making the curd and Swiss buttercream, avoid placing the mixture bowl on the hot water directly as it will cook the ingredients too quickly or over-cook it. Use a smaller pot of hot water and let a larger bowl hang over the top without touching the water. Make sure to move the mixture around gently to keep it moving and not over cook.
- This lemon macaron filling requires a Swiss buttercream as a base. If you need a more detailed instructions in that area, please read this dedicated post on: Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
How to Make
To make the lemon curd: Zest the organic lemon, set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until incorporated.
Add egg and beat until incorporated. If not already using, move mixture into a heatproof glass bowl, add lemon juice and beat until incorporated. (Some metal bowls can react to the acidity in the lemon juice.)
Place over a pot of boiling water. Do not let the bottom touch the water. Whisk gently to keep the mixture moving as it heats up. 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 180F-185F. It might take a while (10-15 min), so be patient.
Take the mixture off the heat, add the lemon zest into the hot mixture to release the oils and mix until combined. Pour through a sieve into another bowl for a smooth curd. 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.
To make lemon buttercream: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl. Stainless steel is light and safe. Whisk the whites & sugar mix over the boiling water. Pay attention to whisking the mixture when it starts getting hot, you don’t want to cook the eggs.
Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160F. Pour the mixture into the Kitchenaid mixer and whisk on low with the balloon whisk, then turn it up to medium.
Once the mixture is stiff and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch, stop mixer. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment.
Add butter a little bit at a time while beating with the paddle attachment at medium speed.
The mixture might look curdled or separated for a while but keep mixing. It will all come together. Keep 200 grams of the buttercream for use in our current recipe. Freeze the rest of the buttercream for use at a later date.
Add 8 tablespoon of the curd into the buttercream, a tablespoon at a time and beat until incorporated. To Assemble: pair two similar sized shells together. Pipe a ring of lemon buttercream as a dam then fill it with the lemon curd. Assemble with other shell. Place in an airtight container in the fridge and give it 12-24 hours to mature before eating. Enjoy!
Recipe
Lemon Macarons with a Sturdy Low-Moisture Lemon Curd Filling
Ingredients
Macaron-Perfect Lemon Curd
- zest of two organic lemons (Note 1)
- 76 grams organic lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 50 grams butter, unsalted
- 180 grams granulated sugar
Lemon Buttercream
- 65 grams egg whites
- 130 grams granulated sugar
- 195 grams butter, unsalted at room temperature
Basic Macaron Shell
- 240 grams almond flour
- 240 grams powdered sugar
- 185 grams egg whites, aged, room temperature
- 165 grams castor sugar (Note 2)
- ½ tsp. cream of tartar
- Gel food color (Note 3)
Instructions
Macaron-Perfect Lemon Curd
- Zest the organic lemon, set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together until incorporated.
- Add egg and beat until incorporated.
- If not already using, move mixture into a heatproof glass bowl, add lemon juice and beat until incorporated. (Some metal bowls can react to the acidity in the lemon juice.)
- Place over a pot of boiling water. Do not let the bottom touch the water.
- Whisk gently to keep the mixture moving as it heats up.
- 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 180F-185F. It might take a while (10-15 min), so be patient.
- Take the mixture off the heat, add the lemon zest into the hot mixture to release the oils and mix until combined.
- Pour through a sieve into another bowl for a smooth curd.
- 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.
Lemon Buttercream
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
- Place egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl. Stainless steel is light and safe.
- Whisk the whites & sugar mix over the boiling water.
- Pay attention to whisking the mixture when it starts getting hot, you don’t want to cook the eggs.
- Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160F. This temperature is generally accepted to be able to kill salmonella in eggs.
- Pour the mixture into the Kitchenaid mixer and whisk on low with the balloon whisk, then turn it up to medium.
- Once the mixture is stiff and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch, stop mixer. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment.
- Add butter a little bit at a time while beating with the paddle attachment at medium speed.
- The mixture might look curdled or separated for a while but keep mixing. It will all come together.
- Keep 200 grams of the buttercream for use in our current recipe. Freeze the rest of the buttercream for use at a later date.
- Add 8 tablespoon of the curd into the buttercream, a tablespoon at a time and beat until incorporated.
Basic Macaron Shell
- Set aged egg whites out at room temperature.
- Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar together in a food processor to further break down any large pieces of almond flour.
- Sift dry ingredients: almond flour, icing sugar. Discard big pieces of almond that can't be sifted.
- If you are new to macaron baking, please read the instructions to my BEST MACARON RECIPE before attempting to follow the rest of the instructions since it is condensed for the advanced macaron baker.
- With the balloon whisk attached, whip the room temperature egg whites on low-medium speed.
