Raspberry Marscapone Macarons

I've never made macarons, and I read and heard every where that they're very hard to make. But I still gave it a try, and I must say they're pretty good! I've found this recipe via Tartelette and followed it step by step. My only problem was that I had to put more food coloring in it, cause I wanted them a lot pinker. And the piping was a bit harder then I expected.. But they were A-MA-ZING! 

Raspberry Mascarpone Macarons:

For the shells: 
90 gr egg whites (use eggs whites that have been preferably left 3-5 days in the fridge)
25 gr granulated sugar
200 gr powdered sugar
110 gr almonds (slivered, blanched, sliced, whatever you like)
1 tablespoon cherry pink powdered food coloring

Prepare the macarons:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites to a foam, (think bubble bath foam) gradually add the sugar until you obtain a glossy meringue (think shaving cream). Do not overbeat your meringue or it will be too dry. Place the powdered sugar and almonds and powdered color in a food processor and give them a good pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add them to the meringue, give it a quick fold to break some of the air and then fold the mass carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. Give quick strokes at first to break the mass and slow down. The whole process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate: if the tops flattens on its own you are good to go. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple of turns.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Let the macarons sit out for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 280F. When ready, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Let cool. (My oven is in Celsius, so I used: 150C with about 20 to 24 minutes.) Once baked and if you are not using them right away, store them in an airtight container out of the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer.

For the filling:
120 gr mascarpone, room temperature
2-3 tablespoon good quality raspberry preserves

In a small bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and preserves together until well incorporated. Fill a small piping bag with a large plain tip  with it and pipe in the center of each shell. Let the shell mature at least 24 hours in the fridge so all the flavors have the chance to meld together.


And because this is my first blog post I just want to say why, and what to expect. I'm just a girl who loves to bake and sometimes cook, but nothing fancy or haute cuisine. But I love to share my experiences with the world. 

Good luck with baking!