Description
Delight in these elegant Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Macarons featuring delicate almond and cocoa shells filled with a luscious mascarpone frosting. Perfectly piped into charming heart shapes, these macarons are a show-stopping treat for your special someone or any festive occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macaron Shells:
- 130 g powdered sugar
- 120 g almond flour
- 7 g cocoa powder
- 105 g egg whites
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon red food gel
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- 113 g (½ cup) heavy cream, cold
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 113 g (½ cup) mascarpone, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- Prepare Template: Trace a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter spaced about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper. Place this under another piece of parchment to pipe macarons onto or freehand the shape if preferred.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder twice for a smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Make Meringue: Heat egg whites and granulated sugar over a double boiler until sugar dissolves and temperature reaches 120°F. Transfer to a stand mixer bowl and whip with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form, then add vanilla paste and red food gel. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form, testing by inverting the bowl to ensure the meringue does not move.
- Macaronage: Fold one-third of the dry ingredients into the meringue gently with a silicone spatula scraping around the bowl sides and through the middle until mostly combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and continue folding carefully. Spread the batter along the bowl sides to slightly deflate it. The batter is ready when you can draw several figure eights without breaking.
- Pipe Shells: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe macarons using the heart-shaped template under parchment paper on a baking sheet. Remove the template carefully and tap the baking sheet on the counter to release air bubbles. Tap the bottom of the baking sheet as well to ensure even settling.
- Rest Shells: Allow the piped macarons to rest for 30-40 minutes until a dry skin forms and the batter doesn’t stick when touched.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 300°F toward the end of resting. Bake macarons for approximately 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheet before removing.
- Prepare Frosting: In a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, combine cold heavy cream, sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla paste. Whisk on low speed to combine, then increase to medium-high speed and whip until thickened, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble Macarons: Transfer frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pair macaron shells and pipe frosting onto the bottom shell, then sandwich with the paired shell, pressing gently to secure.
Notes
- Macarons develop better flavor and texture by the second day, so prepare the shells one day ahead and chill overnight before assembling.
- If macarons stick to parchment after baking and cooling, place them in the freezer for a few minutes to release easily.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