- Add cream of tartar when it becomes foamy.
- Turn up the speed to medium.
- Once the whisk starts to leave tracks in the egg whites, add sugar a little at a time.
- Turn the speed up to medium-high and whip until firm peaks, stop mixer and add gel food color if desired. Continue whipping on medium-high until stiff peaks.
- Fold the dry mix and meringue together until the batter becomes a "lava" or honey-like consistency.
- Transfer batter into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip.
- On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe out round shaped macarons.
- Rap the tray hard on the counter to remove any excess air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles.
- Wait until the shells become completely dry before baking.
- Bake at 325F for 12-14 minutes. Every oven is different, you may need to adjust your own temperature settings. Please read How to Use Your Home Oven Properly for Baking Macarons if you are unsure.
- Macarons are done when the foot doesn't push back and the tops don't move when you wiggle it.
- Once baked, let cool completely before removing from the baking mat/parchment paper.
Assembly
- Pair two similar sized shells together.
- Pipe a ring of lemon buttercream as a dam then fill it with the lemon curd. Assemble with other shell.
- Place in an airtight container in the fridge and give it 12-24 hours to mature before eating. Enjoy!
Notes
- Organic lemon was used in this recipe since it requires the zest. Most of the pesticides on citrus fruits can be found on the peel.
- Castor sugar is also known as extra fine granulated sugar or berry sugar. Granulated sugar can be used by castor sugar is preferable.
- Americolor Lemon Yellow was used here.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Ateco Disposable Piping Bags, 12-Inch, Pack of 100 -
India Tree Superfine Caster Baking Sugar, 1 lb. bag
-
Gel Food Coloring AmeriColor Junior Kit, 8 Colors.75 Ounce Bottles
-
Regular Sized Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat
-
Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 Pound
-
Anthony's Almond Flour Blanched, 2lb, Batch Tested Gluten Free, Non GMO, Vegan, Keto Friendly
Nutrition Information
Yield
45Serving Size
1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 71Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 20mgSodium 41mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 0gSugar 7gProtein 1g
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Tara says
Hi Mimi,
What other citrus, berries or fruits can you make a curd using the same method as the lemon curd?
Mimi says
Lemons and limes have similar acidity and will work quite well. Other fruits with lower acidity will compromise the integrity of this recipe.
XOXO,
Mimi
Donna Clark says
Help! I can't get my curd to heart above 170°. It's been cooking over boiling water for an hour.
Mimi says
It shouldn't take an hour. Are you using enough hot water for it to be close enough to the bowl without touching? Is the pan used to hold the water wide enough?
Jay says
Hi Mimi
Can the macarons be filled and then kept in the fridge 24 hours before they get eaten or do they start to break down. I am making a wedding cake tower and need ro fill them the day before. Also what 3 fillings would be the best for this. Many thanks.
Mimi says
If you have followed the instructions for this lemon curd, it will be very sturdy and can be kept in the fridge for a few days after maturation. I think chocolate ganache, lavender buttercream and this lemon curd will be nice. Chocolate is an approachable flavour for almost everyone, lemon is good for those who don't like desserts that are too sweet and lavender is sophisticated and elegant. These macarons can be made with yellow and lavender and chocolate can be made in whatever color you like. These are all pretty colors for a wedding. XOXO, Mimi
MEGAN KNUDSVIG says
Hey Mimi!
I've been seeing conflicting information on whether desserts with lemon curd filling require refrigeration after being assembled. Does this sturdy lemon curd require refrigeration, or can it be left at room temp for longer periods of time than the usual "two hours in the danger zone" period? Thanks!
Mimi says
Hi Megan,
I can totally understand why there is conflicting information on this matter. Technically, yes, most foods containing eggs should not be left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. To be safe, I would recommend following that rule, especially on a hot summer day. However, I have left these macarons out for several hours without any problems.
Michelle K says
Hi Mimi! Should the curd added to the buttercream be added right after it is prepared, or after it has been chilled? Thanks!
Mimi says
Usually when mixing two ingredients together, they should be at the same temperature. Here, both at room temperature would be ideal. XOXO, Mimi
Sue says
Hi Mimi,
May I know if the eggs that you use to make the lemon curd are medium sized eggs or large eggs (or it doesn't matter at all?)
Thanks! Can't wait to give this a go
Mimi says
Hi Sue,
Whenever a recipe mentions egg without specifying a size, it is referring to large eggs 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Joy says
Hi Mimi, would it be OK to just use the curd as filling? I've experimented with xanthan in curd but there was still a lot of moisture. Thanks a lot! Joy
Mimi says
Hi,
If you follow this recipe, you'll find that it's low in moisture and very macaron friendly. You can use just the curd as filling but it won't be as strong as having a buttercream ring around it. It might squish out from the sides of the macaron just a bit if left at room temperature. If you're not too picky about that, you might want to try just using the curd.
