Description
Delight in these Cranberry Macarons with Orange Buttercream, a festive French dessert blending tart cranberries and zesty orange.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large Egg Whites (room temperature)
- 100 grams Granulated Sugar (for meringue)
- 1 teaspoon Egg White Powder (optional)
- 250 grams Almond Flour (finely ground)
- 200 grams Powdered Sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon Food Coloring (crimson or red)
- 250 grams Fresh Cranberries (the star ingredient)
- 100 grams Granulated Sugar (or Maple Syrup)
- 1 orange Fresh Orange Juice & Zest (for brightening the sauce)
- 200 grams Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 300 grams Confectioners’ Sugar (for sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla or Orange Extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Milk (or additional Orange Juice)
Instructions
- Gather and measure all ingredients. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar and almond flour, then sift them together.
- Using a double boiler, whisk egg whites and granulated sugar over simmering water until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue in thirds, adding food coloring as you go.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe small circles onto your prepared baking sheets.
- Allow the piped macarons to sit at room temperature for 20-40 minutes, until they are no longer sticky to the touch.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating trays halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.
- In a small saucepan, simmer fresh cranberries with sugar, orange juice, and zest until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.
- Beat softened unsalted butter until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and orange zest, mixing thoroughly.
- Pipe orange buttercream onto one macaron shell. Add a dollop of cranberry sauce, then sandwich with another macaron shell.
- Refrigerate assembled macarons for several hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- These macarons are best served chilled.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the cranberry sauce to your taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: Cranberry Macarons, Orange Buttercream, Festive Desserts