Heart Macarons with Strawberry Buttercream Filling are sweet treats for this Valentine’s Day or any day of the week.
I have made French Macarons many times already but the usual round beautiful cookies. I figured I’ll take the challenge of making heart-shaped macarons with creamy strawberry buttercream filling.
How to Make Heart Macarons
When making these cookies, it is best to prepare everything that you need. I have a routine before I start making the meringue.
I start by sifting the almond flour and powdered sugar and setting it aside.
Then I assemble the piping bag, folded along the piping tip before placing it in a tall glass. This will prevent macaron mixture from leaking.
If you don’t have a template this is probably the first thing to prepare. To make it easier for you, I have attached a heart macarons pdf file that you can download.
If you don’t have a printer, make your own template using a heart shaped cookie cutter. Watch my Heart Macarons video (coming soon) to see how I do it.
Once you have all these prepared, start making your meringue.
Combine the meringue and almond flour mixture. Blend it until you get the right consistency.
Now you are ready to pipe this heart macarons. It takes a few tries to get this heart shape perfected. Definitely a challenge when making it the first time.
If shape doesn’t look right don’t fret it will still taste delicious.
As always, practice makes perfect. Make it a few times and you’ll get the hang of it. In fact, I attempted to make 2 hearts attached to each other. It came out fine but not perfect as I wanted it to be.
If you don’t like strawberries, you can always use your favorite filling. Want the recipe for Mango Cream Cheese Filling.
Good luck and enjoy making these cuties!
Recipe
Heart Macarons with Strawberry Buttercream Filling
Ingredients
Heart Macaron Cookies
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 2 egg whites extra large room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- gel coloring optional
Strawberry Buttercream Filling
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ - 3 tablespoons strawberry puree from 6 to 8 medium size strawberries
Instructions
Step One
- In a big bowl, sift almond flour and powdered sugar at the same time. Combine both ingredient and mix well.
Step 2
- On another bowl, separate egg white from yolk making sure no yolk gets into the egg white.
- On low speed beat egg whites for 3 minutes until frothy. Then add the cream of tartar. Raise the speed to medium and slowly add a third of the sugar every minute until it forms soft peaks.
- Add the gel coloring and vanilla and increase the speed to high until it forms stiff peak.
- Stop beating when stiff peak is reach.
Step 3
- Pour half of the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar mixture to the meringue.
- This step is crucial. When mixing use a spatula to fold the mixture clockwise starting from the top, then scrape the side down to the bottom and upwards. Press the batter in the center to remove air bubbles using the spatula. By continuing this motion batter will turn smooth and shiny. It will be thick but not runny like a pancake batter. When scooping the batter with the spatula it will fall off slowly forming a ribbon when it falls. Now is the time to stop folding.
- Note: When batter is scooped with a spatula and mixture flows freely or continuously like a pancake batter that indicates it was over mixed. This is not the right consistency.
Step 4
- Pour the macaron batter into a pastry bag with a round tip or #12.
- To make heart shape from top left pipe macaron batter towards the bottom (heart tip) then from the top right pipe batter to the bottom center again. With the help of a tooth pick quickly fix the shape of the macaron.
- You’ll end up with about 30 cookies.
- Poke the air bubbles or nipples with a toothpick.
- Tap the baking sheet against the counter about 4 times to get rid of air bubbles.
- Leave macarons on the counter for about 20 to 30 minutes until the top surface is dry to the touch. The macaron batter should not stick to your finger. If batter sticks let it sit for another 15 minutes and check again. When dry it is ready to go to the oven.
Step 5
- At the very top rack in the oven place an empty baking sheet to avoid browning of the macarons.
- Pre-heat oven at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and bake macarons between 15 to 18 minutes. Sometimes mine takes about 16 to 17 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on oven model.
- Leave the heart macarons on the baking sheets for 15 minutes to cool down. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6
- Sort macarons and pair similar sizes.
- Pipe strawberry buttercream filling on half macaron. Then sandwich filling with the other half macaron.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container or freeze for about 5 months.
How to Make the Strawberry Buttercream Filling
- In a blender puree 6 to 8 medium strawberries. Place in pan and reduce strawberry puree until thick. Let it cool completely.
- In a mixer, cream butter until smooth. Then add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add vanilla and strawberry puree. Beat until combined.
- Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up filling.
- Use a piping bag or a zip lock to pipe filling.
Nutrition
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