XOXO, Mimi
Joy says
I did! The curd held for 5 days without soggy shells, used calamansi and added citric acid to really up the sour and it was perfect in cutting the sweetness. Thanks very much Mimi 😍
Mimi says
I'm happy you followed the recipe and it worked well for you. I do love this curd so much because it is the only one that has worked with my macarons without making it soggy. And its so funny because I just learned to use Kalamansi this weekend for pastries and it just has such a unique citrusy tang. Very good idea in adding that! XOXO, Mimi
JOY says
It's the perfect curd for macarons....i used just the curd for filling and the shells stayed intact for 5 days. I used calamansi lime and added citric acid to up the sour kick! Worked a treat!
Ann says
Hi Mimi - I stay away from jams, jellies and curds because they are too wet. Can you tell me how this lemon curd prevents the shells from becoming wet? I know only a small amount is piped on the inner circle.
Thanks
Mimi says
It's not due to using a smaller amount, it's a combination of the way its prepared and the ratio in the ingredients. I believe I posted below in the comments a photo from another reader who has made these already and they have had great success with it and it's not runnny or have too much moisture.
xoxo,
Mimi
Jess Viverito says
Hi Mimi! Thanks for all your inspiration. I’ve been trying to branch out with my flavors. I was thinking of trying grapefruit macarons with this recipe as a base. I figured I would use the same amount of juice as lemon but how much zest should I use?
And slightly unrelated. I’ve finally achieved round flat uniform macarons but they are rough and bumpy. Do you think I need to sift my dry ingredients more than once or am I not folding the batter enough? Thanks for your help!
Viv
Mimi says
Hi Jess,
I haven't tried it with grapefruit but if you are hoping to make a 1:1 substitution, you should consider 2 issues. 1. Grapefruit zest can be bitter so you may not like the taste nor will it add as much zing as you might expect a lemon. 2. Grapefruit has less citric acid so it might not set the curd the same way as the lemons do using the ratios in this recipe.
XOXO,
Mimi
Mimi says
Reader’s work using this tutorial. Thank yo so much for tagging me!
Mimi says
Reader's work using this tutorial. Thank yo so much for tagging me!
Amelia says
Hi Mimi, can I make both the curd and the buttercream a day ahead of making the macaron shells?
Also, are the fully assembled macaroons freezable? or able to be kept in the fridge for any length of time beyond a few days?
Thanks!
Mimi says
Hi Amelia,
yes, you can make both the day before. They are freezable and do quite well since this particular curd is not too high in moisture. I have tried freezing them for 2 months and they came back to room temperature beautifully!
XOXO,
Mimi
Iris says
Hi Mimi!
I was wondering if it were possible to make this buttercream without a stand mixer? I only have a Kitchenaid hand mixer and no paddle attachment. I've heard that the paddle attachment helps create a smoother and lighter texture but was wondering if there was an alternative way to achieve the results without a stand mixer.
Thanks!
Mimi says
Hi Iris,
You can make it with a handheld mixer and of course, the old fashioned way, by hand with a spatula for the paddle... but that would take quite a while. If you do use a handheld mixer, just use a spatula at the end to fold out some of the extra air so it is smoother when you pipe it.
XOXO,
Mimi
Jen says
Hi Mimi,
I am in the middle of making the buttercream and noticed there is not an amount given for salt. In the instructions it states in step two to place the egg whites, sugar and salt into your bowl. I am going for a pinch as I am about to put it all together. Any chance you could update that?
The lemon curd is wonderful btw! Can't wait to get these all together!
Mimi says
Hi Jen,
oh my! I'm sorry for the confusion. I must have accidentally put salt in the instructions although it's not needed. In my regular buttercream instructions, I do add a bit of salt to cut the sweetness. In this recipe, we're adding lemons so it's nice and tart and cuts the sweetness, the salt is not necessary but even if you've added a pinch it's totally okay! The lemon will still come through 🙂
XOXO,
Mimi
Lynn says
Hi Mimi,
I was wondering if you could do a post about how to create geode macarons. I love the ones from maclab's Instagram but I can't seem to figure out how to make the sugar crystals stay glued to the macarons. Piping gel? If you can't make a post, maybe you could help by responding if you think you know how. Also, would you use gold foil on the sides or gold luster dust? Any advice you could give would help me greatly, as I would love to make these as party favors for an upcoming birthday. Thanks!
Mimi says
Hi Lynn!
I just discovered a quick video on that created by Eater. You might want to check it out. I better leave that one to them since they've got it down 🙂
good luck
XOXO,
Mimi