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Lemon Macarons with Real Lemon Buttercream and Lemon Curd Center

Servings 45 macarons

Ingredients

Macaron-Perfect Lemon Curd

  • zest of two organic lemons
  • 76 grams organic lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 grams butter
  • 180 grams granulated sugar

Lemon Buttercream

  • 65 grams egg whites
  • 130 grams granulated sugar
  • 195 grams butter at room temperature

Instructions

Instructions for Macaron-Perfect Lemon Curd

  1. Zest the organic lemon, set aside.

  2. 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. 

  3. Add egg and beat until incorporated.

  4. Add lemon juice and beat until incorporated.

  5. Place over a pot of boiling water. Do not let the bottom touch the water.  

  6. Whisk gently to keep the mixture moving as it heats up. 

  7. 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. 

  8. Take the mixture off the heat, add the lemon zest into the hot mixture to release the oils and mix until combined. 

  9. Pour through a sieve into another bowl for a smooth curd. 

  10. 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. 

Instructions for Lemon Buttercream

  1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.

  2. Place egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl. Stainless steel is light and safe.

  3. Whisk the whites & sugar mix over the boiling water.
  4. Pay attention to whisking the mixture when it starts getting hot, you don’t want to cook the eggs.
  5. Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160F. This temperature is generally accepted to be able to kill salmonella in eggs.
  6. Pour the mixture into the Kitchenaid mixer and whisk on low with the balloon whisk, then turn it up to medium.
  7. 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.
  8. Add butter a little bit at a time while beating with the paddle attachment at medium speed.
  9. The mixture might look curdled or separated for a while but keep mixing. It will all come together.

  10. Keep 200 grams of the buttercream for use in our current recipe. Freeze the rest of the buttercream for use at a later date. 

  11. Add 8 tablespoon of the curd into the buttercream, a tablespoon at a time and beat until incorporated. 

  12. Pipe a ring of lemon buttercream as a dam then fill it with the lemon curd. Assemble the shells together, place in fridge to mature for 24 hours. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

 

  1. 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.