Macarons with Passion Fruit Curd (ATK)

• servings: 30 cookies
• total time: 1½ h, + 26 h chilling

Ingredients

Macaron Shells

150 grams blanched, finely ground almond flour

150 grams confectioners' sugar

⅛ teaspoon table salt

113 grams egg whites, (measure from lightly beaten whites of 4 large eggs), divided

⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar

150 grams granulated sugar

60 grams water

3-7 drops gel food coloring

Passion Fruit Curd

¾ cup passion fruit puree

½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar

¼ cup (1 ounce) cornstarch

4 ounces white chocolate, chopped coarse

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

Directions

1. For The Macaron Shells

Using pencil and 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter as guide, trace thirty 1½-inch circles on each of 2 pieces of parchment (5 evenly spaced rows of 6 circles on each piece of parchment). Spray 2 baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. Place templates pencil side down on sheets and smooth to adhere. Sift flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl and set aside.

2. Measure 75 grams of egg whites into bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment (reserve remaining whites). Add cream of tartar. Start mixer on medium-high speed and whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes (see "A" in "Making the Shells"). Turn mixer to lowest speed and let run while you make sugar syrup.

3. Using heatproof spatula, gently stir sugar and water together in small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, checking temperature frequently, until sugar syrup reaches 245 degrees, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. When syrup reaches 245 degrees, quickly remove pan from heat; adjust mixer speed to medium; and carefully pour syrup into whites in thin, steady stream (avoid hitting whisk; aim for side of bowl just above whites; see "B" in "Making the Shells"). Add food coloring; increase speed to medium-high; and continue to whip until meringue is just shy of stiff peaks (very tip of peak should bend to 2 or 3 o'clock), 3 to 5 minutes (see "C" in "Making the Shells").

5. Transfer meringue and reserved 38 grams egg whites to almond flour mixture. Using large rubber spatula, stir to incorporate. Turning bowl, stir and smear batter against sides of bowl, scraping sides and bottom frequently until batter loosens and flows from spatula in slow, wide stream for 8 to 10 seconds and reincorporates into batter within about 30 seconds (see "D" in "Making the Shells"). (To test consistency, place spoonful of batter on prepared sheet and let sit for 1 minute. If batter spreads into flat, smooth-topped disk, continue with recipe; if it remains domed, continue stirring, taking care not to overmix, and retest.)

6. Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with ½- inch round tip. Hold bag perpendicular to sheet and about ½ inch above sheet. Using template as guide, pipe batter into 1½-inch-wide disks, keeping bag still as batter flows from tip. To finish each disk, use quick flick of your wrist to cut off batter stream (see "E" in "Making the Shells'). Rap sheets firmly on counter 6 times to release air bubbles. Let rest until shells form skin that can be touched gently with your finger without marring surface, about 20 minutes ("F" in "Making the Shells"). While shells dry, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

7. Bake 1 sheet of shells for 13 minutes. To test for doneness, place your finger gently on top of 1 shell and move it side to side; if center feels loose and jiggly, continue to bake, checking every minute, until firm. Transfer sheet to wire rack and bake remaining shells. Let shells cool completely on sheets. While shells cool, make filling.

8. For The Passion Fruit Curd Whisk passion fruit puree, sugar, and cornstarch together in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick paste forms, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until melted, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, then whisk in butter in 3 additions, until smooth and glossy. Press lightly greased parchment against surface of curd, and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with ½-inch round or star tip.

9. To Assemble

Gently peel shells from parchment (see "G" in "Making the Shells"). (If shells don't release cleanly, place sheets in freezer for 10 minutes.) Holding 1 upturned shell in your hand, pipe about 2 teaspoons filling on top, leaving ⅛-inch border. Place second shell on top of filling, pressing gently until filling spreads to edges. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Arrange cookies on clean parchment- lined sheet and wrap well. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Before You Begin

* A kitchen scale that weighs in grams is essential for this recipe; you'll also need a large piping bag and ½-inch round tip. A macaron mat—a silicone mat that's marked with guides for piping-can be used instead of parchment paper. Lightly beating the egg whites makes it easier to obtain a precise measurement. Be sure to use finely ground almond flour; Blue Diamond or Bob's Red Mill products work well. Do not use liquid food coloring as it will add too much water to the batter. Use 3 drops of gel for pastel shells and 7 drops for a more vibrant color. Look for passion fruit puree with the other frozen fruit in your grocery store. This recipe involves multitasking; read it carefully and make sure to have your ingredients and equipment in place before you begin.

Why This Recipe Works

Few confections have captured the world's attention quite like Parisian macarons, the cookie comprised of two colorful almond meringues (“shells”) sandwiched around a luscious filling. These small treasures have become a rite of passage for home bakers. For our version, we started by sifting finely ground almond flour together with confectioners' sugar to eliminate lumps and ensure the smoothest shells. Our next step was to prepare an Italian meringue, a remarkably sturdy type that we found afforded the baker lots of control during macaronage, the process of mixing the dry ingredients together with the meringue. The goal of macaronage is to partially deflate the batter by eliminating the largest air bubbles. Once the batter reached the proper consistency, we piped it into rounds and then let the shells rest for 20 minutes. While the shells sat, a skin formed that prohibited steam from escaping through the top during baking; instead the steam was forced out along the perimeter of the base, forming the macaron's hallmark ruffled “foot.” We also discovered that even the slightest puff of air trapped under the parchment could impact the even rise of the cookie; that's why we stuck the parchment to the sheet with vegetable oil spray. To fill the shells, we offer a multitude of choices, including this passion fruit curd.

The art of macaronage

“It's anathema … to take the air out of a meringue,” said Jody O'Sullivan, pastry and baking instructor at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and former macaron bakery owner, emulating his students' reactions. But for macaronage, he explained, that's what you must do. The technique is the process of stirring meringue together with almond flour and confectioners' sugar (and in my recipe, some unwhipped egg whites) until it partially deflates and relaxes into a smooth, flowing state.

Senior Science Research Editor Paul Adams elaborated: Macaronage, he said, selectively removes the largest air bubbles from the meringue and leaves the small ones intact. As the almond flour is stirred through the foam, the nut particles are more likely to hit a big bubble than a small one, either popping it or causing it to divide into smaller bubbles. Both scenarios reduce the number of large bubbles to create a fine-crumbed interior without big hollows.

Using a rubber spatula, stir, fold, and smear the batter against the side of the bowl. When it's ready, it will flow in a slow, wide stream for about 10 seconds.

A Fluffy Foundation for Success

A stable, billowy Italian meringue is the best kind for producing quality macarons. All styles of meringue involve whipping egg whites so that their protein strands begin to unwind and form a network that holds water and air bubbles in place. But only the Italian kind calls for drizzling in a hot sugar syrup to cook the proteins and set them into a sturdy foam. This strong meringue affords the baker more control during macaronage: The firmer the structure, the less risk there is of overmixing and overdeflating the batter.

The meringue is ready to be mixed with the other ingredients when the very tip droops to 2 or 3 o'clock in the shape of a bird's beak, or “bec d'oiseau.”

Cook’s illustrated January / February 2024