Rose Macaron

The distinct flavours of almonds and roses harmonize beautifully in this crisp, yet chewy macaron recipe - the newest addition to my on-going spring macaron series.

Each year, Mother Nature’s rebirth is announced by a spectacle of spring blooms. From the tiny bulbs decorating tree branches to the wide array of green dots saturating the forest floor, this budding flora heralds the much-anticipated return of verdure. With winter gone, our once-dormant landscape is finally starting to appear more vibrant and colourful, shedding its dull shade of grey in lieu of greens, yellows, and reds. My personal favourites are the bright pink blossoms strewn across our many fruit trees. In southern Quebec, it’s still too early to enjoy these blooms, but that isn’t going to stop me from using them for inspiration. My pastel rose macarons are meant to represent the essence of spring, making them the perfection addition for this series.

INGREDIENTS

100g egg whites

100g raw sugar, plus extra for decorative topping

100g almond flour

100g powdered sugar

red food coloring

Swiss meringue buttercream

rose-hip jam or rosewater

DIRECTIONS

Rose macarons:

1. Mix egg whites with granulated sugar over a bain-marie until sugar dissolves completely (55°C).

2. Add the desired amount of red food coloring, while whisking on high to hard peaks.

3. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar together.

4. Fold into Swiss meringue.

5. Macaronner: continue folding until the mixture looks glossy, it holds its shape but then slowly moves and loses its form.

6. Put into a piping bag fitted with a tip with a 1.5cm opening.

7. Keeping the tip parallel with the lined baking sheet, pipe disks the size of a toonie.

8. Lightly bang the sheet on the counter to help even out the shells.

9. Wait 15-30 minutes for the shells to dry.

10. Bake for 14 minutes at 300°F.

Rose buttercream macaron filling:

1. Make the Swiss meringue buttercream recipe.

2. Add rose-hip jam or rosewater to taste. There is a fine line between a delicious amount and an overwhelming amount, so go slow and keep tasting!

3. Once cool pair macarons together based on size, then organize the pairs on a sheet, one right side up and the other upside down.

4. Fill a piping bag with rose buttercream filling and pipe onto half the shells.

5. Sandwich the pairs together and let set in the fridge.

If you've enjoyed this recipe or would like to try other flavours be sure to try the other macaron recipes on the blog!